The study aids to verify that the traditional concept of Hell is a myth are the KJV, and a KJV based Concordance.  Examples are: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible - with Brief Dictionaries of the Hebrew and Greek Words of the Original with References to the English Words, or Young's Concordance.  Strong's Concordance is used here.

Strong's Concordance was published near the mid-1900s after 35 years of effort.  It is a compilation of all non-common words in passages of the KJV.  The words are listed in biblical order by book, chapter, and verse.  A short passage from the verse containing the word being studied, is shown.

Appended to the end of each passage may be one or more symbols, but always an Arabic number. 

Strong's Concordance contains a paragraph titled: Directions and Explanations, which should be read.  The following synopsis relates to those instructions:

Where the asterisk (*) symbol is appended to a verse, it indicates a change in the leading word of the passage from the Revised Standard Version (RSV) translation of the bible.  Similarly, the symbol obelisk (+) is a leading word change by the British revisers only, and a double obelisk is a word change by American revisers. 

An appended number of UPRIGHT Arabic numbers indicates a Hebrew or Chaldean word in the original scriptures, commonly of the Old Testament.  The meaning of the word can be found by sequentially looking up the appended number in the Hebrew Dictionary which follows the concordance section.

An appended number of SLOPING Italic Arabic numbers indicates a Greek word in the original scriptures, commonly of the New Testament.  The meaning of the word can be found by sequentially looking up the appended number in the Greek Dictionary.

If a passage contains a word which is italicized, it means that it did not appear in the original scriptures, but is an insertion by a translator. 

Insertions are usually a translator's attempt to make text read  smoother or be more understandable.  However, occasionally error is introduced.  An example of an error critical to correctly understanding a verse about the traditional concept of Hell, is identified in this article.

Notice in the Old Testament that for all  thirty-one passages where the word Hell appears, the appended number is 7585.

Look up number 7585 in the Hebrew Dictionary.  It is the Hebrew word Sheol. The meaning of Sheol is essentially 'a pit in the earth where dead people are placed' (i.e., a GRAVE). 

The meaning may not be clear in Deuteronomy 32:22, however.  Reading verse 31:19 to 32:24 reveals that it is the range of anger - from the depths (bottom of a grave) to the whole surface of the earth, which is being described (i.e., NOT physical fire). 

Read all remaining passages in the Old Testament listed, but mentally substitute the word GRAVE for Hell.  Grave is the clear common sense understanding.  Notice that fire is NOT mentioned in the thirty-one passages where the word Hell occurs.  The traditional concept of sinners tortured in a 'fiery hell' is NOT connoted in the ENTIRE Old Testament.

Word number 1067 'Gehenna' appears eleven times.  It refers to the Valley of Hinnon (i.e., Ge-Hinnon = Gehenna).  It means a 'steep sided gorge or valley.'  It is mentioned in Nehemiah 11:30, II Kings 23:10, etc.

Some hold that Kings Ahaz and Manasseh made their children "pass through the fire" to the pagan god Molech in this valley.  The rites were celebrated in a place called Torphet (II Kings 23:10) the "place of abhorrence," one of the chief groves there.  King Josiah put an end to these abominations as described in II Kings 23:10. 

And further, that Aceldama, the "field of blood," purchased with the money Judas received for the betrayal of Yahshua Messiah (Matt. 27:8), is also a part of the valley of Hinnon.  The valley of Hinnon is still shown on maps South of Jerusalem.

Notice that in EVERY passage with 'Gehenna,' fire IS mentioned. 
 
In latter biblical times 'Gehenna' was a trash dump where refuse, dead animals, executed criminals, etc., were thrown and burned (Jeremiah 19:6).

Fire requires fuel, oxygen, and a kindling temperature.  All three are commonly present in most trash dumps.  Objects exposed to the fire in 'Gehenna' were burnt to ashes.  As with present day trash dumps, Gehenna undoubtedly smoldered and burned continuously.  At night the glow from the fires in Gehenna would have appeared as 'a lake of fire' at Jerusalem. 

When word #1067 was mentioned in parables by Yahshua, the listener would have had a vivid picture of what would happen to a living creature thrown into 'Gehenna.'  Obviously, that the creature would be burnt to ashes (i.e., annihilated). 

The fire referred to by Yahshua, however is that described in the book of Revelation.  That lake of fire and brimstone (burning sulphur) will exist at the end of the age and will be infinitely hotter than any trash dump.   

In Mark 9:24 it says that the people are going to "look upon the carcasses of men that have transgressed against me."  "They will be BURNED UP  like fat on a stove" (Psalm 37:20). 

The passage in Revelation 20:10 of the KJV says:

"and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Note that the word 'are' is in ITALICS.  As noted above, this word was NOT in the original Greek.  It was inserted by a translator.   

The inference is that the beast and false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire at the beginning of the millennium (Rev. 19:20) and tortured eternally in accordance with the traditional concept of 'Hell.'

Clearly, if the beast and the false prophet are living creatures, they will 'cease to exist.'  Similarly, death and the grave will 'cease to exist' because the faithful will have been given eternal life.
 
The common sense understanding of Revelation 20:10 requires that the verse to be translated as:

"where the beast and false prophet were [now annihilated]" 

Luke 16 is commonly used by those who advocate the traditional concept that sinners will suffer eternal torture by 'hell fire.'  But this was a PARABLE, spoken by Yahshua to teach MERCY. 

In the parable the rich man died and was buried.  All the events which follow are from his being in 'Hell'(i.e., Hades,) his grave.

The word translated as Hell in the parable is the same word used by Peter in Acts 2:31:

"He [David] seeing this before, spoke of the resurrection of Yahshua, that his [Yahshua's] soul was not left in Hell [hades = grave], neither his flesh did see corruption." 

The word translated as 'soul' throughout the KJV is word number 5315.  In the Hebrew Dictionary it is 'Nephesh' which means 'a living a breathing creature, animal or human, i.e., a being, a life.'  The meaning of Nephesh must not to be confused with the meaning of the word 'spirit.' The book of Ezekiel 18:4 states Yahweh's word:

"Behold, all souls [human beings = living breathing creature(s)] are mine, as the soul [being] of the father, so also the soul [being] of the son is mine:  The soul [being] that sinneth, it shall die." KJV 

Where in the bible does it say that spirits die?
In the PARABLE of Lazarus and the Rich man, the rich man opens his eyes and sees the flames of the lake of fire which are about to annihilate him.  He is horrified and his tongue goes dry from grief.  He asks for a few drops of water for his tongue, obviously an insufficient amount to cool his entire body if he were then immersed in searing flames.

He is tormented by the thought of the flames. Word #3600 translated 'tormented,' is the Greek word Odoonaho.  The meaning of the word is: 'to grieve - sorrow, [mental] torment, by extension from word number 3601: grief as dejection.' 

The inference in the PARABLE is that the rich man has knowledge of Ezekiel 18:4 (i.e., " the soul that sinneth, it shall die").  He knows he is guilty and about to face terrible retribution.  His punishment is death by fire, annihilation for eternity (i.e., eternal punishMENT).

If humans sin willfully after receiving the Good News, their fate is described in Hebrews 10:26-27.

  "there remains no more sacrifice for sins but a fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation, which will devour [annihilate] the adversaries."
 

THE FATE OF THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE BEAST AND HIS IMAGE

The passage in Revelation 14:11 refers to any man who worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark.  That man shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Lamb [Yahshua Messiah].  Perhaps the fire and brimstone will be the same as RAINED down on Sodom and Gomorrah, which may have been divinely directed meteorites of burning sulphur ignited by friction with the atmosphere.

The inference is that those who are a part of the 'government system of Babylon' and who receive the mark of the beast, will have no rest day or night as long as they remain in the land falling under Yahweh's wrath.  They will either have to flee to receive mercy, or be tormented by sulphurous fumes until they die.