Editing Harrowing of Hell (section)

== Terminology ==
The [[Koine Greek|Greek]] wording in the Apostles' Creed is {{lang|grc|κατελθόντα εἰς τὰ κατώτατα}} ({{transliteration|grc|katelthonta eis ta katōtata}}), and in [[Latin]] is {{lang|la|descendit ad inferos}}. The Greek {{lang|grc|τὰ κατώτατα}} ({{transliteration|grc|ta katōtata}}, "the lowest") and the Latin {{lang|la|inferos}} ("those below") may also be translated as "[[underworld]]", "netherworld", or "abode of the dead".

The realm into which Jesus descended is called Hell, in long-established English usage, but is also called [[Sheol]] or [[Limbo]] by some Christian theologians to distinguish it from the Hell of the damned.<ref name=Most>{{cite web |last=Most |first=William G. |title=Christ's Descent into Hell and His Resurrection |url=http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/resua1.htm |access-date=March 7, 2013 |archive-date=February 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220220822/http://www.ewtn.com/faith/Teachings/resua1.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In [[Classical mythology]], [[Greek underworld|Hades]] is the underworld inhabited by departed souls, and the god [[Pluto (mythology)|Pluto]] is its ruler. Some New Testament translations use the term "Hades" to refer to the abode or state of the dead to represent a neutral place where the dead awaited the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

The word "harrow" originally comes from the [[Old English]] {{lang|ang|hergian}} meaning "to harry or despoil", and is seen in the [[homily|homilies]] of [[Ælfric of Eynsham|Aelfric]], {{circa|1000}}.{{efn|'Harrow' is a by-form of 'harry', a military term meaning to "make predatory raids or incursions".<ref>[[OED]]</ref>{{nonspecific|date=November 2022}}}} The term 'Harrowing of Hell' refers not merely to the idea that Jesus descended into Hell, as in the Creed, but to the rich tradition that developed later, asserting that he triumphed over {{lang|la|inferos}}, releasing Hell's captives, particularly [[Adam and Eve]], and the righteous men and women of the Old Testament period.