“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18, KJV)

This passage is one of those that a poor word choice by the translators of the King James has led to much confusion. The word for hell does not appear in this passage; the word in Greek is hades, which should be translated, well, Hades. Hades, for the Greeks, was the unknown, the place of the dead.

Some people get the image of Christ’s church weathering the assault by the forces of hell (although the word “gates” should clue them in that that interpretation is misguided). Others speak of the church assaulting the forces of evil and overcoming them. That’s a little better (it takes the word “gates” seriously), but the Bible never talks about the forces of evil as the “hosts of hell” or any such thing. This passage makes a lot more sense if we start with the correct translation: “the gates of Hades.”

Jesus says that his church will be able to overcome the entryway of the realm of the dead. In other words, we need not fear death. Yes, we may die, we may find ourselves in Hades, but our stay will only be temporary. The door can’t hold us; the gates aren’t strong enough to hold us in.

In Revelation chapter 1, the triumphant Jesus says, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:18) He entered Hades and came out with the keys. We can enter death with confidence, knowing that our Lord has the power to free us from its power.

It’s a powerful message. Let’s not let it get lost in translation