Where is the Catholic belief in purgatory found in the Bible?
Although the word “purgatory” is not found in Scripture-neither are the words “trinity” or “incarnation,” but all Christians believe in the Blessed Trinity and that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ-the concept of a temporal third place in the afterlife where souls are “purged” of their sins is referenced repeatedly. For example, in Matthew 12:32, Jesus declares, “And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Our Lord implies that some sins can be forgiven in the next age, or “world” in some translations. If someone dies and goes to hell, they will not be forgiven any of their sins. There is no sin to be forgiven in heaven since nothing unclean may enter. As Revelation 21:27 states, “But nothing unclean shall enter [heaven], nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Therefore, the
