Did Jesus Go to Hell?

Did Jesus Go to Hell?

Few questions stir as much confusion as this one: Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection? Some creeds say He did, some preachers insist He didn’t, and others avoid the subject altogether. The Bible gives us the clarity we need—but only when we understand the words and contexts that English translations sometimes flatten.

The Apostles’ Creed and the Phrase “He Descended into Hell”

The Apostles’ Creed, developed in the early centuries of the church, includes the phrase: “He descended into hell.” This line has often led people to believe that Jesus spent part of the three days literally suffering in hellfire. But that is not what the earliest Christians meant.

The Latin word used was inferos (the lower regions), corresponding to the Greek ᾅδης (Hades), meaning the realm of the dead—not the place of eternal torment we think of as “hell” (Greek γέεννα (Gehenna)). The creed was affirming that Jesus truly died and entered the state of the dead, not that He suffered further after the cross.

Scriptural Foundations

Acts 2:27 (NASB):“For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.”

Here Peter quotes Psalm 16, applying it to Jesus. The Greek word used is ᾅδης (Hades), meaning the grave or realm of the dead. Jesus entered death fully, but God did not leave Him there.

1 Peter 3:18–19 (NASB):“For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison.”

This difficult passage suggests that, after His death, Christ made a proclamation (not a second chance for salvation, but a declaration of victory) to spiritual beings in “prison.” The exact meaning is debated, but it affirms that His death had cosmic reach—extending even into the unseen realm.

Ephesians 4:9 (NASB):“Now this expression, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?”

Here Paul uses “lower parts of the earth” to describe Christ’s descent into death itself. Again, this is not Gehenna (hellfire), but the grave.

What Jesus Himself Said

On the cross, Jesus declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30, NASB). His suffering for sin ended there. He did not go to hell to continue paying for sins—the cross was sufficient. Instead, He entrusted His spirit to the Father (Luke 23:46, NASB).

When He promised the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43, NASB), He showed that His post-death destination was not torment, but the blessed realm of the righteous dead.

Distinguishing Terms: Hades vs. Gehenna

Much confusion comes from the English word hell. In the New Testament:

• ᾅδης (Hades) = the grave, the realm of the dead, temporary.

• γέεννα (Gehenna) = the place of final judgment and fire.

• Παράδεισος (Paradeisos) = Paradise, the place of blessing for the righteous dead.

Jesus went to Hades—the grave, the realm of the dead—not to Gehenna to suffer.

Why This Matters

This truth carries weight for our faith:

1. Jesus truly died. He entered fully into human death, not just appearing to die.

2. Jesus conquered death. He was not abandoned there; His resurrection broke its power.

3. The cross was sufficient. His suffering ended at Calvary; hell has no claim on Him.

4. Believers have hope. Because Christ entered death and triumphed, death is no longer the final word for us.

Conclusion

So, did Jesus go to hell? If by “hell” we mean Gehenna—the place of eternal punishment—the answer is no. His suffering was finished on the cross. But if by “hell” we mean Hades—the grave, the realm of the dead—then the answer is yes. Jesus entered death itself, proclaiming victory, and rose again in triumph.

This is the heart of the gospel: Jesus died, Jesus was buried, Jesus rose. In doing so, He defeated death and opened the way to eternal life for all who trust in Him.