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hell, in theology, any place or state of punishment and privation for human souls after death. more strictly, the term is applied to the place or state of eternal punishment of the damned, whether angels or human beings. the doctrine of the existence of hell is derived from the principle of the necessity for vindication of divine justice, combined with the human experience that evildoers do not always appear to be punished adequately in their lifetime. belief in a hell was widespread in antiquity and is found in most religions of the world today.
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