In Mormonism, hell can refer to different states or conditions rather than one final destination.
- Spirit Prison: A temporary state in the spirit world after death, where those who did not accept the gospel or who lived sinful lives await further instruction. Missionary work is believed to continue there, and spirits may accept the gospel and eventually move to peace and rest.
- Outer Darkness: A permanent state of separation from God, reserved only for the “sons of perdition” — those who had a full knowledge of Christ and willfully rejected him. This is the closest LDS equivalent to the traditional Christian understanding of hell.
- Degrees of Glory: Those who do not inherit the Celestial Kingdom also experience a form of separation from God. However, they are not in “hell” as traditionally conceived, but instead receive a lower degree of glory (Terrestrial or Telestial).
This view differs from biblical Christianity, which teaches that hell is the eternal punishment for all who reject Christ — an unending separation from God without a second chance for repentance after death (Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9).
