That’s not Hell!

The experience of the rich man in the Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31) is often used as a depiction of Hell. However, even if this story were a true account, the rich man was not experiencing Hell—if by “Hell” we mean the final everlasting fate of the lost.

The lost will only experience their final everlasting fate after the General Resurrection, and not any time beforehand (Dan. 12:2; John 5:29; Acts 24:15). Hence, before the time of the General Resurrection, no one has experienced Hell yet.

According to the Story, the rich man’s unbelieving brothers were still alive on Earth (v. 28). This indicates that during the events narrated in the Story, the General Resurrection had not yet happened. Therefore, rich man was not experiencing Hell.

Moreover, in verse 23, the Greek word for “Hades” or “hell” (KJV, NET) is hadēs (ᾁδης). It is used throughout the New Testament for the intermediate state of the dead before the General Resurrection. A different Greek word is used for Hell—the final eternal fate of the lost which they will experience only after the General Resurrection.