--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man can't be taken to hell, or sent to…" description: "\"A man can't be taken to hell, or sent to hell: you can only get there on your own steam.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8d/c-s-lewis-2-132_hell_a-man-can-t-be-taken-to-hell-or-sent-to_422617.png" --- # A man can't be taken to hell, or sent to hell: you can… ![“A man can't be taken to hell, or sent to hell: you can only get there on your own steam.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8d/c-s-lewis-2-132_hell_a-man-can-t-be-taken-to-hell-or-sent-to_422617.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8d/c-s-lewis-2-132_hell_a-man-can-t-be-taken-to-hell-or-sent-to_422617.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8d/c-s-lewis-2-132_hell_a-man-can-t-be-taken-to-hell-or-sent-to_422617.png) > “A man can't be taken to hell, or sent to hell: you can only get there on your own steam.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral responsibility means we create our own suffering through choices, not external forces. **In simple terms:** You bring your own hell. Key Takeaway Own your choices and their consequences. Themes responsibility choice consequences Mood reflective serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal decisions - addiction recovery - relationship conflicts - career setbacks Key Concepts theology free will ethics Questions to Reflect On - What choices have led you to a difficult situation? - Can you change your path now? A Different Perspective Overlooks external factors that can limit agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [You heard of hell, well I was sent from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/you-heard-of-hell-well-i-was-sent-from-it/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [If I simply do my best, I cannot complain even if I am taken to hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinichi-suzuki/if-i-simply-do-my-best-i-cannot-complain-even-if-i-am-taken-to-hell/) [Shinichi Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinichi-suzuki/) > [“No man was ever taken to hell by a woman unless he already had a ticket in his pocket or at least had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-stout/no-man-was-ever-taken-to-hell-by-a-woman-unless-he-already-had-a-2/) [Rex Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-stout/) > [“Nobody needs to be taken to Hell to experience it. We just grow despair inside the soul until it becomes a world in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jess-cooke/nobody-needs-to-be-taken-to-hell-to-experience-it-we-just-grow/) Carolyn Jess-Cooke > [No man was ever taken to hell by a woman unless he already had a ticket in his pocket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-stout/no-man-was-ever-taken-to-hell-by-a-woman-unless-he-already-had-a/) [Rex Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-stout/) > [You accepted Allah or you had your throat cut by someone who did accept him, and who went to Paradise for having sent you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-accepted-allah-or-you-had-your-throat-cut-by-someone-who-did/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Just hope you heaven sent and you're hell proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/just-hope-you-heaven-sent-and-you-re-hell-proof/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [“The truth is at the moment of death the unrepentant man or woman will be sent to Hell itself. A terrifying place of unimaginable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mitchell/the-truth-is-at-the-moment-of-death-the-unrepentant-man-or-woman-will/) Bob Mitchell > [“Live your life with so much love in your heart that if, by mistake, you were sent to Hell, the Devil himself would deliver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/live-your-life-with-so-much-love-in-your-heart-that-if-by-mistake-you/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Nobody will be sent to hell for rejecting a gospel they've never heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/nobody-will-be-sent-to-hell-for-rejecting-a-gospel-they-ve-never-heard/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [Nobody is ever sent to Hell: he or she insists on going there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/nobody-is-ever-sent-to-hell-he-or-she-insists-on-going-there/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Men are not sent to hell because of being murderers or liars, they are sent to hell because they are unrighteous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/men-are-not-sent-to-hell-because-of-being-murderers-or-liars-they-are/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [I sent 'Hell or High Water' to Peter Berg, asking if he'd like to be involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/i-sent-hell-or-high-water-to-peter-berg-asking-if-he-d-like-to-be/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [I know what they don't wanna tell you. Just hope you're heaven sent and you're hell proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-know-what-they-don-t-wanna-tell-you-just-hope-you-re-heaven-sent/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [“Ignoring what he's done in the past. Blindly, stupidly, disregarding the entire graveyards he's filled, the thousands who have suffered... the friends he's crippled...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-winick/ignoring-what-he-s-done-in-the-past-blindly-stupidly-disregarding-the/) [Judd Winick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-winick/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Hell quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“Hell is only loneliness, a place without play for the soul, a place without God. How could there be God in loneliness when God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/hell-is-only-loneliness-a-place-without-play-for-the-soul-a-place/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Just when I thought that I was gtting better, boy was I wrong.. Things just turned to hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cupecake/just-when-i-thought-that-i-was-gtting-better-boy-was-i-wrong-things/) Cupecake > [I believe that on any trip to heaven, there are always detours through hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-finney/i-believe-that-on-any-trip-to-heaven-there-are-always-detours-through/) [Richard Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-finney/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I'm what is known as gradually disintegrating. I don't fear the next world, or anything. I don't fear hell, and I don't look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-m-what-is-known-as-gradually-disintegrating-i-don-t-fear-the-next/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Hey...Hey...What's up?. Nothing much, you? Nothing. K!..What the hell was the point of this communication?...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hey-hey-what-s-up-nothing-much-you-nothing-k-what-the-hell-was-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Except in these latter-day songs, \[Bob\] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dylan-is-a-grizzled-old-prophet/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“ALAS, IF ALL HUMANS WERE WISE AND HAD MORE GOOD WILL THE WORLD WOULD BE A PARADISE NOW IT IS MOSTLY A HELL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/alas-if-all-humans-were-wise-and-had-more-good-will-the-world-would/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It is through suppression that hells are formed in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/it-is-through-suppression-that-hells-are-formed-in-us/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Browse all 8,212 Hell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man can't be taken to hell, or sent to hell: you can only get there on your own steam.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. S. 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