Jesus spoke about hell and eternal punishment in several places within the Gospels, emphasizing it as a place of unending torment and separation from God. Below are a few relevant Bible verses along with three main takeaways.
Relevant Bible Verses
- Matthew 25:46 – “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- Mark 9:43 – “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.”
- Matthew 13:42 – “And will throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
- Luke 16:23-24 (The Rich Man and Lazarus) – “In Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’”
Three Main Takeaways
- Eternal Consequence – Jesus’ teachings make it clear that hell is a place of eternal punishment. This emphasizes the permanence and seriousness of the consequences of our actions and decisions in relation to God’s law and salvation.
- A Warning to Avoid Sin – In His teachings, particularly in Mark 9:43, Jesus uses strong imagery to stress the importance of avoiding sin, even if it means losing something valuable in this life. It underscores the gravity of sin and its eternal implications.
- The Reality of Judgment – Jesus’ words about hell serve as a reminder of the reality of judgment and the importance of repentance and faith in Him. It is a call to understand the gravity of our spiritual condition and the need for salvation through Jesus Christ.
These passages and takeaways are part of the broader Christian teaching on the afterlife, emphasizing the need for a relationship with God through Jesus Christ to avoid eternal separation from God and to receive the gift of eternal life.
