How Many Times is Hell Mentioned in the Bible
Quick Summary
English Bibles use the word hell to translate several different biblical terms, and the number of times it appears depends on which translation someone reads. The King James Version has 54 uses of the English word hell, while most modern translations use it far less often, choosing instead to translate underlying Hebrew and Greek terms more precisely as Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, or Tartarus. Knowing the difference helps readers understand what Scripture actually says about the afterlife, judgment, and final destiny.
Introduction
Many people assume the Bible speaks consistently about hell, but the story is more layered. In English Bibles, the word hell gathers together several distinct ancient words, each with its own meaning and nuance. Some describe the grave. Some describe the realm of the dead. Others refer to a place of judgment or destruction. When these terms are all translated simply as hell, modern readers may miss the texture of Scripture.
This post explores how many times hell appears in English translations, what ancient words stand behind it, where those terms occur in Scripture, and why translation choices shape how people read the Bible.
The Four Biblical Terms Often Translated as Hell
The English word hell stands in for four different words in Scripture. Each contributes something unique to the biblical landscape.
Sheol (Hebrew)
Sheol appears frequently in the Old Testament. It refers to the place of the dead, the shadowy realm where both the righteous and the wicked go. It does not necessarily mean a place of punishment. Modern translations usually leave it untranslated as Sheol.
Hades (Greek)
Hades is the Greek equivalent of Sheol and appears in the New Testament. Like Sheol, it describes the realm of the dead, not necessarily a place of torment. Many translations retain Hades instead of substituting hell.
Gehenna (Greek)
Gehenna is the word Jesus uses when he warns about judgment. It refers to the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, a place with a history of idolatry and destruction. In the New Testament, Gehenna carries imagery of fire, danger, and ultimate judgment. Most times someone sees hell in the Gospels, it translates Gehenna.
Tartarus (Greek)
This word appears once, in 2 Peter 2:4. It describes a place of restraint for rebellious angels. English translations sometimes use phrases like gloomy pits or chains of darkness.
These distinctions matter because Scripture uses different words to say different things, and modern English flattens them into a single term.
How Many Times Hell Appears in Different Translations
Because hell translates several ancient terms, the number varies by version.
King James Version (KJV)
The KJV uses hell 54 times. This is because the translators rendered Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna all with the same English word.
New International Version (NIV)
The NIV uses hell 14 times. It usually keeps Sheol and Hades in their original forms.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The ESV uses hell 14 times. Like the NIV, it limits the word to passages where Gehenna is clearly intended.
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The NRSV uses hell fewer than 15 times. It generally translates each Hebrew or Greek term with more precision.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The NASB uses hell only for Gehenna and very occasionally for Hades.
The shift in usage reflects a movement toward clarity. Earlier translations gave English readers a single word. Modern translations give readers access to the original vocabulary.
Where the Word Hell Appears in Scripture
Although the count differs by translation, most uses of the English word occur in the New Testament because Gehenna and Hades appear there. A few examples include:
Jesus’ warnings in Matthew about Gehenna
Statements in Luke about final judgment
References in Acts and Revelation to Hades
The Old Testament rarely uses the English word hell because modern translations choose Sheol instead. The exceptions occur mainly in older English Bibles.
Why the Numbers Differ
Linguistic choices
Translating ancient words into English is both art and scholarship. Because Sheol does not mean hell in a modern sense, translators choose to leave it untranslated.
Shifts in understanding
Older translations assumed that Sheol, Hades, and hell were interchangeable. Newer translations resist that assumption.
Sensitivity to context
Some passages focus on destruction, others on judgment, others on the grave. Translators try to reflect those nuances.
What Scripture Says About Judgment
Understanding the vocabulary of hell does not erase the biblical teaching that God judges evil, restores creation, and brings all things to completion. The New Testament speaks clearly about a final reckoning, using images like fire, outer darkness, separation, or destruction. These images serve to warn and to call people toward life.
At the same time, the variety of terms reminds readers to approach the topic with humility. Scripture uses layers of imagery rather than a single uniform picture.
Why This Matters Today
It encourages careful reading.
Knowing the differences between Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, and Tartarus helps readers understand what a passage is really describing.
It avoids confusion.
When all these terms are translated simply as hell, readers may assume the Bible presents a single, fully developed doctrine. Instead, Scripture uses several images that unfold over time.
It supports better teaching.
Pastors, teachers, and students can speak more accurately about what the Bible says and does not say.
FAQs
Why does Jesus use the word Gehenna?
Jesus draws on a familiar geographic and historical image to warn about judgment. Gehenna had long been associated with destruction. Its use underscores seriousness without flattening the imagery.
Does the Old Testament mention hell?
The Old Testament speaks often of Sheol, the realm of the dead. Modern translations rarely use hell because Sheol carries a different meaning.
Does Hades mean hell?
Hades is the Greek term for the place of the dead. Whether it should be translated hell depends on the context.
Is hell a New Testament idea?
The New Testament offers clearer and more developed statements about judgment, but the Old Testament lays foundations through Sheol and prophetic imagery.
Works Consulted
N. T. Wright, Surprised by Hope, pp. 173–182. Richard Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation, pp. 96–103. Joel B. Green, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, pp. 270–276. J. D. Douglas, The New Bible Dictionary, pp. 470–474. Craig Evans, Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies, pp. 42–51.
