Specifics: Hades – Abyss - Tartarus – Hell

Part of our God’s 7 Kingdoms of this universe

See A. God’s 7 Kingdoms Verses 5-6-7

A. Hades; is a Greek word for the abode of departed spirits; is where all the spiritual beings of unbelievers go when their physical bodies die. Hades is God’s 5^th Kingdom in the universe, is located in the bottomless pit, which goes deep into the earth and has a giant fire in it; the bottomless pit is an inferno deep within the earth. Hades is the first kingdom at the top of this pit so it has the least heat and torment in it. Hades is referred to 10 times in the New Testament.

B. Abyss(os): is a Greek word meaning deep bottomless pit with a fire, where some of the vilest demons (angels who sinned against God) are kept in torment. It is God’s 6^th Kingdom in this universe and located below Hades in the inferno of the bottomless pit within the earth; closer to the flames with more heat and torment in it. It is used 9 times in the Bible; is also commonly referred to as the Bottomless Pit.

C.Tartarus; is a Greek word which is only used once in the Bible, which a context of verses define as a prison located in the Abyss. This prison is in the deepest and hottest part of the Abyss; where certain demons are chained closest to the heat. For their actions were the most despicable to God and they were given more torment, to keep them from coming back to earth. It is only used 1 time in the Bible.

D. Hell, the Lake of Fire; Greek Gehenna, is the 7^th kingdom which God will create in end times.

The first to thrown into Hell/Lake of Fire will be the beast/antichrist/man of sin and the false prophet.

The second to be cast into Hell/Lake of Fire will be satan.

The third to be cast into Hell/Lake of Fire will be satan’s demons (angels who followed satan and became demons).

The fourth to be cast into Hell, the Lake of Fire at the White Throne Judgement; all unbelievers spiritual beings in Hades will be reunited with their resurrected regular sinful physical bodies from earth and along with unbelievers still living on earth. They will have their regular sinful bodies made eternal and then they will cast into Hell/Lake of Fire. See H-65; I-78+81; J-94

Heaven and Earth will pass away, and since Hades, Abyss, Tartarus were located within the earth they also will be no more. And God will create His New Heaven and Earth. But Hell, the Lake of Fire; will be a place of torment for satan, his demons, and after the White Throne Judgment all unbelievers from the creation of the world, forever.

A. Hades (Greek); where unbelievers’ spiritual beings go after they physically die. Used 10 times in Bible

Hades refers to a place of torment where an unbelievers’ spiritual being goes after their physical body dies.

1. *And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. Matt 11:23 ESV+

2. *"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matt 16:18 NASB+

3. *And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. Luke 10:15 NKJV+

4. *and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. Luke 16:23 ESV+

After depositing our sins in the Abyss (B. 3.), Jesus’ spiritual being came up to Hades where all unbeliever’ spiritual beings are; and then His soul and spirit ascended into Heaven, where He welcomed the thief on the cross.

5. *For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Acts 2:27 NKJV+

6. *he foresaw and spoke the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. Acts 2:31 ESV+

All unbelievers’ spiritual beings are kept in Hades, until the White Seat Judgment. There unbelievers’ spiritual beings are reunited with their physical bodies, judged by God and thrown into Hell, the Lake of Fire.

7. *I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Rev 1:18 NIV+

8. *I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Rev 6:8 NASB+

9. *And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Rev 20:13 ESV+

10. *Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Rev 20:14 NKJV+

A1. How different translations used Hades

NASB+ used Hades 10 times. NASB+ Greek translation 86

ASV Same as NASB+

NKJV+ used Hades 11 times

Uses Hades instead of death; NASB+ Greek translation 2288 is death

*“O death, where is your victory? O Hades, where is your sting?” 1Co 15:55 NKJV+

ESV+ used Hades 9 times;

In Matt 16:18 used Hell; but NASB+ Greek translation 86 is Hades; not Hell which is Greek translation 1067

* And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matt 16:18 ESV+

NIV+ only had Matt 16:18, Rev 1:18, 6:8, 20:13, 20:14 correct; be careful of how 5 times they used other words for Hades

KJV Never used Hades; used Hell 9 times, grave one time - be careful with their use of the word Hell

B. Abyss, Bottomless Pit; where certain demonic spiritual beings are kept

Abyss or Bottomless Pit used 10 times in Bible

1. * Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. LK 8:31 ESV+

Where Jesus left the sins of the world; after having them laid upon Him while He was on the cross.

2. * or “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). Ro 10:7 ESV+

Jesus was our scapegoat, our sins were laid on Him and He carried them to a solitary place and left them; the Abyss. See

* "But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat . Lev 16:10 NASB+

* The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert. Lev 16:22 NIV+

Where demons are kept until they bring tribulation on us

3. *Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit [Lit shaft of the Abyss] was given to him. Rev 9:1NASB+

4. *When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. Rev 9:2 NIV+

5. *They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon , and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon. Rev 9:11 NASB+

6. *Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Rev 11:7 NIV+

7. *"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. Rev 17:8 NASB+

Will be a place satan is held for a thousand years

8. * And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. Rev 20:1 NASB+

9. *and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. Rev 20:3 NASB+

B1. How different translations use Abyss, Bottomless Pit

ASV: 9 times

Abyss: LK 8:31 - Ro 10:7 - Rev 9:1 - Rev 9:2 - Rev 9:11 - Rev 11:7 - Rev 17:8 - Rev 20:1 - Rev 20:3

NASB+: 9 times

Abyss: LK 8:31 - Ro 10:7 - Rev 9:11 - Rev 11:7 - Rev 17: - Rev 20:1 - Rev 20:3 NKJV+

Bottomless Pit: Rev 9:1 [Lit shaft of the Abyss] - Rev 9:2 (Pit)

ESV+: 9 times

Abyss: LK 8:31 - Ro 10:7

Bottomless Pit: Rev 9:1 [Greek the abyss; also verses 2,11] - Rev 9:2 - Rev 9:11 - Rev 11:7 - Rev 17:8 - Rev 20:1 - Rev 20:3

NKJV+: 9 times

Abyss: LK 8:31 - Ro 10:7

Bottomless Pit: Rev 9:1 - Rev 9:2 - Rev 9:11 - Rev 11:7 - Rev 17:8 - Rev 20:1 - Rev 20:3

NIV+: 9 times

Abyss: LK 8:31 - Rev 9:1 - Rev 9:2 - Rev 9:11 - Rev 11:7

Deep: Ro 10:7 - Rev 17:8 - Rev 20:1 - Rev 20:3

KJV: 9 times

Bottomless Pit: Rev 9:1 - Rev 9:2 - Rev 9:11 - Rev 11:7 - Rev 17:8 - Rev 20:1 - Rev 20:3

Deep: LK 8:31 - Ro 10:7

Prison: 1

C. Tartarus (Greek) prison in the deepest part of the Abyss or Bottomless Pit

NASB+, ASV, ESV,+ NKJV+, NIV+, KJV; all incorrectly interrupted the Greek word Tartarus as Hell, instead of Abyss the only time it is used in the Bible in 2Pe 2:4.

Tartarus is where God keeps certain demonic spiritual beings until the White Throne Judgment Tartarus, is a Greek word to hold captive in a dark abode. It was incorrectly translated the 1 time it was used in the Bible by Peter in all 6 of the translations we use. It should have been translated the Abyss or the Bottomless Pit instead of Hell. For in this verse it is referring to a place where spirits are already held. Yet no one will be cast into Hell, the Lake of Fire, until Jesus returns and casts the antichrist and false prophet into it. And then after the White Throne Judgment all in Hades (with their physical bodies) and all the demons in the Abyss will be cast into Hell, the Lake of Fire.

God did not create Hell for these angels, but kept them in Tartarus the worst torment possible until they were to be judged just before the White Throne Judgment and then thrown into the Lake of Fire which is Hell. See I.- 81.

1. *For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell [Tartarus] and committed them to chains [Some manuscript pits] of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 2Pe 2:4 ESV+

When Jesus died on the cross our sins were laid upon Him and He went to the prison in the Abyss to proclaim His victory there, lay our sins there. Paul concurs that Jesus went into the Abyss, not Hell, the Lake of Fire which had not yet been created.

*For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit ; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water . 1Pe 3:18-20 NASB+

or “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). Ro 10:7 ESV+

D. Hell (Greek Gehenna) is Lake of Fire; eternal place of torment for unbelievers, and demons. Hell used 12 times in Bible

Jesus refers to the punishment which unbelievers physical bodies will have to endure in Hell, which can only happen after the White Thrown Judgment. When unbelievers spiritual beings from Hades are united with their physical bodies once more, judged and then cast into the Lake of Fire.

1. *If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. Matt 5:29 ESV+

2. *"If your right hand makes you stumble , cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. Matt 5:30 NASB+

3. *Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt 10:28 NIV+

4. *If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. Matt 18:8-9 NKJV+

5. *And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. Mk 9:43 ESV+

6. *And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—Mk 9:45 NKJV+

7. *And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ Mk 9:47-48 ESV+

8. *The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. Ja 3:6 NIV+

While it is incorrect to say any are now being sent to Hell or held there; for no one will go to hell until Jesus returns in glory. It is correct to threaten unbelievers with the worst punishment any can receive, or say unbelievers are going to Hell; for all in Hades will be cast into Hell, the Lake of Fire, after the White Throne Judgment.

9. *But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. Matt 5:22 ESV+

10. * "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Matt 23:15 NASB+

11. * Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Matt 23:33 NJKV+

12. * But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Lk 12:5 NKJV+

D1. How different translations use Hell (Gehenna NASB+ Greek translation 1067)

NASB+, ASV, ESV+, NKJV+, NIV+, KJV; all incorrectly interrupted the Greek word Tartarus as Hell, instead of in the Bible’s context of Tartarus as a prison in the Abyss the only time it is used in the Bile *For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell [ Greek Tartarus], putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 2Pe 2:4 NIV+

Tartarus is where Jesus human spiritual being (soul and spirit) went after He died on the cross; to proclaim His victory over death to the angels who were in the prison in the deepest part of the Abyss.

*For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit ; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 1Pe 3:18-19 NASB+

*But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down)
or “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). Ro 10:6-7 ESV+

NASB+, ASV, ESV+, NKJV+; all agree on the 12 times Hell (Greek Gehenna) is used.

NIV+ also added Hell in Lk 16:23 which is incorrect

KJV used Hell 22 times, incorrectly 10 times

D2. Hell called the Lake of Fire, or described as such. used 6 times in the Bible

When Jesus returns; the antichrist and the false prophet will be the first to be cast into Lake of Fire.

*And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Rev 19:20 ESV+

Then satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire where only the beast and the false prophet are

*And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Rev 20:10 NASB+

Then demons; satan/devil angels

*On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. Isa 24:21 ESV+

*“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matt 25:41 ESV+

Those who had died in the last battle without their names in the book of life; and all who were in Hades who had their spiritual beings reunited with their resurrected bodies, were thrown into the Lake of Fire.

* Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Rev 20:14 NIV+

Those still living on earth at the time of the White Throne Judgment will be judged; and any without their names in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

*“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matt 25:41 ESV+

*And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 20:15 NKJV+

All the evil unbelievers will be sent to their second and eternal death; Lake of Fire.

* But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Rev 21:8 NKJV+

D3. How different translations use the Lake of Fire

NKJV+, NASB+, ASV, ESV+, KJV, NIV+ all where the same, though some used different descriptive words; including Lake of Fire, Fire and Brimstone.

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+ ESV “Scripture quotations marked [ESV] are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version,” copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good New Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Some words in the verses from these Bibles may be emphasized with bold letters.