Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia UNQUENCHABLE FIRE un-kwench'-a-b'-l, pur asbestos): The phrase occurs in Matthew 3:12 and its parallel Luke 3:17 in the words of the Baptist on the Messianic judgment: "The chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire"; but also on the lips of Christ Himself in Mark 9:43, where the "unquenchable fire" is equated with "Gehenna" (which see). The same idea lies in 9:48, "The fire is not quenched" (ou sbennutai), and is implied in the numerous allusions to fire as the instrument of punishment and destruction in the Gospels and other parts of the New Testament (e.g. "the Gehenna of fire," Matthew 5:22 margin, etc.; "furnace of fire," Matthew 13:40, 42, 50; "eternal fire," Matthew 25:41; compare also 2 Thessalonians 1:8 2 Peter 3:7; Jude 1:7 Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10, 14, 15; Revelation 21:8). For Old Testament analogies compare Isaiah 1:31; Isaiah 34:10; Isaiah 66:24 Jeremiah 4:4; Jeremiah 7:20; Jeremiah 17:27; Jeremiah 21:12 Ezekiel 20:47, 48. The language is obviously highly metaphorical, conveying the idea of an awful and abiding judgment, but is not to be pressed as teaching a destruction in the sense of annihilation of the wicked. An unquenchable fire is not needed for a momentary act of destruction. Even in the view of Edward White, the wicked survive the period of judgment to which these terms relate. See PUNISHMENT, EVERLASTING. James Orr FIRE, UNQUENCHABLE See UNQUENCHABLE FIRE.

Multi-Version Concordance Unquenchable (5 Occurrences) Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire." (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Mark 9:43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire, (WEB ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV) Mark 9:45 And if thy foot serve as a snare to thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life lame, than having thy two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire unquenchable; (DBY YLT) Luke 3:17 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Jeremiah 17:27 But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched. (See NIV)