Age, Eternity, & Immortality Explored In-Depth

Question: “Does a loving God keep people alive so they may be endlessly tortured, or do the wicked experience entire destruction?”
The following research is offered for your review so that you may come to your own conclusions. 

Four concepts explored in-depth in this article

1. The basic meaning of the Greek words translated eternal is “an age.”
2. “An age PLUS an age” (i.e., multiple ages coupled together) equals eternity.
3. Eternal punishment means the consequence of the punishment lasts forever (is not reversible).
4. Immortality is extended to believers, not to unbelievers.

Table of contents

1. Four concepts we will explore
2. Definitions of aion/aionios – note that the basic meaning is “an age,” NOT “eternity”
   1. Bible Hub
   2. Thayer’s Greek definition
   3. Strong’s Dictionaries of the Greek and Hebrew Testaments
   4. Young’s Analytical Concordance
   5. Wuest
   6. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by Kittle
   7. Vine’s New Testament 
   8. Aionios explored in-depth
3. Does “eternity” make sense in any of these verses?
4. Definitions of olam – The Hebrew counterpart to the Greek aion
   1. Young’s Analytical Concordance
   2. Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries
   3. Vine’s Old Testament
   4. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by Kittle
   5. A compiled definition of olam
   6. Numerous passages referring to olam show clearly it cannot mean "never-ending."
   7. Summary of aion/aionios/olam
5. The length of aion/aionios/olam depends on what it is describing
6. We have at least four consecutive ages (or) four eternities mentioned in Scripture (aion)
7. Could a linguist be helpful?
8. Use a biblical epistemology (system of knowing)
9. Is an age AND an age (two ages) eternity?
10. A summary list of things which go on for “an age and an age” (eternity)
11. Immortality and incorruptibility belong only to God and to the saints – NOT unbelievers
12. Would you like to explore every verse from Young’s Literal Translation containing the Greek words aion/aionios?
13. Would you like to explore what Jesus has said about the end of the wicked?

Definitions of aion/aionios – note that the basic meaning is “an age,” NOT “eternity”

Aion and aionios are the basic Greek words that are translated “eternity” and “forever” (among other things) in the Bible. However, from the definitions below, the basic meaning is “age,” not eternity or forever.

1. Bible Hub (http://biblehub.com/greek/166.htm)  - “Aiṓnios (an adjective, derived from 165 /aiṓn ("an age, having a particular character and quality"). 166 (aiṓnios) does not focus on the future per se, but rather on the quality of the age (165 /aiṓn) it relates to. Thus, believers live in "eternal (166 /aiṓnios) life" right now, experiencing this quality of God's life now as a present possession.”
2. Thayer’s Greek definition - properly an age
3. Strong’s Dictionaries of the Greek and Hebrew Testaments - Aion (G165) - an age (or eon), a period of existence, though not merely a period of time
4. Young’s Analytical concordance – “to the age”
5. Wuest - An age; that is, a period of time characterized by a certain type of life or economy of government or other social regulating agency
6. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by Kittle - G165 aion - (properly) an age (or eon). a period of existence, though not merely a period of time (there are ages to come - Eph. 2:7); (by extension) ages, perpetuity (forward, also into the past); (often) the present age, the world today. “In the plural the sense of aiōn is that of a stretch of time.
7. Vines New Testament  - aion (G165), "an age," aionios (G166) "describes duration, either undefined but not endless
8. Aionios – Click here for an in-depth article

Does “eternity” make any sense in any of these verses?

Aion is the word that you see as “eternity” in each verse below. The following list is copied by permission from Hope Beyond Hell.

♦ What will be the sign…of the end of [eternity] (Mt. 24:3)?

♦ I am with you…to the end of the [eternity] (Mt. 28:20).

♦ The sons of this [eternity] are more shrewd (Lu. 16:8).

♦ The sons of this [eternity] marry (Lu. 20:34).

♦ Worthy to attain that [eternity] (Lu. 20:35).

♦ Since the [eternity] began (Jn. 9:32; Ac. 3:21).

♦ Conformed to this [eternity] (Ro. 12:2).

♦ Where is the disputer of this [eternity] (1Co. 1:20)?

♦ Wisdom of this [eternity], nor of the rulers of this [eternity]… ordained before the [eternities]…which none of the rulers of this [eternity]… (1Co. 2:6-8).

♦ Wise in this [eternity] (1Co. 3:18).

♦ Upon whom the ends of the [eternities] have come (1Co. 10:11).

♦ God of this [eternity] has blinded (2Co. 4:4).

♦ Deliver us from this present evil [eternity] (Ga. 1:4).

♦ Not only in this [eternity] but also in that which is to come (Ep. 1:21).

♦ Walked according to the [eternity] of this world (Ep. 2:2).

♦ In the [eternities] to come (Ep. 2:7).

♦ From the beginnings of the [eternities] (Ep. 3:9).

♦ Hidden from [eternities]…but now…revealed (Col. 1:26).

♦ Loved this present [eternity] (2Ti. 4:10).

♦ Powers of the [eternity] to come (He. 6:5).

♦ At the end of the [eternities] (He. 9:26).

♦ We understand the [eternities] have been prepared by a saying of God (He. 11:3).

Definitions of olam – the Hebrew counterpart to the Greek aion

The Septuagint (i.e., Old Testament translated into Greek) translates the Hebrew word olam (H5769) with the Greek word aion, showing the translators felt the meanings were identical. Olam doesn’t mean eternity as we define eternity, even though it is translated forever, everlasting, perpetual, or evermore 370 times.

1. Young’s Analytical Concordance defines olam (H5769) as “age, age lasting”
2. Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries defines olam (H5769) as “from H5956; properly concealed; that is, the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future).
3. Vines Old Testament - `olam (H5769),  In a few passages the word means "eternity," signifies "remotest time" or "remote time," "into the indefinite future.” In the largest number of its occurrences, it envisions a "simple duration."
4. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by Kittle 1. (Properly) concealed, i.e., the vanishing point. 2. (Generally) time out of mind (past or future). 3. (Practically) eternity.
5. A compiled definition of olam (H5769): Beyond the horizon, the vanishing point or the point at which something vanishes, until conditions change. To look beyond the furthest point your feet can carry you, whatever is on the other side of that is forever. It is derived from the primitive Hebrew root “alam” (H5956 – ä·lam) which means “to conceal, hide, be hidden, be concealed, be secret.” The word olam is also used for time for the distant past or the distant future as a time that is difficult to know or perceive.

Numerous passages referring to olam show clearly it cannot mean "never-ending."

The following list is copied by permission from Hope Beyond Hell.

♦ Jonah was in the fish forever [olam] until he left three days later (Jon. 1:17; 2:6).

♦ Sodom’s fiery judgment is eternal [olam] until God returns them to their former state (Ez. 16:53-55; Ju. 7).

♦ A Moabite is forbidden to enter the Lord’s congregation forever [olam] until the 10th generation (De. 23:3).

♦ Hills are everlasting [olam] until made low…earth is burned up (Ge. 49:26; De. 33:15; Is. 40:4; 2Pe. 3:10).

♦ Mountains are everlasting [olam] until they are scattered (Hab. 3:6).

♦ A slave serves his master forever [olam] until death ends his servitude (Ex. 21:6).

♦ The Mosaic covenant is everlasting [olam] until it vanishes away (Le. 24:8; He. 8:7-13).

♦ The Aaronic priesthood is everlasting [olam] until the likeness of Melchizedek arises (Ex. 40:15; Nu. 25:13; He. 7:14-22).

♦ These “stones” are to be a memorial forever (Jos. 4:7)? Where are they now?

♦ The leprosy of Naaman shall cling to Gehazi forever [olam] until his death, of course (2K. 5:27).

♦ God dwells in Solomon’s temple forever [olam] until it is destroyed (2Ch. 7:16; 1K 8:13; 9:3).

♦ Animal sacrifices were to be offered forever [olam] until ended by the work of Christ (2Ch. 2:4; He. 7:11-10:18).

♦ Circumcision was an everlasting [olam] covenant until the new covenant (Ge. 17:9-13; 1Co. 7:19; Ga. 5:6).

♦ Israel’s judgment lasts forever [olam] until the Spirit is poured out and God restores it (Is. 32:13-15).

♦ I will make you an eternal [olam] excellence until many generations (Is. 60:15).

Summary of aion/aionios/olam

The research so far demonstrates CLEAR biblical evidence that aion, aionios and olam, the words translated eternity, forever, and everlasting can stand for LIMITED periods of time or for the quality of life during a limited period of time.

The KEY: The length of an age (aion/aionios/olam) depends on what the age is describing

For example: aion/aiṓnios/olam show up in each of the verses below:

• Jonah was in the fish forever [olam] until he left three days later (Jonah 1:17; 2:6).
• A mountain range - The hills are everlasting [olam] until made low (Gen. 49:26; Deut. 33:15; Isa. 40:4; 2 Pet. 3:10).
• A lifespan of a person – his slave forever aiṓnios (Philemon 1:15).
• God and heaven - Both God (1 Tim. 1:17) and heaven (Rev. 22:5) are referred to as “an age and an age” (i.e., multiple ages which we could consider truly everlasting).
• See also: Eternity in the Bible by Gerry Beauchemin.

There are at least 4 consecutive ages (or) 4 eternities mentioned in Scripture (aion)

1. An earlier age - that was given to us in Christ Jesus, before the times of the ages (2 Tim. 1:9)
2. The current age - the anxieties of this age (Mk. 4:19)
3. The next age - not only in this age, but also in the coming one (Eph. 1:21)
4. The age after the next age - in the ages to come (Eph. 2:7)

So the Bible mentions a minimum of four ages, and for those who feel aion should be translated eternity, then they will have a minimum of four eternities.

Could a linguist be helpful?

Yes, if they are revelation-based, Spirit-anointed ,and do not have a personal agenda/belief to grind, or a committee telling them what they can and can’t say.

Range of meanings: Linguistic translators inform us that all words have a semantic range; that is, a range of possible meanings. Words often have four or five possible denotations. When you are not reading a literal translation of the Bible, what you are reading instead is a Bible where linguistics are telling you their best interpretation of which of the numerous possible denotations they believe is the right one. Of course, once they have put in their best interpretation of the Greek or Hebrew word, you are now working with man’s interpretation of what the original word means rather than its essential meaning.

Translators/linguistics must follow someone’s rules: They follow the guidelines established by the entities funding their work, which most likely cater to the established religious traditions. For example, the KJV translators were mandated by the king to not compromise the doctrines of the Church. See their official translation guidelines, especially numbers 1, 4 and 15. Obviously, these rules leave no room for new insights to be expressed.

It is scary to see so many varying meanings linguistics have ascribed to one Greek word, including even opposite meanings. In the example below, we see translators translating aion and its adjective form aionios and its Hebrew equivalent olam as: age and eternal, time and eternity, never and always, to list just a few opposites. This is disquieting, especially when we are hoping to be reading the infallible Word of God.

• NASB translates aion/aionios/olam these (often opposite) ways:
  • eternity, time, age, forever, that age, forevermore, perpetual, never, always, world, ever, evermore, everlasting, long, any, beginning, continuance, lasting, without, never, from old, from ancient time, course, eternal.
• KJV translates aion/aionios/olam these (often opposite) ways:
  • Ever, never, everlasting, world, evermore, beginning, continuance, end, ages, eternal, course, old, perpetual, ancient, world, always, long, any, eternal, lasting, time, without.
• Young’s Literal Translation, always translates aion/aionios/olam simply
  • age, ages, age-enduring

How about just one definition: You may feel more comfortable going with the one meaning used consistently by Young’s Literal Translation, “age-during.”

Linguists are NOT to offer man’s thoughts! The Bible is crystal clear - our thoughts are not His thoughts (Isa. 55:8,9), so I don’t want any of my own thoughts messing me up, nor do I want anyone else giving me their thoughts. I only want to know what God is speaking in my heart and in your heart.

The thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:10-16).

Paul was well-trained by the best linguistic scholars of his day, and he had an excellent knowledge of the Old Testament (Phil. 3:4-11). Yet his understanding of his “Bible” was so wrong that he was opposed to Jesus and went about killing Christians (Acts 9:1).

“Revelation encounters” change our theology (i.e., our understanding of the words of Scripture)

• Truth came to Paul when he had a direct encounter with the living God, hearing His voice and seeing His vision (Acts 9), after which he went away to the Arabian wilderness for three years. Paul makes a point to say he was not taught by man but rather taught by the Spirit (Gal. 1:11-18).
• The disciples on the Emmaus Road were in a similar situation. They knew the Old Testament prophecies but did not have revelation concerning them until Jesus opened the Scriptures to them, and their hearts burned (Lk. 24: 13-35).

Truth comes by the Spirit

• But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come (Jn. 16:13-14).

• The anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things (1 Jn. 2:27).

• So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts (2 Pet. 1:19-20).

Truth is a Person and when reading HIS book (the Bible), we need HIM to reveal its message

• In the Garden of Eden, they were not handed a book. They were offered a walk with God in the cool of the day.
• Jesus had this to say to those who thought they were going to receive life through a book: "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life” (Jn. 5:39-40). Jesus is saying: Come back to the Garden of Eden and have a living encounter with Me! Note Jesus didn’t say come to a linguist; He said come to ME!
• The Bible teaches that the path to truth is when the Holy Spirit opens the Scriptures to our understanding causing our hearts to burn with revelation (Lk. 24: 13-35).
• A foundational requirement is: We MUST receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (2 Thess. 2:10). I must love the constant enlightening of the Spirit (Eph. 1:17, 18), more than I love my pet doctrines which are yesterday’s revelations codified. I either love the security of my theological box or I love the prophetic word constantly emerging in my heart, granting me ever-increasing light, continually transforming me into His likeness.

Use a biblical epistemology (system of knowing)

Satan has used every trick in the book to keep us from knowing the truth. His lies include:

1. Skip walks in the garden: You don’t need to hear God’s voice; you can know. (“You” became the false god of “humanism” – it’s about my efforts. “Know” became the false god of “rationalism” -it’s about what I think).
2. Dispensationalism: Much of the Bible is for another period, and you can’t apply or live it in this age (dispensation).
3. Demythologization: The supernatural stories in the Bible are fables, not real.
4. Fear of rejection: If you embrace this truth, you will lose your job, position, salary, prestige, social position. (Think Nicodemus, for example.)
5. Fear of inadequacy: I am too ignorant to properly discover truth.
6. Pride: I have truth all boxed up, so don’t confuse me with any countering verses or insights.
7. False understanding of spiritual authority: I must submit to what my leader tells me to believe.

---

I reject each of satan’s lies.

 I can know the truth through the illumination of the Holy Spirit,

especially as He illumines Scriptures, as Jesus did on the Emmaus Road!

Solution – A broad-based method for discovering truth:

I recommend a Biblical system of knowing,
which includes the Spirit revealing truth through six different ways that the Bible says God speaks to us.

Click here for an article describing this approach. It is called “The Leaders Paradigm.”

---

Is an age AND an age (two ages) eternity?

Below is EVERY verse in the New Testament which repeats “age” twice in regard to the topic or experience that it is speaking about. Perhaps we can surmise that an age PLUS an age (multiple back-to-back ages) is truly referencing “eternity,” rather than simply “one age.” All texts below are from Young’s Literal Translation.

1. Multiplied Return – Who may not receive back manifold more in this time, and in the coming age, life age-during (Lk. 18:30).
2. God Glorified – To God, even our Father, is the glory—to the ages of the ages. Amen (Phil. 4:20).
3. God Glorified – To the King of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, only wise God, is honor and glory—to the ages of the ages! Amen (1 Tim. 1:17).
4. God Glorified – The Lord shall free me from every evil work and shall save me —to His heavenly kingdom; to whom is the glory to the ages of the ages! Amen (2 Tim. 4:18).
5. Jesus Reigns Righteously – And unto the Son: 'Thy throne, O God, is to the age of the age; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy reign’ (Heb. 1:8).
6. God Glorified – To Him is the glory, and the power—to the ages and the ages! Amen (1 Pet. 5:11).
7. God Glorified – Did make us kings and priests to his God and Father, to Him is the glory and the power to the ages of the ages! Amen (Rev. 1:6).
8. Jesus Lives – He who is living, and I did become dead, and, lo, I am living to the ages of the ages. Amen! and I have the keys of the hades and of the death (Rev. 1:18).
9. God Lives - When the living creatures do give glory, and honor, and thanks, to Him who is sitting upon the throne, who is living to the ages of the ages (Rev 4:9).
10. God Worshipped – fall down do the twenty and four elders before Him who is sitting upon the throne, and bow before Him who is living to the ages of the ages, and they cast their crowns before the throne (Rev. 4:10).
11. God and Jesus worshiped – Every creature that is in the heaven, and in the earth, and under the earth, and the things that are upon the sea, and all things in them, heard I saying, 'To Him who is sitting upon the throne, and to the Lamb, is the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the might—to the ages of the ages' (Rev. 5:13)!
12. God and Jesus worshiped – 'Amen! the blessing, and the glory, and the wisdom, and the thanksgiving, and the honor, and the power, and the strength, are to our God—to the ages of the ages! Amen' (Rev. 7:12)! 
13. Angel swears by the eternal God - Did swear in Him who doth live to the ages of the ages, who did create the heaven and the things in it, and the land and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it (Rev 10:6). 
14. God reigns –The seventh messenger did sound, and there came great voices in the heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of the world did become those of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign to the ages of the ages' (Rev.11:15)! 
15. Smoke of torment – And the smoke of their torment doth go up to ages of ages; and they have no rest day and night, who are bowing before the beast and his image, also if any doth receive the mark of his name (Rev. 14:11). It is interesting that this verse is not 100% clear that they are tormented forever; only that the smoke of their torment goes up forever. Also, they are actively bowing (proskynountes – verb is a present active participle and that tense is correctly brought out in the YLT) before the beast and his image, which makes one think more in terms of present pain and judgment in this life rather than the future age of judgment. We do know that living in sin produces pain and judgment and unhappiness. We all lived in this torment before we found freedom in Christ. We had no rest day or night. Obviously, the entire chapter 14 of Revelation is symbolic, as is the entire book of Revelation: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John” (Rev.1:1 KJV). When working with symbolic imagery, it must be interpreted in light of literal passages of Scripture. John 3:16 says the evil perish, not get tormented day and night forever. That is one of hundreds of very clear verses on the end fate of the wicked (See Fudge video lecture).
16. God lives – One of the four living creatures did give to the seven messengers seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God, who is living to the ages of the ages (Rev. 15:7). 
17. Smoke rises from Great Harlot - BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER." And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER" (Rev. 19:2,3). Note: This verse doesn’t include people, just whatever is symbolized by the great harlot.
18. Devil, beast and false prophet – The Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night—to the ages of the ages (Rev. 20:10). It is interesting there is no mention in Revelation 20:10 of people being in this lake of fire. The beast and false prophet might be symbolic of some evil systems. In Revelation 20:14-15 we find: Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. According to John 3:16, unbelievers then perish. So, it appears that death, hades, and unbelievers are now annihilated by the lake of fire.   
19. Heaven – Night shall not be there, and they have no need of a lamp and light of a sun, because the Lord God doth give them light, and they shall reign—to the ages of the ages (Rev. 22:5). 

A summary list of the above things which go on for “an age and an age” (eternity)

1. Sixteen verses describe God’s Kingdom, righteous, eternal rule
   1. God and Jesus live and are worshipped and glorified eternally
   2. God, Jesus, and the saints reign in righteousness eternally
   3. Summary: So, heaven is intact as is the eternal life of the righteous in heaven with God
2. Three verses describe torment
   1. The devil, beast, and false prophet are tormented eternally.
   2. Smoke rises eternally from the Great Harlot and smoke of torment of those who are bowing before the beast.
   3. There is no clear verse saying people are to experience a future torture which goes on for an age AND an age (i.e., eternally).

Perhaps now it is easier to understand Matthew 25:46:

“And these will go away into eternal (aiōnios) punishment, but the righteous into eternal (aiōnios) life.”

In the 19 verses we just researched above, a future place where people are tormented is never referred to as lasting for “an age and an age;” whereas, saints reigning with God is referred to as “an age and an age”. This explains how, in Matthew 25:46, the word, aionios, when referring to punishment, can be a different length of time (only one age – which in Jonah’s case was only three days) than aionios, when used in reference to eternal life, which is referred to as an age AND an age (i.e., eternal). Consider also Revelation 20:14.

Immortality and incorruptibility belong only to God and to the saints – NOT unbelievers

The following two Greek words have connected meanings, in that when you are immortal you are also incorruptible. There are ONLY 11 occurrences of these words in the entire New Testament.

• Athanasia (G110) translated immortality – occurs three times in the NT
• Aphtharsia (G861) translated incorruptible and immortality – occurs eight times in the NT
• Below are all 11 verses in the NT containing immortality or incorruptible (G110 & G861)

The only one who is immortal is…

• God alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim. 6:16).

Jesus provides immortality through the Gospel to those seeking it

• To those who by perseverance seek for immortality  (Rom. 2:7)
• Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Tim. 1:10)
• Believers love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love (Eph. 6:24)

The future of those who are “in Christ”

• For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. (1 Cor. 15:53-54 – See also 15:22,42,50)

Greek philosophy vs. Hebrew philosophy

• There is no mention in the New Testament of unbelievers being immortal or incorruptible!
• According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, the belief in the immortality of the soul came to the Jews from contact with Greek thought and chiefly through the philosophy of Plato, its principal exponent.

Summary: You will want to note that the gift of immortality (i.e., living for an age AND an age) is ONLY provided to those in relationship with God. As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, they were cut off from the Tree of Life so they could not live forever (Gen 3:23-24). Nowhere does the New Testament say the soul of the unbeliever is immortal. As a matter of fact, it says God is able to destroy both body and soul in hell (Matt. 10:28). Since God has the capacity to do this, and He never says He won’t do it, and our God-given sense of justice does not condone endless torture, plus it is contrary to what a loving father would do to a disobedient child, I believe we can set aside endless torture as a false doctrine.

The only Biblical statement that specifically defines aionios is spoken by Jesus Himself: "And this is aionios zoe, (eternal life) that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (Jn. 17:3). Aionios refers to a quality of essence, in this case a quality of life.

Research articles by Mark Virkler

1. Three Views of Hell - An introduction to what these three views are
2. Age, Eternity & Immortality Explored In-Depth – Demonstrates from Scripture that the word translated eternity can be as short as three days, and that immortality is extended ONLY to those accepting the gospel. The wicked are NOT immortal, so they perish.
3. Research Hell, Hades, Lake of Fire, and Book of Life – Read every verse in the New Testament which contains these words so you know exactly what they say.
4. Explore every verse from Young’s Literal Translation containing the Greek words aion/aionios – YLT never uses the word eternal, but instead “age-during”. 
5. Explore what Jesus said about the end of the unrighteous – Get it direct from the Master.
6. Sheol – The Old Testament Word for Hades
7. 38 New Testament Verses on Fire