There are some translations that don't capitalize Death. Such as:
Revelation 1:18 King James Version
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Revelation 1:18 New International Version
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever
and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
These are the relevant words:
Death
θανάτου (thanatou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's Greek 2288: Death, physical or spiritual. From thnesko; death.
2288 thánatos (derived from 2348 /thnḗskō, "to die") – physical or spiritual death; (figuratively) separation from the life (salvation) of God forever by dying without first experiencing death to self to receive His gift of salvation.
Hades.
ᾅδου (hadou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's Greek 86: Hades, the unseen world. Properly, unseen, i.e. 'Hades' or the place of departed souls.
86 hádēs (from 1 /A "not" and idein/eidō, "see") – properly, the "unseen place," referring to the (invisible) realm in which all the dead reside, i.e. the present dwelling place of all the departed (deceased); Hades.
gotquestions says:
In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the
dead is sheol. It simply means “the place of the dead” or “the place
of departed souls/spirits.” The New Testament Greek equivalent to
sheol is hades, which is also a general reference to “the place of the
dead.” Sheol/hades is divided into a place of blessing (where Lazarus
was in Luke 16) and a place of torment (where the rich man was in Luke
16). Sheol also seems to be a temporary place where souls are kept as
they await the final resurrection. The souls of the righteous, at
death, go directly into the presence of God—the part of sheol called
“heaven,” “paradise,” or “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians
5:8; Philippians 1:23).
Let me quote a paper titled Sheol and Hades in Old and New Testament
by Fred B. Pearson, Th.D
To the Hebrew mind Sheol was simply the state or abode of the dead. It
was not the same as the grave, though it was so translated in some of
the older versions. The grave was the resting place of the body from
which the spirit had departed, while Sheol was the resting place of
departed spirits, or personalities.
While I think it is possible to translate Hades as grave according to
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance grave, hell. From a (as negative particle) and eido; properly, unseen, i.e. "Hades" or the place
(state) of departed souls -- grave, hell. [1]
I believe it would confuse the English reader because there were other words that were meant to refer to the grave. Such as:
Strong's Greek: 5028. τάφος (taphos) -- a burial, hence a grave
... Bible Strong's Greek 5028 5028. taphos Strong's Concordance taphos: a burial, hence a grave Original Word: τάφος, ου, ὁ Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: taphos Phonetic Spelling: (taf' os) Definition ...
Strong's Greek: 3419. μνημεῖον (mnémeion) -- a memorial, a monument
... Genesis 23:6 , 9 ; Genesis 50:5 ; Isaiah 22:16 , etc. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance: grave, sepulcher, tomb. From mneme ; a remembrance, i.e. Cenotaph (place of interment)- grave ...
Strong's Greek: 3418. μνῆμα (mnéma) -- a memorial, a sepulcher
... :9 (Josephus, Antiquities 7, 1, 3; the Sept. for קֶבֶר) . Strong's Exhaustive Concordance: grave, sepulcher, tomb. From mnaomai ; a memorial, i.e. Sepulchral monument (burial-place)- grave, ...
What if taphos, mnemeion, and mnema are "a grave", but Hades is "the Grave"?
Using "the Grave" as a translation for "Hades" could be considered accurate in the sense that it captures the general concept conveyed by the Greek term.
Whether to recommend such a change would depend. Things to consider are: the goal of the translation, the intended audience, and the theological implications.
I think it's important to recognize that "Hades" carries broader meaning in Greek mythology and Jewish thought. It encompasses not only the grave but also the realm of the dead and the concept of the afterlife. Therefore, while "the Grave" may accurately convey one aspect of the meaning of "Hades," it may not capture its full meaning.
That being said, "the Grave" may offer a more accessible rendering of "Hades" especially for people who have English as a second language. In this case, other translations may be more suitable for conveying the full depth and significance of the term.
