Where Do We Go When We Die?

That's a good question, and one that I've asked, myself. There are a couple things we need to look at in order to understand:

What is "hell", and what does Paul mean when he says, "sleep", when referring to the dead?

Paul uses the word, "sleep" in 1 Cor 15:51 and 1 Thess 4:14 where he also uses the word, "dead" in 1 Cor 15:52 and 1 Thess 4:16.

This indicates that by sleep, he also means death of our physical body.

1 Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (the word sleep here means "deceased") 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1 Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Paul speaks of the resurrection, but it's the resurrection of the body, not the spirit since the spirit is not dead.

2 Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

So we see that "sleep" really means the body is dead, but not the spirit or soul. When our bodies die, we're still alive, and either in bosom of Abraham or in a place of torment.

Notice in Luke that the beggar dies and goes to the place where Abraham is, and that there's a great gulf fixed between the good part and the bad part...

Luke 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus , which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus , that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The symbolic "bosom" of Abraham is actually one of the parts of Sheol, where it's "the place for the elect", where the "first fathers and the righteous who from the beginning dwell" according to Enoch.

But what information about hell do we have in the Biblical Canon of Scripture?

The word "hell" is actually Hades (NT) or Sheol (OT):

OT:7585 she'owl (sheh-ole'); or sheol (sheh-ole'); from OT:7592; Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates:

NT:86 haides (hah'-dace); from NT:1 (as negative particle) and NT:1492; properly, unseen, i.e. "Hades" or the place (state) of departed souls:

It's where the souls of the dead go.

It has different levels...

where do we go2

2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (Tartaroo), and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

NT:5020 tartaroo (tar-tar-o'-o); from Tartaros (the deepest abyss of Hades); to incarcerate in eternal torment:

The deepest abyss indicates there is more than one level since there would have to be levels that are "less deep" than the "deepest".

Tartaroo is where the angels are reserved (the deepest abyss of Hades) for Judgement in 2 Peter 2:4.

The bosom of Abraham is another part of this that is separated by a completely impassable gulf that cannot be crossed.

For more information, see:

https://newsletters.bibleprophecyandtruth.com/eNewsLetters/whereDoWeGoWhenWeDie040423.html

And the Book of Enoch:

https://bibleprophecyandtruth.com/notes/Enoch