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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

[Off] My educated guess about eternal hell


Is Hell (in the sense of torment after life) eternal?


The word translated as eternal or everlasting referring to hell is AIONIOS (αιωνιος or aionos, or aionou, or aioni depending on the case, genre and number).

Aionios that is translated as eternal in some verses is translated as world and century in others. How a word can mean eternal and world and century at the same time? Some translations brings also age but still translates eternal when referring to hell. Here some examples:

1) Matthew 13:22
 ο δε εις τας ακανθας σπαρεις ουτος εστιν ο τον λογον ακουων και η μεριμνα του αιωνος (AIONOS) τουτου και η απατη του πλουτου συμπνιγει τον λογον και ακαρπος γινεται

King James Bible
"He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."

Can one translate this verse like this? "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this eternity, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."
............................................................................................................................................................... 2) Matthew 13:39
 ο δε εχθρος ο σπειρας αυτα εστιν ο διαβολος ο δε θερισμος συντελεια του αιωνος (AIONOS) εστιν οι δε θερισται αγγελοι εισιν

"συντελεια του αιωνος" = END OF ETERNITY
(συντελεια, "sinteleia" means 'end') 

WEB (World English Bible):
 "The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. "
(The King James Version says world instead of age)

END OF ETERNITY: If we insist that AIONIOS mean eternal this phrase make no sense.
................................................................................................................................................................ 3) Matthew 13:40
 ωσπερ ουν συλλεγεται τα ζιζανια και πυρι κατακαιεται ουτως εσται εν τη συντελεια του αιωνος (AIONOS) τουτου

τη συντελεια του αιωνος τουτου = the end of this eternity? 

KJV:
"As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world."
............................................................................................................................................................. 4)  Matthew 13:49
 ουτως εσται εν τη συντελεια του αιωνος εξελευσονται οι αγγελοι και αφοριουσιν τους πονηρους εκ μεσου των δικαιων

KJV:
"So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, "
............................................................................................................................................................. 5) Matthew 24:03 καθημενου δε αυτου επι του ορους των ελαιων προσηλθον αυτω οι μαθηται κατ ιδιαν λεγοντες ειπε ημιν ποτε ταυτα εσται και τι το σημειον της σης παρουσιας και της συντελειας του αιωνος

"της συντελειας του αιωνος" = end of the eternity

KJV:
"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"
.......................................................................................................................................................... 6) Matthew 28:20
διδασκοντες αυτους τηρειν παντα οσα ενετειλαμην υμιν και ιδου εγω μεθ υμων ειμι πασας τας ημερας εως της συντελειας του αιωνος αμην

"της συντελειας του αιωνος" eternity has an end again...

KJV:
"eaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
.......................................................................................................................................................... 

And many many other passages, that's only Matthew. (Verses where AIONOS can't mean eternal). AIONOS appears in 165 verses in the Textus Receptus (The text used for the more traditional translations of the Bible)

My educated guess is that Hell exists but it is not a torture chamber and it is not forever. It is planets like our present cursed Earth and maybe some worse planets out there. We are currently in a kind of Hell and by grace, through faith alone, we can be saved.
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