Who Goes to Hell?

The Bible’s answer

Hell (“Sheol” and “Hades” in the Bible’s original languages) is simply the grave, not a place of fiery torment. Who go to hell? Both good people and bad people. (Job 14:13; Psalm 9:​17) The Bible says that this common grave of mankind is “the house of meeting for everyone living.”​—Job 30:23.

Even Jesus went to hell when he died. However, “he was not kept in hell,” because God resurrected him.​—Acts 2:​31, 32, The Bible in Basic English.

Is hell eternal?

All those who go to hell will come back out, brought to life by Jesus through God’s power. (John 5:​28, 29; Acts 24:15) Speaking of that future resurrection, the prophecy at Revelation 20:13 says that “death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them.” (King James Version) Once hell has been emptied, it will no longer exist; no one will ever go there again because “death will be no more.”​—Revelation 21:​3, 4; 20:14.

Not everyone who dies goes to hell, though. The Bible shows that some people become so steeped in wickedness that they are beyond repentance. (Hebrews 10:26, 27) When such ones die, they go, not to hell, but to Gehenna, which is a symbol of everlasting destruction. (Matthew 5:​29, 30) For example, Jesus indicated that some of the hypocritical religious leaders in his day would go to Gehenna.​—Matthew 23:27-​33.