The terms "eternal judgment" and "eternal punishment," have been dinned
into their ears of many from infancy, and they are unaware of the fact
that "eternal" is not a correct translation of the original Greek word
[Greek: aionios]; and moreover, that this word, "eternal" denotes
without beginning as well as without end, and is misapplied to anything
that is not beginningless. Again, there are hosts of earnest seekers
after God and truth (as numbers of letters sent to me testify), whose
acceptance of the Gospel of Christ is barred by this doctrine of
everlasting punishment. They suppose it to be a part of the teaching of
the Saviour; and they cannot embrace a religion which requires assent to
something that shocks all their moral instincts. For the sake of such
persons, it seems only right that we should examine this doctrine; that
we should show them what it really is, and upon what foundation it has
been built. Thus, and only thus, will they be brought to see that this
ugly human conception is not of God.


THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH THE DOCTRINE OF EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT HAS
BEEN BUILT.

We must look for this in the mistranslation of a few words in the Greek
New Testament. These words are:--(aion); (aionios); (krima); (krisis);
(krinein); and (katakrinein).

We shall show that the translators have dealt most misleadingly and
inconsistently with these words. They have translated them, in a number
or passages of Scripture in which they appear, strictly in accordance
with their true meanings, while into the words as they occur in other
passages they have imported meanings not only exaggerated and awful, but
such as to make Scripture contradictory of itself.