More Joy Ministries
Full Bible Study
Sheol, Hades, Hell, Paradise… What’s the Difference?
The Bible uses several different terms to describe the afterlife, and it can be confusing to keep them straight. Here’s a clear, biblical overview of what each one means—and how they fit together.
Paradise:
The word paradise is used in Scripture as a synonym for heaven (2 Corinthians 12:3–4; Revelation 2:7).
When Jesus spoke to the repentant thief on the cross, He said:
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Jesus knew His death was imminent and that He would soon be in the Father’s presence. Paradise therefore refers to a place of beauty, joy, rest, and fellowship with God—the destination of the righteous.
Abraham’s Bosom:
Mentioned only once in Scripture, in the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19–31).
In Jewish thought, “Abraham’s bosom” was a figurative expression for the place of blessing after death. The image is of Lazarus reclining in peace at a heavenly banquet beside Abraham. Meanwhile, the rich man is in torment, separated by a great gulf that cannot be crossed (Luke 16:26).
Abraham’s bosom is clearly a place of peace, comfort, and joy—essentially paradise.
Sheol (Hebrew) / Hades (Greek):
In the Old Testament, sheol simply means “the realm of the dead.”
In the New Testament, the equivalent word is hades.
Sheol/hades is a temporary realm, not the final destination. In Luke 16, it is shown to have two distinct sides:
A place of comfort and blessing
(where Lazarus was)
A place of torment (where the rich man was)
Scripture indicates that the righteous, at death, are immediately with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23)—the blessed side described as paradise or Abraham’s bosom.
Gehenna (Hell):
The Greek word gehenna is what Jesus most often used for hell (Matthew 5:29; 23:33).
Gehenna comes from Ge-Hinnom, a valley south of Jerusalem notorious for idolatry and child sacrifice (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6). It became a symbol of divine judgment and fiery destruction (Jeremiah 19:6; Isaiah 30:33).
Jesus used Gehenna to describe the future place of punishment for the wicked.
The Lake of Fire:
Mentioned in Revelation 19:20 and 20:10, 14–15, the lake of fire is the final and eternal hell.
This is the ultimate destination for:
Satan and fallen angels
All who reject Christ
It is described as a place of eternal punishment, “burning sulfur,” and unending anguish (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:45–46). Those currently in hades who rejected Christ will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire.
The Hope of the Gospel:
For those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, there is no fear of judgment.
By faith in Jesus Christ and His blood shed on the cross for our sins, we are promised eternal life in the blessed presence of God—a place of peace, joy, and unbroken fellowship forever.
“To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8)
This is the good news of the Gospel.
- More Joy Ministries
