Can anyone tell me why Paul, Peter, James and Jude never spoke of hell. I have been doing a detailed study of this word as it appears in scripture.
In the KJV (OT) the word "Hell" appears 65 times. It always comes from the word "Sheol". In the NAS the word is always "Sheol", not "Hell". It's pretty obvious that there is a "place" if one accepts the definition.
1. sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit
a. the underworld
b. Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead
1. place of no return
2. without praise of God
3. wicked sent there for punishment
4. righteous not abandoned to it
5. of the place of exile (fig)
6. of extreme degradation in sin
Now in the 65 times that you see Sheol in the original text, the translators have translated this word "Sheol" to:
Grave--31 times
Hell--31 times
Pit--3 times
The way I think about this is, it's going to be very difficult to get a true understanding with all of this if you read the translations and never look at the origins of words. Please take a look at all of this some times. Now continuing on to the New Testament.
"Yeevva" (Geenna) in the Greek translates to:
1. Hell is the place of the future punishment call "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire". This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.
"Hades" in the Greek translates to:
2. name Hades or Pluto, the god of the lower regions Orcus, the nether world, the realm of the dead, later use of this word: the grave, death, hell.
"Tartaroo" in the Greek translates to:
( from "Tartaros" (the deepest abyss of Hell)
3. the name of the subterranean region, doleful and dark, regarded by the ancient Greeks as the abode of the wicked dead, where they suffer punishment for their evil deeds; it answers to Gehenna of the Jews to thrust down to Tartarus, to hold captive in Tartarus.
Mt. 5:22.."yeevva"=hell
Mt. 5:29.."yeevva"=hell
Mt. 5:30.."yeevva"=hell
Mt. 10:28.."yeevva"=hell
Mt. 11:23.."Hades"=hell
Mt. 16:18.."Hades"=hell
Mt. 18:9.."yeevva"=hell
Mt. 23:15.."yeevva"=hell
Mt. 23:33.."yeevva"=hell
Mk. 9:43.."yeevva"=hell
Mk. 9:45.."yeevva"=hell
Mk. 9:47.."yeevva=hell
Lu. 10:15.."Hades"=hell
Lu. 12:5.."yeevva=hell
Lu. 16:23.."Hades"=hell
Ac. 2:27.."Hades"=hell
Ac. 2:31.."Hades"=hell
Ja. 3:6.."yeevva"=hell
2 Pe 2:4.."tartaroo"=hell
Re. 1:18.."Hades"=hell
Re. 6:8.."Hades"=hell
Re. 20:13.."Hades"=hell
Re. 20:14.."Hades"=hell
Now, the word "hell" appears 23 times in the NT. I find it interesting that in 2 Peter it is translated to "tartaroo". The only thing I can come with here is that 1st Peter is to the Gentiles and of course 2nd Peter is to the Jews. (it answers to Gehenna of the Jews to thrust down to Tartarus, to hold captive in Tartarus.)
Note: I am still not sure how these 3 words can all be the same place, but perhaps just like in the english language we say car, automobile, sedan etc.
Rev. 20:14--"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death".
Rev. 20:10--And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev. 20:15--And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (There is no indication in the text that they ( the ones not found written in the book of life) would be tormented day and night for ever and ever like the devil, the beast and the false prophet, but the clear implication is that this will happen to them as well).
Rev. 14:10--The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev. 14:11--And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.