„Denn Gott hat seinen Sohn nicht gesandt in die Welt, dass er die Welt richte, sondern dass die Welt durch ihn selig werde.“
Johannes 3,17

Bible verses about hell

Hell is a topic that many would rather not talk about. The Bible does—more matter-of-factly than one might think, and always with a purpose: that people may be saved. Here you will find 19 Bible verses about hell and judgment.

What the Bible says about hell

Jesus' warnings and images.

  1. And fear not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him that is able to cast into hell, and destroy both soul and body.

    Matthew 10:28SoulPersecution

  2. Then he will also say to them that are on the left: Depart from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels!

    Matthew 25:41

  3. And they shall go into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.

    Matthew 25:46Eternal life

  4. But if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better thee to enter into life crippled, than having two hands, and to cast into hell, into eternal fire.

    Mark 9:43

  5. And when he was in hell and in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and beheld Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried, and said, O father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the point of his finger into the water, and cool my tongue: for I am in torment in this flame.

    Luke 16:23-24

  6. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereunto. And strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

    Matthew 7:13-14

  7. And they shall cast him into the fiery furnace, and there shall be crying and gnashing of teeth.

    Matthew 13:42

  8. And death and hell were cast into the fiery lake, which is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the fiery lake.

    Revelation 20:14-15

  9. Which shall suffer torment and everlasting destruction from the face of God, and from the brightness of his glory.

    2 Thessalonians 1:9

  10. Whither I go up, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there also.

    Psalm 139:8

God wants to save

The message of the Bible is salvation.

  1. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God hath not sent his Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

    John 3:16-17World

  2. Who will that every man should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.

    1 Timothy 2:4SalvationGod's will

  3. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some are accounted slack; but is longsuffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

    2 Peter 3:9ReturnRepentance

  4. Therefore speak unto them: Verily, verily, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his ways, and live. Repent therefore now of your evil ways. Why will ye die, ye house of Israel?

    Ezekiel 33:11Repentance

  5. Now therefore is nothing condemnable among them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

    Romans 8:1CondemnationGuilt

  6. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that hath sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life.

    John 5:24Eternal lifeLife

  7. And he that liveth, and believeth, shall not come into condemnation: but death hath passed from him.

    Revelation 1:18ResurrectionEaster

  8. Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is thy sting? Hell, where is thy victory?

    1 Corinthians 15:55ResurrectionEaster

  9. But I will deliver them out of hell, and save them from death. Death, I will be thy poison; hell, I will be thy pestilence. Yet comfort is hidden from my eyes.

    Hosea 13:14

Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.

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What the Bible means by “hell”

Luther translates several terms as “hell.” In the Old Testament, it is usually Sheol, the realm of the dead, where all the deceased are – even God is there: “If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there also” (Psalm 139:8). In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of Gehenna, a valley near Jerusalem, which served as an image of the final judgment. His images are dramatic: fire, darkness, crying, and gnashing of teeth. They are not intended to draw a map of the underworld, but to warn: There is a life that passes God by forever.

Why Jesus warns

Jesus does not speak about hell to frighten people, but because he wants to save them. “For God hath not sent his Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). And God says through Ezekiel: “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his ways, and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). The risen Christ has “the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18). Learn more about Bible verses about eternal life, Bible verses about salvation and deliverance, and Bible verses about the gospel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about hell?

Jesus warns with powerful images of a final separation from God (Matthew 10:28; 25:46). At the same time, the Bible emphasizes that God wants to save all people (1 Timothy 2:4; John 3:17).

What is the difference between hell and the realm of the dead?

In the Old Testament, “hell” in the Luther Bible usually means the realm of the dead (Sheol). In the New Testament, the word often refers to Gehenna, the image of the final judgment.

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