# Hell ## Catechism of the Catholic Church The state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed, reserved for those who refuse by their own free choice to believe and be converted from sin, even to the end of their lives ([[1.2.3.12.p2o#^ccc-1033|1033]]). ## Ignatius Catholic Study Bible *Hell* ([[mark-09#^mark-09-43|Mk 9:43]]) – *Geenna* (Gk.): "Gehenna", the valley directly southwest of Jerusalem. Jesus refers to it 11 times in the Gospels as a dreadful symbol of hell. Two associations are made with Gehenna, one drawn from the OT and the other from Jesus' contemporary setting. (1) Gehenna is a Greek rendering of the Hebrew place-name "Valley of the sons of Hinnom". It was the site of a frightful Canaanite cult that worshipped the idols of Molech and Baal by burning children in sacrifice ([[jeremiah-07#^jeremiah-07-30|Jer 7:30-32]]; [[jeremiah-19#^jeremiah-19-1|19:1-6]]; [[jeremiah-32#^jeremiah-32-35|32:35]]). (2) In the NT period; [[jeremiah-32#^jeremiah-32-35|32:35]]). (2) In the NT period, Gehen). (2) In the NT period, Gehen). (2) In the NT period, Gehen). (2) In the NT period, Gehen). (2) In the NT period, Gehen). (2) In the NT period, Gehenna served as a smoldering garbage dump where refuse burned continually. Jesus evokes these associations to teach us that hell is not a place of purgation or purification, but one of fiery punishment ([[matthew-05#^matthew-05-22|Mt 5:22]]; [[matthew-18#^matthew-18-9|18:9]]; [[matthew-23#^matthew-23-33|23:33]]). In the afterlife, th; [[matthew-23#^matthew-23-33|23:33]]). In the afterlife, the bodie). In the afterlife, the bodie). In the afterlife, the bodie). In the afterlife, the bodie). In the afterlife, the bodie). In the afterlife, the bodies and souls of the wicked will suffer in hell for eternity ([[matthew-10#^matthew-10-28|Mt 10:28]]; [[matthew-25#^matthew-25-41|25:41, 46]]). Other biblical passages c). Other biblical passages c). Other biblical passages c). Other biblical passages c). Other biblical passages c). Other biblical passages corroborate this horrifying prospect ([[isaiah-33#^isaiah-33-14|Is 33:14]]; [[isaiah-66#^isaiah-66-24|66:24]]; Jude 7; revelation-20#^revelatio; Jude 7; [[revelation-20#^revelation-20-10|Rev 20:10]]). ### Sources [[mark-commentary#^0zort0|Hell — word study]] ### Index of Doctrines **Hell** Abyss: [[luke-08#^luke-08-31|Lk 8:31]]; [[revelation-09#^revelation-09-1|Rev 9:1, 2, 11]]; [[revelation-11#^revelation-11-7|11:7]]; [[revelation-17#^revelation-17-8|17:8]] Body and soul destroyed in hell: [[matthew-10#^matthew-10-28|Mt 10:28]]; [[john-05#^john-05-29|Jn 5:29]] Broad road that leads to destruction: [[matthew-07#^matthew-07-13|Mt 7:13]] Damned persons perish because they refuse to love the truth: [[2-thessalonians-02#^2-thessalonians-02-10|2 Thess 2:10-11]] Darkness imagery: [[matthew-08#^matthew-08-12|Mt 8:12]]; [[matthew-22#^matthew-22-13|22:13]]; [[matthew-25#^matthew-25-30|25:30]]; [[2-peter-02#^2-peter-02-4|2 Pet 2:4]]; Jude 6 Descent of Christ into hell: [[acts-of-the-apostles-02#^acts-of-the-apostles-02-27|Acts 2:27]]; [[romans-10#^romans-10-7|Rom 10:7]]; [[1-peter-03#^1-peter-03-18|1 Pet 3:18-20]]; [[1-peter-04#^1-peter-04-6|4:6]] Eternity of hell: [[matthew-25#^matthew-25-41|Mt 25:41, 46]]; [[mark-09#^mark-09-43|Mk 9:43, 48]]; Jude 7 Fire imagery: [[matthew-03#^matthew-03-10|Mt 3:10, 12]]; [[matthew-05#^matthew-05-22|5:22-29]]; [[matthew-07#^matthew-07-19|7:19]]; [[matthew-13#^matthew-13-42|13:42, 50]]; [[matthew-18#^matthew-18-8|18:8-9]]; [[matthew-25#^matthew-25-41|25:41]]; [[mark-09#^mark-09-43|Mk 9:43, 48]]; [[luke-03#^luke-03-9|Lk 3:9, 17]]; [[james-03#^james-03-6|Jas 3:6]]; Jude 7; [[revelation-17#^revelation-17-16|Rev 17:16]]; [[revelation-18#^revelation-18-18|18:18]] Gehenna imagery: [[matthew-05#^matthew-05-22|Mt 5:22]]; 29-30; [[matthew-18#^matthew-18-9|18:9]]; [[matthew-23#^matthew-23-15|23:15, 33]]; [[mark-09#^mark-09-43|Mk 9:43-48]]; [[luke-12#^luke-12-5|Lk 12:5]]; [[james-03#^james-03-6|Jas 3:6]] Lake of fire imagery: [[revelation-14#^revelation-14-10|Rev 14:10-11]]; [[revelation-19#^revelation-19-20|19:20]]; [[revelation-20#^revelation-20-10|20:10, 14-15]] Second death: [[revelation-02#^revelation-02-11|Rev 2:11]]; [[revelation-20#^revelation-20-14|20:14]] Suffering proportionate to sin: [[luke-12#^luke-12-47|Lk 12:47-48]]; [[luke-16#^luke-16-25|16:25]] Tartarus: [[2-peter-02#^2-peter-02-4|2 Pet 2:4]] Weeping and gnashing of teeth: [[matthew-08#^matthew-08-12|Mt 8:12]]; [[matthew-13#^matthew-13-42|13:42, 50]]; [[matthew-22#^matthew-22-13|22:13]]; [[matthew-24#^matthew-24-51|24:51]]; [[matthew-25#^matthew-25-30|25:30]] *See also* [[forgiveness]]; [[judgment]]; [[salvation]]; [[sin|Sins]] [[index-of-doctrines|Index of Doctrines]]