Gehenna is the term Jesus most often used
when speaking of
the final place of punishment for the wicked.
It is the Greek form of the Hebrew
Ge Hinnom (“Valley of Hinnom”),
a real valley south of Jerusalem
that became a powerful symbol of
divine judgment.
In English Bibles,
Gehenna is usually translated as “hell.”
The Valley of Hinnom had a dark history in the Old Testament:
Jesus used the word Gehenna more than any other person in Scripture. Key statements include:
In these passages, Gehenna is consistently linked with fire, destruction, and serious eternal consequences.
It is important to distinguish Gehenna from related concepts:
| Term | Meaning | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Sheol / Hades | The intermediate realm of the dead | Temporary |
| Gehenna | The place of final punishment | Final and eternal |
| Lake of Fire | The ultimate destination of the wicked | Final and eternal |
Gehenna is not the temporary state of the dead (Hades), but the final place of judgment, closely associated with the lake of fire described in Revelation.
Gehenna is one of the strongest terms Jesus used to warn about the consequences of rejecting God. It is not merely a metaphor for earthly suffering or annihilation, but a description of final, conscious judgment under God’s righteous wrath. At the same time, the gospel offers complete deliverance from Gehenna through faith in Jesus Christ, who endured judgment in the place of sinners so that all who trust in Him might receive eternal life.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.