Is there literally fire and brimstone in hell?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible describes hell with imagery of fire and brimstone, indicating a place of torment and separation from God. Whether or not hell literally has fire and brimstone, it is clear that eternity in hell is a painful, tormenting existence. In Mark 9:43, Jesus speaks of an unquenchable fire in hell. Luke 16:19–31 portrays the rich man in anguish in a flame. Revelation 20 describes hell as a lake of fire and sulfur, where the wicked will be tormented forever. These descriptions point to a literal place of suffering and judgment, not merely allegorical language. However, God offers a solution through faith in Jesus Christ that provides eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 10:9–10) instead of eternity in fire and brimstone.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The description of hell as having fire and brimstone is not found in the Old Testament.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In Mark 9:43, Jesus taught, "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire." Those who die apart from Christ can expect this description of judgment that includes unending fire.
• In Luke 16:19–31, Jesus also taught about Lazarus (in heaven) and the rich man (in hell). He shared, "The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame'" (Luke 16:22–24).
• Revelation 20 states that those who are not with Christ in eternity will join Satan in the lake of fire. About this location, it is noted, "the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10).
• Death and Hades will also be cast into this lake of fire, indicating an eternity of pain for those who will dwell there: "Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14–15).
• In the following chapter, Revelation 21:8 adds, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." This lake of fire will include burning, fire, and sulfur. These descriptions appear to not only be analogies or allegories, but they indicate literal pain and suffering by some kind of burning and fire.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Some argue that in eternity, these judgments may be different from the idea of fire we currently understand. While this may be true, every indication of eternity apart from God uses terms like torment, unquenchable fire, and burning. This appears to indicate a painful, tormenting, eternal existence that contrasts the great joy of those who dwell in eternity with Christ. The Bible is clear in its teachings about the severity of hell, yet it is also clear that God offers a solution through faith in Jesus Christ that provides eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 10:9–10).

UNDERSTAND

• The Bible describes hell using imagery of fire and brimstone.
• Hell is a real place of suffering and judgment.
• God offers eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ instead of eternity in fire and brimstone.

REFLECT

• How does the imagery of fire and brimstone in the Bible shape your understanding of hell?
• What does the reality of a painful, tormenting eternity in hell reveal about the seriousness of choosing to follow Christ?
• How does the existence of hell motivate you to share the message of Jesus Christ with others?

ENGAGE

• If the descriptions of hell as a lake of fire and sulfur are not just metaphors, what implications does this have for our understanding of God's character?
• How do you reconcile the idea of hell with a loving God? What scriptural evidence helps clarify this tension?
• What does it mean that God offers eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ in the face of such severe consequences for rejecting Him, and how should this understanding influence how we live our lives today?