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Just a sum up of my view after reading both sides, i.e. Hell is eternal punishment vs. Hell is temporary punishment.

For now, I lean towards Hell being a place for eternal punishment for those that are not believers. I'm not 100% sold on that view only because of passages, like Matthew 25:28 that talk about the soul being destroyed.
i gotta admit that that one is strange. It doesnt seem to have any direct witness, and infers that we have souls rather than being souls. If the Greek for breath is rendered as soul, then how can that be? idk
The evidence for the word "destroy" not being literal wasn't convincing after having a second look at it so that's my only lingering doubt about the eternal punishment view. Matthew 25:46 specifically referring to believers going away to eternal punishment sealed the deal for me. Because it doesn't just say non-believers will be thrown in Hell. Had it said that alone, then there might be room to say that they can be "destroyed" in the fire. But the Matt. 25:46 passage clearly says "eternal punishment". That would also be consistent with its parallel of "eternal life", unless someone wants to argue why "eternal life" literally means living in Paradise forever, while "eternal punishment" in the same context doesn't mean forever.
“eternal” translated from aionos, a space of time, an age, rather than aidios, forever
Finally, there's the view that the word Hell in the Bible really refers to Gehenna. It is a compelling argument. I do agree that at times the word "Hell" in the Bible refers to Gehenna. But, there are times when the Bible gives a description of "eternal punishment" , and in that case you don't even need the label Hell. In that case, it's a matter of matching the description with a label, and "eternal punishment" does not equal Gehenna.

Therefore, eternal punishment is the most likely valid view.
then imo you have to reconcile All go to the same place, No one has ever gone up to heaven, There is only One Immortal, etc
Thanks for all the input!
 
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The word "Hell" is used by us to describe eternal punishment. However, the Bible states the place of eternal punishment as the Lake of Fire: Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Despite what we call it, it is a place of eternal torment.
 
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The word "Hell" is used by us to describe eternal punishment. However, the Bible states the place of eternal punishment as the Lake of Fire: Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Despite what we call it, it is a place of eternal torment.
Scooter, i wouldnt ignore The Revelation of Christ, but i would also understand it in that context, and seek to fit all of the rest of the Bible into that understanding. Which i admit does not seem very popular, esp among believers, whom i have spent most of my life around.

And when that “eternal” ends up being derived from a word that means “lifelong” and not “forever,” one then has a choice to make, imo. Im prolly more committed to the Bible than i even should be, mostly bc it has caused me to change my mind more than once, and i expect that it will continue to do so. Plus i really dont have a choice; for me its this or an asylum or something lol

So i mean dig a ditch for others to fall into if you believe that is best, ok; i have called a man a fool and experienced hellfire. Or Forgive and you will be forgiven, which idt you can do while digging ditches
 
And when that “eternal” ends up being derived from a word that means “lifelong” and not “forever,” one then has a choice to make, imo.
Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

The word “eternal” used above is the Greek word αἰώνιος. It does not mean “lifelong” as you claim. Below are both Strongs and Thayers definitions for the word:

Strong’s Definitions
αἰώνιος aiṓnios, ahee-o'-nee-os; from G165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well):—eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS G166:
αἰώνιος, -ον, and (in 2 Thessalonians 2:16; Hebrews 9:12; Numbers 25:13; Plato, Tim., p. 38 b. [see below]; Diodorus 1:1; [cf. WHs Appendix, p. 157; Winers Grammar, 69 (67); Buttmann, 26 (23)]) -ος, -α, -ον, (αἰών);
1. without beginning or end, that which always has been and always will be: θεός, Romans 16:26 (ὁ μόνος αἰώνιος, 2 Macc. 1:25); πνεῦμα, Hebrews 9:14.
2. without beginning: χρόνοις αἰωνίοις, Romans 16:25; πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2; εὐαγγέλιον, a gospel whose subject-matter is eternal, i. e., the saving purpose of God adopted from eternity, Revelation 14:6.
3. without end, never to cease, everlasting: 2 Corinthians 4:18 (opposed to πρόσκαιρος); αἰώνιον αὐτόν, joined to thee forever as a sharer of the same eternal life, Philemon 1:15; βάρος δόξης, 2 Corinthians 4:17; βασιλεία, 2 Peter 1:11; δόξα, 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 5:10; ζωή (see ζωή, 2 b.); κληρονομία, Hebrews 9:15; λύτρωσις, Hebrews 9:12; παράκλησις, 2 Thessalonians 2:16; σκηναί, abodes to be occupied forever, Luke 16:9 (the habitations of the blessed in heaven are referred to, cf. John 14:2 [also, dabo eis tabernacula aeterna, quae praeparaveram illis, 4 Esdras (Fritzsche, 5 Esdr.) 2:11]; similarly Hades is called αἰώνιος τόπος, Tobit 3:6, cf. Ecclesiastes 12:5); σωτηρία, Hebrews 5:9; [so Mark 16 WH, in the (rejected) 'Shorter Conclusion'].

It is clear that your claim “eternal” means “lifelong” is false.
 
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And when that “eternal” ends up being derived from a word that means “lifelong” and not “forever,” one then has a choice to make, imo.
Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

The word “eternal” used above is the Greek word αἰώνιος. It does not mean “lifelong” as you claim. Below are both Strongs and Thayers definitions for the word:

Strong’s Definitions
αἰώνιος aiṓnios, ahee-o'-nee-os; from G165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well):—eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS G166:
αἰώνιος, -ον, and (in 2 Thessalonians 2:16; Hebrews 9:12; Numbers 25:13; Plato, Tim., p. 38 b. [see below]; Diodorus 1:1; [cf. WHs Appendix, p. 157; Winers Grammar, 69 (67); Buttmann, 26 (23)]) -ος, -α, -ον, (αἰών);
1. without beginning or end, that which always has been and always will be: θεός, Romans 16:26 (ὁ μόνος αἰώνιος, 2 Macc. 1:25); πνεῦμα, Hebrews 9:14.
2. without beginning: χρόνοις αἰωνίοις, Romans 16:25; πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2; εὐαγγέλιον, a gospel whose subject-matter is eternal, i. e., the saving purpose of God adopted from eternity, Revelation 14:6.
3. without end, never to cease, everlasting: 2 Corinthians 4:18 (opposed to πρόσκαιρος); αἰώνιον αὐτόν, joined to thee forever as a sharer of the same eternal life, Philemon 1:15; βάρος δόξης, 2 Corinthians 4:17; βασιλεία, 2 Peter 1:11; δόξα, 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 5:10; ζωή (see ζωή, 2 b.); κληρονομία, Hebrews 9:15; λύτρωσις, Hebrews 9:12; παράκλησις, 2 Thessalonians 2:16; σκηναί, abodes to be occupied forever, Luke 16:9 (the habitations of the blessed in heaven are referred to, cf. John 14:2 [also, dabo eis tabernacula aeterna, quae praeparaveram illis, 4 Esdras (Fritzsche, 5 Esdr.) 2:11]; similarly Hades is called αἰώνιος τόπος, Tobit 3:6, cf. Ecclesiastes 12:5); σωτηρία, Hebrews 5:9; [so Mark 16 WH, in the (rejected) 'Shorter Conclusion'].

It is clear that your claim “eternal” means “lifelong” is false.
i never said that there were no instances of “forever” in the Bible, Scooter, and what is clear is that, as you have already stated, you would rather die than change your mind. Which i even remember, btw; it is the essence of being under the law, and eating the fruit of knowledge, but i guess you have to learn that the hard way. “Eternal” life is always, without exception, derived from “lifelong,” and as i have better things to do than argue with a gnostic ill give you the last word.

And with apologies even, ok? You are just obv looking to score points now, and idgaf about that
 
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Fwiw a study of the two “eternals” with aionos and aidios delineated is pretty interesting, not that i would attempt the subject without first understanding the cult of sol

And just for the record, the spirit returns to God, Who gave it, right? Which is why i dont get too plexed up about where my soul/breath might be going, esp since the Bible seems to seek to make that very clear, several diff ways. I guess they really didnt have terms for ego or id back then, and “soul” is a likely stand-in; many or even most ppl still imagine that they “have” a soul, i guess?

Which for a seeker, i would suggest exploring how our id/ego is formed, before any discussions about why one would want to attempt to save it (believers iow) rather than put it to death (Bible), He who seeks to save his soul shall lose it. There is ample evidence, studies, etc, that show that the self we get so attached to is basically a figment of our imaginations anyway, and it has been shown that if you were to write a page describing your “self” without naming it, your closest friends would not recognize who was being written about.

And just since i may have given a diff impression, i would highly urge anyone who is interested in becoming an immortal after death to join the cult of sol, definitely; as has already been pointed out, that can save you from a life full of death, or nihilism or whatever, addiction, other problems of self esteem, and there are plenty of good ppl sprinkled in there.

You also get (selected) Bible study, which can be valuable later, and even if you never discover that Paul never said “to be absent from the body is to be present with the lord,” so what? I detest the RCC but i volunteer at Catholic Charities, and i have friends whom i would never broach these subjects with. I suspect that the rigid nature of belief, that cannot allow for any exploration, will eventually do to them what it has done to so many others, and while i would advise not turning your back (so to speak) on any new acquaintances that are professing (vehemently) to be believers, since car salesmen are urged to join a big church asap, but that is just common sense stuff, after all.
 
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i never said that there were no instances of “forever” in the Bible, Scooter, and what is clear is that, as you have already stated, you would rather die than change your mind.
I have already died. The old man died on the cross with Christ. This is the new man that lives through Christ. Therefore, I will live forever. Those who never die to self will eventually die twice. Good luck with your journey.
 
And just for the record, the spirit returns to God, Who gave it, right?
Only for those who give their spirits to Christ. If a person dies without Jesus as his/her Savior, their spirit dies in Hell/Lake of Fire.