The reality of hell, like heaven, is hotly debated in large part because no human has visited and returned with first-hand knowledge of the place. In Christianity, followers of Jesus Christ believe he is the incarnation of the all-knowing God (Matthew 1:23) and the “Word [of God] made flesh,” (John 1:14). With this understanding, we the living can best know what hell is like by studying how God’s word as a whole describes it and what Jesus, specifically, said about it in the Gospels.

We can know from what Jesus said that hell is an eternal (Matthew 25:41), physical (Matthew 10:28), and horrifying (Mark 9:43) place where those who’ve sinned (Romans 3:23) are headed, and from where Jesus Christ came to rescue all who would believe in him (John 3:16-18).

Still, there is much debate about what hell is like because “the metaphors that the Bible uses about hell describe a reality that we can’t relate to immediately on earth,” as Andy Naselli, seminary professor, said in his video, “Is the Bible’s Language about Hell Literal or Metaphorical?”

How Does the Bible Describe Hell?
God’s word is faithful to warn against hell by describing the depth of its torment with images of darkness, gnashing of teeth, fire, and complete separation from God.

1. Darkness

The book of Job, known as the oldest book in the Bible, contains many descriptions of a “land of deepest night, of utter darkness and disorder,” (Job 10:21-22). Other passages in Job mention a “realm of darkness” (Job 17:13), even a “day of darkness” (Job 15:23), which may refer to continued suffering on earth or a day of judgement and eternal suffering in hell. These verses show early depictions of how people understood the place of the dead.


Other descriptions of darkness in hell:

“Realm of darkness” (Nahum 1:8)

“Thrown outside into the darkness” (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 25:30)