Which “hell” does the bible mean?

As I said in my article, “The four hells,” there are three ancient Greek words we tend to translate “hell.” (Plus one Hebrew word.) These three words mean three different things… and none of them mean the pop culture idea of hell which we find in movies, TV shows, and the “Hell House” and “Judgment Day” pageants which conservative Evangelicals like to host around Halloween. Satan’s not waiting for dead sinners in some otherworldly fiery pit, ready to throw them into the flames. Satan itself is getting thrown into the flames. But that comes much later.

Okay, but in the meanwhile, if your favorite bible translation insists, as many do, in translating all these four different words as “hell,” exactly which hell are they talking about? Glad you asked. Here’s my handy-dandy chart for determining which hell they mean.

ADDRESS	VERSE (IN KJV)	ORIGINAL WORD	PROPER MEANING
Every single Old Testament verse with “hell” in it		שְׁא֣וֹל/šeol	Grave, afterlife.
Mt 5.22	“…shall be in danger of hell fire.”	γέενναν/géhennan	“…shall be in danger of the garbage fire.”
Mt 5.29	“…thy whole body should be cast into hell fire.”	γέενναν/géhennan	“…thy whole body should be cast into the garbage fire.”
Mt 10.28	“…destroy both soul and body in hell.”	γεέννῃ/géhenni	“…destroy both soul and body in rubbish.”
Mt 11.23	“…shalt be brought down to hell…”	ᾅδου/ádu	“…shalt be brought down to the grave…”
Mt 16.18	“…the gates of hell shall not prevail…”	ᾅδου/ádu	“…the doors of the grave will not overpower…”
Mt 18.9	“…to be cast into hell fire.”	γέενναν/géhennan	“…to be cast into the garbage fire.”
Mt 23.15	“…more the child of hell than yourselves.”	γεέννης/gehénnis	“…more the child of rubbish than yourselves.”
Mt 23.33	“…how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”	γεέννης/gehénnis	“…how can you escape the judgment of rubbish?”
Mk 9.43	“…than having two hands to go into hell…”	γέενναν/géhennan	“…than having two hands to go into rubbish…”
Mk 9.45	“…than having two feet to go into hell…”	γέενναν/géhennan	“…than having two feet to go into rubbish…”
Mk 9.47	“…than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:”	γέενναν/géhennan	“…than having two eyes to be cast into the garbage fire:”
Lk 10.15	“…shalt be thrust down to hell.”	ᾅδου/ádu	“…shalt be thrust down to the grave.”
Lk 12.5	“…hath power to cast into hell…”	γέενναν/géhennan	“…hath power to cast into rubbish…”
Lk 16.33	“And in hell he lift up his eyes…”	ᾅδῃ/ádi	“And in the afterlife he lift up his eyes…”
Ac 2.27	“Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell…”	ᾅδου/ádu	“Because thou wilt not leave my soul in the afterlife…”
Ac 2.31	“…that his soul was not left in hell…”	ᾅδου/ádu	“…that his soul was not left in the afterlife…”
Jm 3.6	“…and it is set on fire of hell.”	γεέννης/gehénnis	“…and it is set on fire from the garbage.”
2Pe 2.4	“…but cast [the angels] down to hell…”	ταρταρώσας/tartarósas	“…but cast them down to the abyss…”
Rv 1.18	“…and have the keys of hell and of death.”	ᾅδου/ádu	“…and have the keys of the grave and of death.”
Rv 6.8	“…and Hell followed with him.”	ᾅδης/ádis	“…and Grave followed with him.”
Rv 20.13	“…and death and hell delivered up the dead…”	ᾅδης/ádis	“…and death and the grave delivered up the dead…”
Rv 20.14	“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.”	ᾅδης/ádis	“And death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire.”

Y’might notice not one of these references to hell, is talking about the popular culture’s idea of hell. It’s either the rubbish heap (sometimes on fire, sometimes not), or the grave or afterlife.

The “lake of fire” in Revelation 20, comes way closer. Still.