Desire Media

The words "for ever and ever" are translated from the Greek work "Aionios" which literally means "unto the ages of ages" or "age lasting". Aionios doesn't necessarily mean endless existence. It is dependent upon the durability or "age" of the subject it refers to. In other words, the fire lasts as long as it can last or until it has accomplished its purpose. In the case of a person being destroyed in a fire, his age would be very brief. In the case of the devil being destroyed with fire, it may be that he burns longer than a man would burn. In fact, it may be appropriate for the devil, who instigated all sin and suffering, to suffer longer than any human. We do not know the exact time the devil will suffer but we do know that the fire will eventually go out when it finishes it's work of destroying the devil because of what we read in the bible just following this event; in Revelation 21:4 it says "There shall be no more death, sorrow, crying or pain".