Expert: Candy Brauer - 10/26/2004

Question
Dear Candy
  
   After recently conducting a study of the concept of hell, I have come to a preliminary belief that, contrary to what I have been taught as a Southern Baptist, the New Testament does NOT teach that "hell" is the flaming punishment that ungodly humans  go to immediately upon death, or for everlasting punishment.  
    Based on the translated words for "hell" in the new testament, "Hades" is simply the grave, "Gehenna" is that specific valley near Jerusalem intended for waste and rubbish and yes even condemed criminals (literally), and "tartoos" the "pit" for the angels reserved till judgement.(cf. 2 Pet.2:4).

It seems we wait in the grave till the resurrection and judgement day, and until then, we "sleep" in an unconscious state.
    As you can see this does not "jive" with SBC theology.

Am I wrong?

Thank you for your time
Sincerelly, John  

Answer
Actually, you must have based your research off of the same material that Jehovah's Witnesses do, which is incorrect information.

There are 7 Bible words for our word "hell".  They are:

sheol - Hebrew. always refers to the unseen world of departed spirits.  It is properly translated as 'hell', or 'pit'.  It is always in contrast with the Heb. qeber.

qeber - Hebrew.  means the grave.  The seen world, where bodies are buried.  It is always translated as 'grave', 'burying place', or 'sepulchre', never hell.

hades - Greek. means the unseen world.  It is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew sheol.

mnaymeion - Greek.  means grave.  Is always properly translated as grave, tomb, sepulchre.

gehenna - Greek.  gorge, or valley.  Named from the valley of Hinnom, where perpetual fires burned, to burn trash, etc.    Gehenna is a place of eternal punishment.  Is always translated 'hell', and never 'grave'.

tartaros - Greek and Latin.  The deepest abyss of sheol/hades - the unseen world.

limnen tou puros - Greek.  The lake of fire.  The same as gehenna of fire - eternal hell.

The lost are held in sheol/hades (eternal hell), NOT qeber (grave), which you mistranslated as the word hades.  Hence, the lost are held in hell until judgement day, then are cast into limnen tou puros.

Hades does not, and never has ment, grave.  qeber does.

qeber = grave

hades = hell, the place of eternal, concoius punishment.

Pagan lexicons, usually written from, or refered from unbelievers, sometimes translate Hades as grave.  This is an out and out lie.

God promised in Psalm 12:6-7 that he would preserve His word forever.  He has.  However, you have to read bibles that are translated from the inerrant manuscripts, not the corrupt ones.  

If you bible does not say the below, then it is a currupt version:

"Psalm 12
6   The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7   Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."

and

"1 John 5
7   For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

-Candy Brauer
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