LAKE OF FIRE (λίμνην τοῦ πυρός). The expression occurs five times in NT in the following passages: Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8. All the enemies of God—the beast and the false prophet (19:20), the devil (20:10), Death and Hades (20:14), all whose names are not found written in the book of life (20:15), the cowardly, the faithless, murderers, fornicators, etc. (21:8)—are to be consigned at the end of this age (in the case of the beast and the false prophet) or after the 1,000 years, to the lake of fire. This is said to be the second death (20:14)—the first being presumably physical death—and consists in eternal exclusion from the new heaven and the new earth, and the new Jerusalem (21:2). For the devil, the beast and the false prophet at least, it also will include being tormented for ever and ever (20:10). Orthodox theology, linking this with what is said elsewhere in the NT on the destiny of unbelievers, has normally understood this to apply also to unsaved human beings. On the other hand, there have been, and still are, those who feel that consignment to the lake of fire will result in the complete destruction and annihilation of unbelievers.

Bibliography H. B. Swete, The Apocalypse of St. John (1911) 258, 270-274, 282-283; G. Vos, “Lake of Fire” ISBE III (1929) 1822; G. R. Beasley-Murray NBC (1953) 1193-1196; A. B. Mickelsen, Interpreting the Bible (1963) 319-322.