In Christianity, the outer darkness (often capitalized as Outer Darkness) is a place referred to three times in the Gospel of Matthew (8:12, 22:13, and 25:30) into which a person may be "cast out", and where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth". Generally, the outer darkness is thought to be hell; however, many Christians associate the outer darkness more generally as a place of separation from God or from the metaphorical "wedding banquet" that Jesus is expected to have upon his Second Coming. Translated literally, the Greek text of Matthew reads "into the darkness, the outer", with a definite article before both the noun and the adjective. For this reason, the New International Version translates this text as "outside, into the darkness".

The most detailed of the Biblical passages regarding the outer darkness is in Jesus' parable of the wedding feast (also known as the parable of the marriage of the king's son). In this parable, a king arranged a wedding for his son, but the normal guests did not come; therefore, the king sent his servants to gather guests from off the street. One of these guests, however, appeared without the proper wedding attire; therefore, the king said: "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matt. 22:13-14, NASB.)

While many Christians equate the outer darkness to hell, some have controversially suggested that it represents a place for those who make it to heaven based on their faith, but have failed to perform good works during their time on the earth. See, e.g., Zane Hodges (1987, p. 87).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the largest denomination of Mormonism) has a somewhat different and more nuanced interpretation of the outer darkness. According this church, Outer Darkness (usually capitalized and referred to without the definite article the) is the place where Sons of Perdition will go in the afterlife. It is considered to be a place of great torment and lacks the presence of God or Jesus Christ. However, the term is not used in this context by Church leaders or scriptures, and Joseph Smith called the name of the place "Gnolom" or "Gnolaum." The difference between the two terms (the official church statements and common Latter-day Saint perceptions) has been clarified in many LDS Church publications over the years, and was one reason for the addition of Doctrine and Covenants Section 138 to the Church Canon.

Latter-day Saints believe that those in Outer Darkness or Gnolom have committed unpardonable sins and will remain in Outer Darkness for eternity, similar to the common Christian view of Hell. On the other hand, those who have committed lesser sins are believed to go to Spirit Prison —similar to the Catholic concept of Purgatory—to pay for their sins and then continue to a Kingdom of God. Latter-day Saints base these beliefs, in part, on a revelation given through Joseph Smith where Jesus Christ said:

And the righteous shall be gathered on my right hand unto eternal life; and the wicked on my left hand will I be ashamed to own before the Father;

Where I will say unto them—Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

And now, behold, I say unto you, never at any time have I declared from mine own mouth that they should return, for where I am they cannot come, for they have no power.^[1]

References

• Gospel of Matthew 22:13. http://scriptures.lds.org/matt/22/13#13
• Doctrine and Covenants 29:27-29. http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/29/27-29#27
• Zane C. Hodges, Grace in Eclipse: A Study on Eternal Rewards (2d ed. 1987) (ISBN 0960757678),