Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

People often wrongly state that Jesus went to hell between His death and resurrection. However, the Bible tells us that when Jesus died, His body went in the tomb while His soul went to the Paradise side of Sheol, the realm of the dead. In Paradise, Jesus proclaimed victory over sin and death. Misinterpretations of 1 Peter 3:18–20 and the Apostles’ Creed have fueled the belief that Jesus offered a second chance for salvation after death, but Scripture is clear that salvation must be received in this life (Hebrews 9:27). Jesus’ words on the cross and His promise to the thief confirm that His spirit went to the Father and to Paradise, not hell. Understanding this truth reassures believers that Jesus fully conquered sin, death, and the grave.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Psalm 68:18 says, “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives, and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.” This verse is often cited in discussions about Jesus’ post-death activity, but in context, it celebrates God’s victory and the giving of gifts to His people, not a literal descent of Christ into hell.
• Psalm 16:10–11 says, “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life.” Some take this passage to refer to Jesus entering hell (Sheol) before His resurrection. This interpretation is due, in large part, to the King James Version, which translates Sheol as "hell" in this passage. However, the Hebrew word sheol is a general reference to the grave, not a particular place in the afterlife.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Ephesians 4:8-10 reads, "Therefore it says, 'When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.' (In saying, 'He ascended,' what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)" These verses quote Psalm 68:18. The controversy centers on the destination of Jesus' descent. The ESV provides a literal translation, "the lower regions, the earth," to make this distinction clearer. The passage says Jesus descended to the earth (at His Incarnation). The passage does not teach that Jesus descended to hell.
• In Matthew 12:40 Jesus says He will go to the "heart of the earth" just like Jonah went to the belly of the whale. However, here Jesus was speaking of death or the grave, not a particular location in the afterlife. To claim this speaks of Jesus going to hell pushes the analogy too far.
• Some think 1 Peter 3:18-20 refers to Jesus speaking to human beings in hell after His death on the cross. Others think it refers to Christ's spirit speaking in the days of Noah to warn of impending judgment and offer salvation to Noah and his family: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water." But it is more likely this passage is Christ pronouncing His victory over the demonic spirits who are bound in the abyss (see Luke 8:31; Jude 1:6; Revelation 9:11).
• The view of Jesus descending to hell is negated by the words of Jesus Himself. On the cross, Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). His suffering was over; there was no more payment needed for salvation. Also just before His death, Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" (Luke 23:46). Upon death, His spirit went to the Father, not to hell. Also, Jesus promised the thief on the cross that they would be together “today” in paradise (Luke 23:43). This could not have happened if Jesus had spent three days in hell.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

A common misperception and incorrect teaching is that Jesus was in hell between the time He died on the cross and when He was resurrected. The issue has been complicated by this clause in the Apostles' Creed (which is not part of the Bible): "He descended into hell." The clause may have been well intended but is so controversial that some denominations consider it optional or even exclude that portion of the creed. Jesus' body was in the grave for three days, and His soul was in Sheol, but He did not go to hell.

Misunderstandings about where Jesus was after His death can shake the foundation of our faith and distort the gospel message. Believing that Jesus went to hell to preach a second chance for salvation contradicts Scripture, which clearly teaches that salvation must be received in this life (Hebrews 9:27). It also distracts from the true victory Christ accomplished on the cross—defeating sin, death, and the grave—and from the assurance believers have that death cannot separate us from God. Clarifying this truth strengthens confidence in God’s plan, reassures us of the reality of the resurrection, and affirms that Jesus’ death and resurrection fully secured eternal life for all who trust in Him. Understanding where Jesus was helps us focus on the power of His work and the certainty of our salvation.

UNDERSTAND

• Between His death and resurrection, Jesus’ body was in the tomb, and His soul went to Paradise, not hell.
• In the time between His death and resurrection, Jesus proclaimed victory over sin, death, and the grave.
• Salvation must be received in this life; there are no second chances after death.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that Jesus went to Paradise, not hell, impact your confidence in His victory over sin and death?
• How does the truth that salvation must be received in this life influence how you live each day?
• How does Jesus’ promise to the thief on the cross encourage you about your own assurance of salvation?

ENGAGE

• Why did some teachings about Jesus descending into hell become widespread, and how can we clarify the truth of where He was between His death and resurrection?
• How does understanding Jesus’ time in Paradise shape our view of death and eternal life?
• What implications does the finality of salvation after death have for how we share the gospel with others?