Is there a true hell, or has scripture been manipulated?

[ForeverTrue]

While studying, my husband and I came across several instances where words had been replaced with hell. For example, Gehenna (Gehenna meant a place of burning, a valley where rebellious Jews had been slaughtered before and would be again if they didn't repent, as Malachi, John the Baptist, and Jesus urged them to do), Topheth, Hades.

Hell has replaced Gehenna:

Mt. 5.21-22: Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment, and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire (Gehenna--SGD).

Mt. 5.29-30: And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell (Gehenna--SGD). And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell (Gehenna--SGD).

Matthew 10:28: And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna--SGD).

Lk. 12.4-5: And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell (Gehenna-SGD): yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Jesus specifically said what's coming in Gehenna-unquenchable fire. John the Baptist said he would baptize with unquenchable fire, not necessarily fire that would burn unendingly, but which would not be quenched. Unquenchable fire is unstoppable! It's fiery destruction brought about by a divine being. In Ezk. 20.47-48, God promised such a national judgment on Judah:

Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it shall consume every green tree in you, as well as every dry tree; the blazing flame will not be quenched, and the whole surface from south to north will be burned by it. And all flesh will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.

Of course, Babylon fulfilled these words in the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. when the Jews were carried off into captivity. The fire was not quenched, but Jerusalem didn't burn unendingly from 586 B.C. on.

Likewise, in Amos 5.6, God had promised a similar judgment on the northern kingdom at the hands of the Assyrians, fulfilled in 722 B.C. when they were carried into captivity:

Seek the Lord that you may live, lest He break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, and it consume with none to quench it for Bethel.

The unquenchable fire which consumed Israel was unstoppable, but no one believes it's still burning unendingly. Thus, when Jesus spoke of unquenchable fire in Mk. 9.43, he used language that his Jewish listeners would associate with the national judgments God had brought on nations in the Old Testament

Matthew 23:33

Eighteen verses later, Jesus used Gehenna for the eleventh time. Continuing in the same address, he said:

Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell (Gehenna-SGD)?

Just three verses later, Jesus said, in Mt. 23.36:

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

About these same things, Jesus said in Mt. 24.34:

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished.


Gehenna was the proper name for a location outside of Jerusalem. Why did it even need translating at all? Woudn't that alter the meaning? Salvation is never said to be from Gehenna. Gehenna is never said to be of endless duration nor spoken of as destined to last forever, so that even admitting the popular ideas of its existence after death it gives no support to the idea of endless torment. When John the Baptist and Jesus used these terms, they used language familiar to the Jews whom they taught. The Jews had heard this language no other way than in scenes of national judgment.

I am so torn at this time, and I clearly see where Hell has replaced it's original context.

 

[Physicist]

I beg to differ on the duration of Biblical torment for unbelievers. According to the Matthew gospel, it lasts forever.

25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

 

[Benoni]

Gehenna is the garbage dump outside the city of Jerusalem. Gehenna Judgment is actually spiritual in nature, it is the reaping of what Isreal had sown by killing the prophets and their children in the fire to Molech and Baal at Topheth and in the Valley of Ben Hiddom (later called Gehenna). God warned that He is the only God, there is no other like Him.

Gehenna: Mentioned twelve or thirteen times in the gospel. This is the word the fundamental preachers love to use to burn up the sinner. They are the first to yell foul if something does not fit in context; BUT: Gehenna: Referring to the Valley of Hinnom, or Gehenna which is the city dump outside the walls of Jerusalem; a place of constant burning of refuge. Those who go to Gehenna are not sinners of the world; but are sinners of God’s people. (how precious is this a type of purification outside of God’s holy city. All things that are not of God will be purified by God’s holy judgment. This word is used not for sinner, murders or liars; it is used with the word “BROTHERâ€.

Matthew 5:22
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell (Gehenna) fire.

While studying, my husband and I came across several instances where words had been replaced with hell. For example, Gehenna (Gehenna meant a place of burning, a valley where rebellious Jews had been slaughtered before and would be again if they didn't repent, as Malachi, John the Baptist, and Jesus urged them to do), Topheth, Hades.

Hell has replaced Gehenna:

Mt. 5.21-22: Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment, and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire (Gehenna--SGD).

Mt. 5.29-30: And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell (Gehenna--SGD). And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell (Gehenna--SGD).

Matthew 10:28: And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna--SGD).

Lk. 12.4-5: And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell (Gehenna-SGD): yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Jesus specifically said what's coming in Gehenna-unquenchable fire. John the Baptist said he would baptize with unquenchable fire, not necessarily fire that would burn unendingly, but which would not be quenched. Unquenchable fire is unstoppable! It's fiery destruction brought about by a divine being. In Ezk. 20.47-48, God promised such a national judgment on Judah:

Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it shall consume every green tree in you, as well as every dry tree; the blazing flame will not be quenched, and the whole surface from south to north will be burned by it. And all flesh will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.

Of course, Babylon fulfilled these words in the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. when the Jews were carried off into captivity. The fire was not quenched, but Jerusalem didn't burn unendingly from 586 B.C. on.

Likewise, in Amos 5.6, God had promised a similar judgment on the northern kingdom at the hands of the Assyrians, fulfilled in 722 B.C. when they were carried into captivity:

Seek the Lord that you may live, lest He break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, and it consume with none to quench it for Bethel.

The unquenchable fire which consumed Israel was unstoppable, but no one believes it's still burning unendingly. Thus, when Jesus spoke of unquenchable fire in Mk. 9.43, he used language that his Jewish listeners would associate with the national judgments God had brought on nations in the Old Testament

Matthew 23:33

Eighteen verses later, Jesus used Gehenna for the eleventh time. Continuing in the same address, he said:

Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell (Gehenna-SGD)?

Just three verses later, Jesus said, in Mt. 23.36:

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

About these same things, Jesus said in Mt. 24.34:

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished.


Gehenna was the proper name for a location outside of Jerusalem. Why did it even need translating at all? Woudn't that alter the meaning? Salvation is never said to be from Gehenna. Gehenna is never said to be of endless duration nor spoken of as destined to last forever, so that even admitting the popular ideas of its existence after death it gives no support to the idea of endless torment. When John the Baptist and Jesus used these terms, they used language familiar to the Jews whom they taught. The Jews had heard this language no other way than in scenes of national judgment.

I am so torn at this time, and I clearly see where Hell has replaced it's original context.

 

[Benoni]

It should be clear that if the "eternal life" of Mat. 25:41 is really the "life of the ages", then the "eternal punishment" is likewise an age-lasting correction. The Diaglott says, "Depart from Me, you cursed ones, into that aionian fire... and these shall go away into a cutting-off age lasting." The Bible in Modern English by Farrar Fenton reads, "And these He will dismiss into a LONG CORRECTION." Rotherham's New Testament says, "These shall go away into age-abiding correction." Young's Literal translation renders, "And these shall go away to punishment age-during."

The word punishment is from the Greek KOLASIS which means simply that - punishment. But it comes from the root KOLAZO which reveals the true nature of the punishment. KOLAZO according to Strong's Concordance, means "to curtail" or "to chastise". The word means "a pruning" according to Liddell and Scott's Greek English Lexicon. it is so used all through the Greek language. That punishment of which the Christ spoke was the very thing that helped me to see the glorious HOPE for all who are unbelievers or rebellious against God - because the word punishment there means chastisement or pruning. I saw in a moment that it was not the destruction of the man; it was the correcting of the man. it was not the destruction of the tree; it was the cutting back, and the pruning, that it might bring forth fruit. Some rightly reason that KOLASIS cannot mean corrective punishment or pruning if it is everlasting. But everlasting is itself wrong - who ever It is age-lasting punishment, heard of EVERLASTING CORRECTION! age-abiding correction, age-during pruning.

There are those who did not enter into His life in ages past, there are those who do not enter into His life in this present age, and there shall be those who will not enter into His life in the age to come. But in the world where God is the King you can count on it - every man will finally have to face up to his waywardness, and being thoroughly disciplined, broken, and purged of self-will, until he is prepared to respond to the love of Christ, to advance from the realm of punishment into the blessing of HIS LIFE and victory. If you do not punish a criminal for his improvement, for what do you punish him? There are just two right reasons - to protect society and to restore the criminal to society improved by the punishment. The "aionian" punishment which will come to every sinner who goes to hades will be a punishment that will break his stubborn, rebellious spirit and bring him back to God!

I beg to differ on the duration of Biblical torment for unbelievers. According to the Matthew gospel, it lasts forever.

25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

 

[Relic]

.


Benoni,

Do you beleive that "everyone" who is or has been in these places, - hell, gehenna, lake of fire. place of torment, etc., - will come out of them to be saved?

.

 

[Benoni]

I do not limit God to these seventy or eighty years of this so called human, carnal existence. When we die our spirit returns to God who gave it, our soul will be judged. God’s Word is spiritual in nature not literal and hidden.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

What is the Tabernacle of David?

Acts 15:16-18

16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

17 That the residue (remainder) of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the wor
KJV

.


Benoni,

Do you beleive that "everyone" who is or has been in these places, - hell, gehenna, lake of fire - , will come out of them to be saved?

.

 

[westtexas]

It should be clear that if the "eternal life" of Mat. 25:41 is really the "life of the ages", then the "eternal punishment" is likewise an age-lasting correction. The Diaglott says, "Depart from Me, you cursed ones, into that aionian fire... and these shall go away into a cutting-off age lasting." The Bible in Modern English by Farrar Fenton reads, "And these He will dismiss into a LONG CORRECTION." Rotherham's New Testament says, "These shall go away into age-abiding correction." Young's Literal translation renders, "And these shall go away to punishment age-during."

Matt. 25:46--And these shall go away to punishment age-during,but the righteous to life age-during YLT

You are not being consistent with your interpretation. The same word (aionios Strong's #166) is used for both the righteous and the un-righteous. If you want to interpret eternal life as "life of the AGES" as you have done, then conversely eternal punishment would be "an AGES-lasting correction"-not an age-lasting correction as you state. If you care to interpret punishment as "an age-lasting correction" with an end to it, as you have done, then conversely our reward would have to be "an age-lasting life" with an end to it. I know the un-righteous hate to admit it but your interpretation of eternal life is correct--"life of the AGES" which makes their punishment an "AGES lasting correction".
Westtexas

 

[Benoni]

Only God is an eternal being.

Man had a beginning so he truly is not an eternal being.

The punishment for man will last until God's will is accomplished.

Man’s reward will be an age last reward, and then there will be another age, and another age, , and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age… etc.

It should be clear that if the "eternal life" of Mat. 25:41 is really the "life of the ages", then the "eternal punishment" is likewise an age-lasting correction. The Diaglott says, "Depart from Me, you cursed ones, into that aionian fire... and these shall go away into a cutting-off age lasting." The Bible in Modern English by Farrar Fenton reads, "And these He will dismiss into a LONG CORRECTION." Rotherham's New Testament says, "These shall go away into age-abiding correction." Young's Literal translation renders, "And these shall go away to punishment age-during."

Matt. 25:46--And these shall go away to punishment age-during,but the righteous to life age-during YLT

You are not being consistent with your interpretation. The same word (aionios Strong's #166) is used for both the righteous and the un-righteous. If you want to interpret eternal life as "life of the AGES" as you have done, then conversely eternal punishment would be "an AGES-lasting correction"-not an age-lasting correction as you state. If you care to interpret punishment as "an age-lasting correction" with an end to it, as you have done, then conversely our reward would have to be "an age-lasting life" with an end to it. I know the un-righteous hate to admit it but your interpretation of eternal life is correct--"life of the AGES" which makes their punishment an "AGES lasting correction".
Westtexas

 

[Benoni]

You did not answer my question? I answered yours.

What is the Tabernacle of David?

 

[westtexas]

Only God is an eternal being.

Man had a beginning so he truly is not an eternal being.

The punishment for man will last until God's will is accomplished.

Man’s reward will be an age last reward, and then there will be another age, and another age, , and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age… etc.

God's Word uses the SAME WORD for punishment and reward-aionios-and if you believe that our reward goes for another age, another age, etc., etc., please show some justification ( God's Word, Strong's, Vines, etc.) that the SAME WORD means something DIFFERENT in regard to punishment.
Westtexas

 

[Benoni]

I already did. God is an eternal being He has no begining or end. Man had a beginning. Only God is an eternal being. The term forever (and its equivalents, eternal and everlasting) often occurs when it cannot possibly mean unending.

Take the story of Jonah while in the belly of the fish, "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever" (Jon. 2:6). But he was in the fish only three days and three nights!

The Hebrew slave loved his master and did not wish to go free at the end of the seventh year, we read, "... His master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever" (Ex. 21:6). Of course, that couldn't be longer than his life span.

Again, when Solomon built the temple unto the Lord, he began his prayer of dedication with the statement, "I have surely built You a house to dwell in, a settled place for You to abide in for ever" (I Kgs. 8:13). And the Lord answered Solomon, "I have heard your prayer and supplication that you have made before Me: I have hallowed this house, which you have built, to put My name there for ever" (I Kgs. 9:3).

But Solomon's temple lasted for only about 400 years! And it was never in God's mind to dwell there for ever!


Another illustration is the Aaronic priesthood. According to the King James version, Aaron and his sons were anointed as priests for ever. It says, "Their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations" (Ex. 40:15). Yet we read in Heb. 7:11-18 that the Aaronic priesthood is CHANGED to that of Melchizedek.

"Now if perfection had been attainable by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people were given the Law, why was it further necessary that there should arise another and different kind of Priest, one after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one appointed after the order of Aaron? For when there is a CHANGE IN THE PRIESTHOOD, there is of necessity an alteration of the law concerning the priesthood as well. For it is obvious that our Lord sprang from the tribe of Judah, and Moses mentioned nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. So, a previous physical regulation and command is CANCELLED because of its weakness and ineffectiveness and uselessness" (Amplified Bible).

Amazing, isn't it, that the priesthood which was ordained for ever has been CANCELLED! There would be no contradiction if the statement in Exodus were translated as it should be, "to the age throughout their generations."

That is, throughout their generations AS LONG AS THAT AGE LASTED. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures which Jesus and His disciples used, the Greek word AION was the word used for the Hebrew OLAM. According to Hebrew and Greek usage, therefore, these words mean a period of time, a period of unknown length, the duration of which is determined by the fact or condition or person to which the term is applied.


Man had a beginning so he truly is not an eternal being.

The punishment for man will last until God's will is accomplished.

Man’s reward will be an age last reward, and then there will be another age, and another age, , and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age, and another age… etc.

[/quote]
God's Word uses the SAME WORD for punishment and reward-aionios-and if you believe that our reward goes for another age, another age, etc., etc., please show some justification ( God's Word, Strong's, Vines, etc.) that the SAME WORD means something DIFFERENT in regard to punishment.
Westtexas[/quote]

 

[westtexas]

I already did. God is an eternal being He has no begining or end. Man had a beginning.

You haven't answered the question. How do you justify God using the SAME word for our salvation and our punishment but you believe one is eternal (or as you state lasts for an age, and an age, and an age, etc.,) and one is temporary (or as you state only lasts for an age)
Westtexas

 

[Benoni]

I never said was eternal, they both speak of ages. Let God decide how long the punishment is NOT you in your bias man made doctrine. Age upon age is not eteranl, eternal in the true sense has no beginning or end. Look at all the examples of faulty translations I posted. It does not add up for me to believe God is going to torture billions of people who God casued to fall.

I already did. God is an eternal being He has no begining or end. Man had a beginning.

You haven't answered the question. How do you justify God using the SAME word for our salvation and our punishment but you believe one is eternal (or as you state lasts for an age, and an age, and an age, etc.,) and one is temporary (or as you state only lasts for an age)
Westtexas

 

[westtexas]

I never said was eternal, they both speak of ages. Let God decide how long the punishment is NOT you in your bias man made doctrine. Age upon age is not eteranl, eternal in the true sense has no beginning or end. Look at all the examples of faulty translations I posted. It does not add up for me to believe God is going to torture billions of people who God casued to fall.

You have answered the question right there. It does not add up to YOU! God's Word says our reward is AIONIOS. God's Word says our punishment is AIONIOS. I'll agree that eternal has no beginning or end, so if you want our reward to be age, after age,after age, then our punishment with the SAME WORD would be age, after age, after age.
Westtexas

 

[Benoni]

God controls the punishment, the time for punishment, I do not care how many ages it takes, I put the punishment in God's hands. It could be 100 ages or it could be two. But it sure is not eternal.

I never said was eternal, they both speak of ages. Let God decide how long the punishment is NOT you in your bias man made doctrine. Age upon age is not eteranl, eternal in the true sense has no beginning or end. Look at all the examples of faulty translations I posted. It does not add up for me to believe God is going to torture billions of people who God casued to fall.

You have answered the question right there. It does not add up to YOU! God's Word says our reward is AIONIOS. God's Word says our punishment is AIONIOS. I'll agree that eternal has no beginning or end, so if you want our reward to be age, after age,after age, then our punishment with the SAME WORD would be age, after age, after age.
Westtexas

 

[westtexas]

God controls the punishment, the time for punishment, I do not care how many ages it takes, I put the punishment in God's hands. It could be 100 ages or it could be two. But it sure is not eternal.

Then conversely, if you don't believe punishment is eternal (aionios) then you don't believe our reward is eternal (aionios). Is that correct? You can't have it both ways merely because one is convenient or more pleasing to you. I also put the punishment in God's hands and He says it will be the same time frame (aionios) as our reward.
Westtexas

 

[westtexas]

I already did. God is an eternal being He has no begining or end. Man had a beginning. Only God is an eternal being. The term forever (and its equivalents, eternal and everlasting) often occurs when it cannot possibly mean unending.

Take the story of Jonah while in the belly of the fish, "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever" (Jon. 2:6). But he was in the fish only three days and three nights!

You are correct, it cannot mean unending.
Jonah 2:6 vat-ta-'al le-'o-v-lam va-'a-di (Hebrew Interlinear bible)

'olam (as you stated) eternal -- In the largest number of it's occurances, 'olam appears with the preposition le. This construction is weaker and less dynamic in emphasis than the previous phrase, insofar as it envisions " a simple duration" (Vines Concise Dictionary)

Not the same as aionios--eternal
Westtexas

 

[westtexas]

I already did. God is an eternal being He has no begining or end. Man had a beginning. Only God is an eternal being. The term forever (and its equivalents, eternal and everlasting) often occurs when it cannot possibly mean unending.


The Hebrew slave loved his master and did not wish to go free at the end of the seventh year, we read, "... His master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever" (Ex. 21:6). Of course, that couldn't be longer than his life span.

Again you are correct, it cannot possibly mean unending.


In Exodus 21:6 the phrase le'olam means "as long as one lives" (Vines Concise Dictionary)
aionios--eternal
Westtexas

 

[Benoni]

The reason there is no etenal punishment is because God has a plan for his lost which I doubt you know anything about because you are too busy condmning billions of God' s people he made in His image.

Here are a few verses for you to spin:

"I WILL pour out My Spirit upon all flesh." (Joel 2:28).

"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and TO ALL THAT ARE AFAR OFF, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:39).


2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

So are you saying God is not willing to save the unjust; here it says He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. If God will something it will happen.


Luke 3: 6
(Amp) And all mankind shall see (behold and [a]understand
and at last acknowledge) the salvation of God
(the deliverance from eternal death decreed by God).

Romans 5:18-20 (Weymouth’s)
It follows then just as the result of a single transgression is a condemnation which to the whole race, so also is the result of a single degree of righteousness is a life giving acquittal which extends to the whole race. (19) for as thought the disobedience of one individual the mass of mankind were constituted as sinners, so also though the obedience of one, the mass of mankind will be constituted righteous. Now law was brought in later on so that the transgression might increase, but sin increased, grace is overflowed.

1 Corinthians 15:22-24

22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

The Greek word 'aionios'..."comes from the Greek noun 'aion' which always means 'an indeterminate period of time.'

"God is eternal."

Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting <???????> punishment: but the righteous into life eternal <???????>.


In Romans 1:20 we find the Greek word aidios which is not the same as “aionios†here this verse is speaking about God not man.

NT:166

aionios (ahee-o'-nee-os); from NT:165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well):

Romans 1: 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: KJV

NT:126

aidios (ah-id'-ee-os); from NT:104; everduring (forward and backward, or forward only):

KJV - eternal, everlasting.
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

The Bible is not speaking about God being an eternal being in Matthew 25;46 we are speaking about “man†be it age abiding pruning or age abiding life.

God is not calling all people now, when God calls them they will have no choice. The big issue you are not seeing with these heresies of damnations is the priest hood of God; this is the tool God will use for the remainder of humanity in the ages to come.

"westtexas"
Then conversely, if you don't believe punishment is eternal (aionios) then you don't believe our reward is eternal (aionios). Is that correct? You can't have it both ways merely because one is convenient or more pleasing to you. I also put the punishment in God's hands and He says it will be the same time frame (aionios) as our reward.
Westtexas

 

[Benoni]

This is true but a bias mistranslation by corrupt religious leaders, how many mistakes do you need to see the deliberate error?

I already did. God is an eternal being He has no begining or end. Man had a beginning. Only God is an eternal being. The term forever (and its equivalents, eternal and everlasting) often occurs when it cannot possibly mean unending.

Take the story of Jonah while in the belly of the fish, "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever" (Jon. 2:6). But he was in the fish only three days and three nights!

You are correct, it cannot mean unending.
Jonah 2:6 vat-ta-'al le-'o-v-lam va-'a-di (Hebrew Interlinear bible)

'olam (as you stated) eternal -- In the largest number of it's occurances, 'olam appears with the preposition le. This construction is weaker and less dynamic in emphasis than the previous phrase, insofar as it envisions " a simple duration" (Vines Concise Dictionary)

Not the same as aionios--eternal
Westtexas