Revelation 20:14–15 and the Church Fathers: Death, Fire, and the Second Death

“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”— Revelation 20:14–15

This powerful vision from the final chapters of Revelation has stirred centuries of theological reflection. Early Church Fathers wrestled with what it means for Death and Hades to be “thrown into the lake of fire,” and whether this fiery lake symbolizes eternal punishment, final destruction, or something more transformative. Their responses are rich, diverse, and surprisingly relevant.

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–253): Purifying Fire and Ultimate Restoration

Origen, one of the most speculative and mystical thinkers of the early Church, viewed the fire of Revelation not as retributive, but as purifying.

He saw the "lake of fire" as symbolic of divine judgment that purifies the soul rather than eternally torments it. In his Homilies on Psalms, Origen writes:

“The length of one’s permanence [in the fire] will be proportional to one’s sins.”

For Origen, even the punishment described in Revelation 20 has a corrective purpose. He links it to his broader hope in apokatastasis—the ultimate restoration of all things.

Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335–395): The Fire That Transforms

Continuing Origen's spiritual reading, Gregory of Nyssa interprets the lake of fire as a refiner’s crucible. In his mind, it is not about eternal torment but about the consuming of corruption and the transformation of the soul.

For Gregory, “Death and Hades” being cast into the fire signifies the destruction of evil and the final triumph of incorruptible life. The fire of God purifies and restores—not forever torments.

Hippolytus of Rome (d. ~235): Fire as Judgment

By contrast, Hippolytus offers a literal and stark interpretation. In his Against Plato, he describes Hades as containing a lake of unquenchable fire, where the wicked await judgment:

“There sinners shudder in horror… already feeling the power of their punishment.”

For Hippolytus, the imagery in Revelation 20 represents a very real and terrible final judgment for the ungodly—a physical torment reflecting divine justice.

Augustine of Hippo (354–430): Eternal Conscious Torment

Augustine's interpretation in City of God is definitive for much of the Western Church. He sees the lake of fire as a real, material place of eternal punishment—a fiery abyss that torments both body and soul:

“This is the second death… a death without end, where even death itself is destroyed.”

Augustine emphasizes that casting “Death and Hades” into the fire means that death, the last enemy, has been defeated and abolished forever—not just in a spiritual sense, but as a real, cosmic victory of life over corruption.

Summary Comparison

Church Father	Interpretation of Fire	Understanding of “Death and Hades”
Origen	Purifying, corrective	Cleansing judgment for restoration
Gregory of Nyssa	Refiner's crucible	Destruction of evil and corruption
Hippolytus	Literal, physical punishment	Prefigures torment for the wicked
Augustine	Eternal conscious torment	Death defeated as the final enemy

Final Thoughts

The Church Fathers didn’t all agree on Revelation 20:14–15—but their differences reveal something profound. Whether they saw God’s fire as purifying or punitive, they all affirmed this: God is sovereign over death, and evil will not have the final word.

Whether we see the “lake of fire” as a symbol, a destiny, or a mystery yet to be understood, the vision of Revelation offers hope: Death and Hades will not last forever. Life wins.