Who goes to hell?
The answer of the Bible
The word "hell" (in the original languages of the Bible "Sheol" and "Hades" does not denote a place where one is tormented in fire, but simply stands for the grave. Who goes to hell? Both good and bad people (Job 14:13; Psalm 9:17). According to the Bible, this general grave of mankind is the place or "pit where all living things end" (Job 30:23, Zinc).
Even Jesus went to hell. However, he "did not remain in hell" because God raised him from the dead (Acts 2:31, 32, Fischer).
How long will hell exist?
All those who go to hell will come out. They will be brought back to life with God's power by Jesus (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15). This resurrection is spoken of in Revelation 20:13, where it says, "Death and hell gave the dead that were in them" (Luther Bible, 1912). Once hell is empty, it will no longer exist; no one will go there, for "death will be no more" (Revelation 21:3, 4; 20:14).
However, not everyone who dies goes to hell. According to the Bible, some become such incorrigibly wicked people that repentance is impossible for them (Hebrews 10:26, 27). They do not go to hell, but to Gehenna - a symbol of final death (Matthew 5:29, 30 ). For example, as Jesus explained, some of the hypocritical religious leaders of His day would go to Gehenna (Matthew 23:27-33).
