Up until about the 1800's or so, this used to be the definitive "Biblical" answer to this question.
This is from the "banned book" of the original Bible, The book of Enoch.
Notice there are three levels for people, and one level for the "fallen angles." 4 levels in all.
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XXII. Sheol, or the Underworld.
CHAPTER XXII.
1. And thence I went to another place, and he showed me in the west ⌈another⌉ great and high mountain [and] of hard rock.
E
2 And there was in it †four† hollow places, deep and wide and very smooth. †How† smooth are the hollow places and deep and dark to look at.
Gg
2. And there were †four† hollow places in it, deep and very smooth: †three† of them were dark and one bright; and there was a fountain of water in its midst. And I said: '†How† smooth are these hollow places, and deep and dark to view.'
3. Then Raphael answered, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: 'These hollow places have been created for this very purpose, that the spirits of the souls of the dead should assemble therein, yea that all the souls of the children of men should assemble here. And these places have
p. 48
been made to receive them till the day of their judgement and till their appointed period ⌈till the period appointed⌉, till the great judgement (comes) upon them.'
E
5. I saw the spirits of the children of men who were dead, and their voice went forth to heaven and made suit. 6. Then I asked Raphael the angel who was with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit--whose is it whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit?'
Gg
5. I saw (the spirit of) a dead man making suit, and his voice went forth to heaven and made suit. 6. And I asked Raphael the angel who was with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit which maketh suit, whose is it, whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit to heaven?'
7. And he answered me saying: 'This is the spirit which went forth from Abel, whom his brother Cain slew, and he makes his suit against him till his seed is destroyed from the face of the earth, and his seed is annihilated from amongst the seed of men.'
E
8. Then I asked regarding it, and regarding all the hollow places: 'Why as one separated from the other?'
9. And he answered me and said unto me: 'These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And such a division has been made 〈for〉 the spirits of the righteous, in which there as the bright spring of water. 10. And such has
Gg
8. Then I asked regarding all the hollow places: 'Why is one separated from the other?'
9. And he answered me saying: 'These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And this division has been made for the spirits of the righteous, in which there is the bright spring of water. 10. And this has been made for sinners
been made for sinners when they die and are buried in the earth and judgement has not been executed on them in their lifetime. 11. Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain till the great day of judgement and punishment and torment of those who †curse† for ever, and retribution for their spirits. There He shall bind them for ever. 12. And such a division has been made for the spirits of those who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were slain in the days of the sinners. 13. Such has been made for the spirits of men who were not righteous but sinners, who were complete in transgression, and of the transgressors. they shall be companions: but their spirits shall not be slain in the day of judgement nor shall they be raised from thence. 14. Then I blessed the Lord of glory and said: 'Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of righteousness, who ruleth for ever.'
when they die and are buried in the earth and judgement has not been executed upon them in their lifetime. 11. Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain, till the great day of judgement, scourgings, and torments of the accursed for ever, so that (there maybe) retribution for their spirits. There He shall bind them for ever. 12. And this division has been made for the spirits of those who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were slain in the days of the sinners. 13. And this has been made for the spirits of men who shall not be righteous but sinners, who are godless, and of the lawless they shall be companions: but their spirits shall not be punished in the day of judgement nor shall they be raised from thence. 14. Then I blessed the Lord of Glory and said: 'Blessed art Thou, Lord of righteousness, who rulest over the world.'
In short,
If judgement has not been made on a person while they are alive they go to a place of torment, so that they "might have" retribution for their souls. However, it looks like it never comes for them, and they are simply left in the dark and torment, that they themselves have woven over their lives with their own judgements. (I wonder of this is our "ghosts.")
Then there's a place for people who reject God. Sounds like they go straight to hell, or bound up until they're tossed in the lake of fire after the final judgement.
Then, those who are marked by God. Righteous spirits seem to go straight to a paradise. (You'd have to read a few chapters to see that)
The book of Enoch gives two translations in some sections. This section being one of them. It is separated into E & G. It gives the first translation as E, and then immediately the second translation in G. That's why it seems to repeat itself.
For a full description read chapters 17 through 36.
This is from the "banned book" of the original Bible, The book of Enoch.
Notice there are three levels for people, and one level for the "fallen angles." 4 levels in all.
Index Previous Next
XXII. Sheol, or the Underworld.
CHAPTER XXII.
1. And thence I went to another place, and he showed me in the west ⌈another⌉ great and high mountain [and] of hard rock.
E
2 And there was in it †four† hollow places, deep and wide and very smooth. †How† smooth are the hollow places and deep and dark to look at.
Gg
2. And there were †four† hollow places in it, deep and very smooth: †three† of them were dark and one bright; and there was a fountain of water in its midst. And I said: '†How† smooth are these hollow places, and deep and dark to view.'
3. Then Raphael answered, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: 'These hollow places have been created for this very purpose, that the spirits of the souls of the dead should assemble therein, yea that all the souls of the children of men should assemble here. And these places have
p. 48
been made to receive them till the day of their judgement and till their appointed period ⌈till the period appointed⌉, till the great judgement (comes) upon them.'
E
5. I saw the spirits of the children of men who were dead, and their voice went forth to heaven and made suit. 6. Then I asked Raphael the angel who was with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit--whose is it whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit?'
Gg
5. I saw (the spirit of) a dead man making suit, and his voice went forth to heaven and made suit. 6. And I asked Raphael the angel who was with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit which maketh suit, whose is it, whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit to heaven?'
7. And he answered me saying: 'This is the spirit which went forth from Abel, whom his brother Cain slew, and he makes his suit against him till his seed is destroyed from the face of the earth, and his seed is annihilated from amongst the seed of men.'
E
8. Then I asked regarding it, and regarding all the hollow places: 'Why as one separated from the other?'
9. And he answered me and said unto me: 'These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And such a division has been made 〈for〉 the spirits of the righteous, in which there as the bright spring of water. 10. And such has
Gg
8. Then I asked regarding all the hollow places: 'Why is one separated from the other?'
9. And he answered me saying: 'These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And this division has been made for the spirits of the righteous, in which there is the bright spring of water. 10. And this has been made for sinners
been made for sinners when they die and are buried in the earth and judgement has not been executed on them in their lifetime. 11. Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain till the great day of judgement and punishment and torment of those who †curse† for ever, and retribution for their spirits. There He shall bind them for ever. 12. And such a division has been made for the spirits of those who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were slain in the days of the sinners. 13. Such has been made for the spirits of men who were not righteous but sinners, who were complete in transgression, and of the transgressors. they shall be companions: but their spirits shall not be slain in the day of judgement nor shall they be raised from thence. 14. Then I blessed the Lord of glory and said: 'Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of righteousness, who ruleth for ever.'
when they die and are buried in the earth and judgement has not been executed upon them in their lifetime. 11. Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain, till the great day of judgement, scourgings, and torments of the accursed for ever, so that (there maybe) retribution for their spirits. There He shall bind them for ever. 12. And this division has been made for the spirits of those who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were slain in the days of the sinners. 13. And this has been made for the spirits of men who shall not be righteous but sinners, who are godless, and of the lawless they shall be companions: but their spirits shall not be punished in the day of judgement nor shall they be raised from thence. 14. Then I blessed the Lord of Glory and said: 'Blessed art Thou, Lord of righteousness, who rulest over the world.'
In short,
If judgement has not been made on a person while they are alive they go to a place of torment, so that they "might have" retribution for their souls. However, it looks like it never comes for them, and they are simply left in the dark and torment, that they themselves have woven over their lives with their own judgements. (I wonder of this is our "ghosts.")
Then there's a place for people who reject God. Sounds like they go straight to hell, or bound up until they're tossed in the lake of fire after the final judgement.
Then, those who are marked by God. Righteous spirits seem to go straight to a paradise. (You'd have to read a few chapters to see that)
The book of Enoch gives two translations in some sections. This section being one of them. It is separated into E & G. It gives the first translation as E, and then immediately the second translation in G. That's why it seems to repeat itself.
For a full description read chapters 17 through 36.
They live.
We sleep.
We sleep.