About Gehenna (Hell)
Gehenna is the English spelling of a Greek word that comes from Aramaic. The word originally meant “the Valley of [the son(s) of] Hinnom” in Hebrew. This was a deep valley that marked the border between the lands of two ancient Israelite tribes: Benjamin and Judah (Joshua 15:8; 18:16). Today, people think this valley is the same as Wadi el-Rababi, a deep valley that runs south of the Old City of Jerusalem, starting near its western wall.
The place became known for worshiping other gods when some of Judah’s kings ruled there. Kings Ahaz and King Manasseh allowed people to worship false gods like Molech and even kill babies (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6; 2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6; Jeremiah 19:6; 32:35).
All Scripture References (12)
Matthew (7)
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
Mark (3)
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,
Luke (1)
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!
James (1)
The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.