Hades — Meaning in the Bible
The Greek word for the realm of the dead, used in the New Testament and in the Greek Old Testament where Hebrew has Sheol.
Scripture in WEBWorld English Bible — Protestant Edition
What it means
Peter quotes Psalm 16 with Hades for Sheol. Jesus said the gates of Hades would not prevail against his assembly. Acts 2:27Matthew 16:18
In Revelation the risen Jesus holds "the keys of Death and of Hades". Revelation 1:18Revelation 20:13–14
Key passages
- Matthew 16:18 — The gates of Hades.
- Acts 2:27 — Psalm 16 quoted.
- Revelation 1:17–18 — The keys of death and Hades.
Original language
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
How translations differ
- Some older versions translate Hades as "hell"; most modern versions keep "Hades" to distinguish it from "Gehenna". Matthew 16:18