The Bible provides some glimpses into what hell, the place of eternal punishment for those who reject Christ, will be like. However, the full nature of hell is beyond our ability to comprehend. The Bible uses vivid imagery to portray hell as a place of torment, suffering, isolation, and hopelessness. While the language is symbolic, it points to very real spiritual realities.
Here are some key things the Bible reveals about hell:
It’s a place of fire and burning
Several passages use the imagery of fire to depict hell as a place of burning anguish and torment:
“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41)
“In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’” (Luke 16:23-24)
The flames and burning indicate the terrible anguish and torment people will experience in hell.
It’s a place of darkness
In contrast to the fiery imagery, several verses also depict hell as a place of utter darkness:
“The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:41-42)
“And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30)
This imagery of darkness likely represents the isolation, loneliness, and hopelessness of those in hell, separated from God’s presence and any light or hope.
It’s a place of worms and maggots
Isaiah 66:24 graphically describes corpses being consumed by worms and maggots as a vivid picture of the final state of the wicked:
“And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
This gruesome description emphasizes the utter contempt and disregard God will have for those who reject Him.
It’s a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth
On multiple occasions, Jesus describes hell as a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12, 13:42, 13:50, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30). The weeping conveys the terrible grief and remorse of those in hell, while gnashing of teeth likely refers to the excruciating pain and anger.
It’s a place of destruction and ruin
Second Thessalonians 1:9 says those who don’t know God and obey the gospel “will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” Hell is a place where people are subject to ongoing ruin and destruction, eternally separated from any hope or blessing from God’s presence.
It’s a place of unrest
In Isaiah 57:20-21, the wicked are depicted as tossing and turning in the sea, unable to find any rest or peace: “But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
Hell will provide no rest or peace for its inhabitants, only perpetual unrest.
It’s a place of torment and thirst
The story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 provides additional details about the nature of hell:
“In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’” (Luke 16:23-24)
Hell is a place of thirst, torment, and tortured cries for relief that will never come.
It’s a place prepared for the devil and his angels
Hell was originally created for Satan and his demons, not human beings:
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41)
While hell was not intended for humanity, the Bible warns that all those who align with Satan in rebelling against God will share the devil’s final destiny.
It’s eternal, conscious torment
The Bible stresses that hell lasts forever and that the people there will be fully conscious of their torment. There are no “second chances” after death:
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
“And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:11)
Hell is a place of loss and exclusion
Hell means losing every blessing and all that brings joy in life. It ultimately means exclusion from God’s presence and His kingdom:
“They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.” (2 Thessalonians 1:9-10)
Hell means losing every good thing, while only the agonies remain. The punishment is eternal, conscious, and irreversible.
Hell is a place of remorse, anger, hatred, and torment
Putting the various images together, hell is a place of burning anguish, darkness, worms, separation, unrest, thirst, torment, and excruciating pain. It will elicit weeping, gnashing of teeth, and desperate but unanswered cries for relief. Those sent there will experience everlasting destruction, loss, exclusion, and ruin. They will feel anger, hatred, rage, remorse, and sullenness as they dwell on their lost opportunities and remember their sins on earth. Condemned sinners will want to die but not be able to.
The punishments of hell are eternal, conscious, irreversible, horrible beyond imagination, and terrible beyond description. While the language used to describe hell is symbolic, it refers to very real and terrible spiritual realities that are far worse than the imagery used to represent them.
Hell means separation from God and all good things
At the most fundamental level, hell means absolute separation from God, the source of all goodness, joy, peace, and hope. Those condemned to hell will suffer the loss of every positive, meaningful experience and relationship. The Bible calls this “the second death” (Revelation 20:14).
God graciously offers salvation through faith in Christ (John 3:16). But those who reject Christ’s sacrifice for their sins will face the full fury of God’s wrath in hell (John 3:36). By their own choice, the wicked will inherit isolation, torment, and ruin.
Hell is the ultimate consequence for those who refuse God’s offer of forgiveness through Jesus Christ. But those who put their trust in Christ’s atoning work on the cross need not fear condemnation but can look forward to eternal life and joy in God’s presence.
While the Bible depicts hell in vivid terms, we must keep in mind that the reality is far worse than the symbols used to represent it. Hell is a place of eternal isolation, darkness, pain, and despair beyond anything we can comprehend. Thankfully, God lovingly warns us of the horrendous reality of hell so that we would turn to Christ and be saved from its horrors.
