In Revelation 20:13 it says that "death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them." What exactly is meant by the phrase "death and Hades"? I always thought "Hades" was part of a Greek myth, so why are they in the Bible? -- Abram Guerra
Hades is the Greek god of the underworld, yes, but Hades has another meaning. Hades is the underworld itself. Tartarus is the section of Hades where the evil angels -- and perhaps also unsaved humans -- are kept (2 Peter 2). Paradise is the other part of Hades, where the saved enter after death, before the Lord's return to take us to be with him in heaven (John 14). "Death and Hades" appear to be virtual synonyms in this passage. No longer will death have power over anyone; no longer will the abode of the dead be able to contain them, as it is time for all to face judgment.
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