I’ve been reading about the use of the word aionios and the differences in it between Classical and Koine Greek. If the most appropriate translation for aionios is “lasting” or “lasting for an age”, is there any way that Christ, in his warnings about Gehenna, could have made it more clear to his audience that Gehenna represented ECT using the Koine terms that were in use at the time of His ministry?
It is usually said that “aidion” is more definitively eternal.
Is there any reason why the Bible authors would have chosen aionios rather than aidion if they still meant to convey ECT? I’ve read threads about this difference on here before, but never really understood that.
i suppose that’s the crux of the argument. they couldn’t have been teaching ECT if they had a word that would’ve been unambiguous and chose to use a more vague one…at least so goes the logic.
They could have used the word “endless”. 
But even if they had for instance said that the unrepentant evildoers would be tormented endlessly, if such a one were to repent he would immediately cease to be in that class. He would then graduate into the ranks of the righteous and inherit their blessings. Eze 33 comes to mind, vs 19: “But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it.”
In another thread I posted several words that would seem to carry a more definite sense of “endless.” There’s some good discussion on that thread.
Sonia