Does the Bible Speak of Hellfire That Lasts Forever?

A scripture that many assume proves the wicked are to be eternally tortured in hellfire is Matthew 25:41. But does it? Let's take a closer look.

First, notice the setting, which is when Jesus "comes in His glory" (verses 31-32). We are told that He separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep represent the righteous (verses 34-40). At His return He sets the sheep at His right hand. The goats in this instance represent sinners. The goats are appointed to assemble on Jesus' left hand. He then consigns the goats to "the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).

The word everlasting is translated from the Greek word aionios. The key to understanding this verse is knowing what will occur everlastingly. Does it refer to a fire that tortures without end, or does it have another meaning?

In Matthew 25:46 Jesus spoke in a single sentence of everlasting (aionios) punishment and of life eternal (aionios). Since the righteous will be given eternal, or everlasting, life, many theologians believe the punishment for the wicked must last as long as the life given to the righteous. But this cannot be reconciled with the statement that those cast into the lake of fire perish; they are killed. As we have seen, they suffer death-the second death (Revelation 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8).

A plain and simple meaning of Matthew 25:46 that reconciles with the rest of the Bible is that the wicked are cast into a fire that annihilates them, renders them forever extinct. The resulting punishment of being cast into the aionios fire is a one-time event. It is a permanent punishment, the results of which will remain forever-that is, eternal death. It is not an ongoing punishment that continues forever.

The wicked will never live again. They will be completely destroyed. The fire brings eternal punishment and not a constant, unending punishing. This is the only explanation that accords with the rest of the Scriptures.

An additional point needs to be made regarding aionios. Genesis 19 describes God's destruction of two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, for their wickedness: "Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah" (Genesis 19:24). They were utterly destroyed—consumed by fire.

In the New Testament, the book of Jude describes these cities as "suffering the vengeance of eternal [aionios] fire" (verse 7). Yet it is obvious that the fires that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah are not still burning. In the case of these cities and in the case of the wicked, who are consigned to aionios fire, the fire burns and completely destroys. But the eternal aspect of the fire is its everlasting effect, not how long it literally burns.