Part of the problem in addressing this question is semantics. English translations of Greek-based texts usually render the key passage thus:

Matt 10:27-31
27 "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy (Gk. appolumi) both soul (Gk. psuche) and body (Gk. soma) in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
NKJV

We all understand what destruction of the body means but the confusion comes over the rendering of psuche. Most English translations render this as "soul" (including the JNT/CJB which cannot be accurate because in the Tanakh (Old Testament) soul is always spirit + physical body/flesh. The RSTNE & ISRV render this "being" (essential self) and the HRV "nephesh" to add to the confusion, the former implying complete annihilation and the latter (wisely) not committing itself
since "nefesh" can mean (according to Robert Young") up to 27 different things, including 'appetite', 'breath', 'mind', 'self' and even 'body', depending on the context. So what does it mean here contextually?

There are essentially two choices, given the subject material, and they are these:

1. The rational and immortal spirit;
2. That which gives the physical body vitality, the ruach or breath that comes from Elohim (as when He breathed into Adam).

Clearly Yahweh cannot destroy His own breath so we are forced to conceed that the first explanation is the correct one.

Then we have to ask the question: is this spirit mortal or immortal? If the former, then that clearly implies complete extinction. If the latter, then being "destroyed in hell" must mean something else. What then has to be done is a Bible-wide study on the mortality or immortality of man's essential being.

That is somewhat beyond the scope of this short answer so I can really only summarise what has been said before (on the main website) in greater detail. To this end I recommand a study of my article, Soul. At the end of that article I conclude that the Bible speaks of the soul as essentially having four different components, of which two are mortal and two are immortal. This subject has wider ramifications because it forces us to examine the nature and duration of hell, again beyond the scope of this short answer.

Much more important, in my view, is your last question: "If people would be let out of hell after they had been there (or 'paid for their sins') for a time, why would those people need a saviour? " It's a very good one. However, it all depends what you believe these souls would be released to.

Most Christians believe that Heaven is a single place without grades where all the saved land up irrespective of their deeds. We take the position of Paul who said that there are many glories in Heaven which he compared in brilliance to the sun, moon and stars. Without a doubt those released from hell would end up in the dimmest glory.

What need is there of a Saviour for this class of people? A total need because He died for the sins of all men and women. I am led to conclude that those who find themselves in hell obtain a revelation of who Yah'shua really is and will desire Him when they know the truth. But Justice must have its way. That is why they must be punished- But in the end Grace must also have its way and they will receive the same unmerited kindness as though who exercised faith and chose not to become the temporary citizens of hell. The Jubille Principle is built into Torah and must apply to the whole Cosmos. Those who end up in hell will not so much "pay" for their sins (which I reackon is impossible anyway) but in the end must rely on Grace. Only the Saviour can remit them and I am sure they will be begging for their release after they have come to their senses and paid what Justice demands of them:

Matt 5:25-26
25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you are thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
NKJV

They will, in the end, have to acknowledge the Master of the Cosmic Jubillee, and I am sure they will do so long before they are finally released and have ceased all opposition, self-justification and protest.

Does the word apolumi mean total destruction, as in extinction? It can do but it can also mean 'lost' or 'marred'. Only the balance of Scripture on this subject can lead us to correctly choose which meaning is correct. Certainly I believe that souls in hell are lost and marred; Scripture also tells us, though, that those who are lost can also be found.

Firstly, please explain to me what the Cosmic Jubilee is all about, I've never heard of it.
Secondly, surely hell is for eternity. Nowhere have I read in the Bible that it is anything other than eternity.
Galatians 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we have preached to you, let him be eternally condemned.
Mat. 5:25-26 This passage is not referring to the condemned going to hell and then being released after paying every last penny. It's referring to an earthly prison. Surely you are reading too much into this passage.
While it would be nice to think that God will release those repentant from hell after a while, I think that is wishful thinking. More likely that they would be extinct and indeed kinder to be extinct than to burn for all eternity. As the 'second death' may suggest. Death of the soul. But even then that negates the concept of eternal hell. More likely that it is called so because it comes after the physical death and resurrection after the second coming of Jesus Christ, to then stand before the Him in judgement and then be sentenced to the fire of hell, thus the second death.

Please see my two sermons which go into more detail:

The Fire of Yahweh - Part 1: Refinement, Hellfire and the Jubilee

The Fire of Yahweh - Part 2: Olam, Aeons and Eternity

I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

"The important principle to understand here is that sin, once the debt for it is paid for, must - in a just universe - cease."
Everyone who knows their Bible will know that the wages of sin is death. Death, although temporary for those that will live eternally who have been washed in the blood of the lamb, the second death for those that do not accept the salvation of Christ is professed as eternal damnation.
However, (i'm writing this reply while I'm still reading your first part, thus I haven't read it all yet and will continue later on) I can see what you mean by the law of restitution, even though I've never heard of it before and this is a new concept to me. I have noticed that there is a repeat of divine patterns throughout the bible. The same theme repeats time and time again, almost so you can see what will happen in the future by looking at what has happened in the past. As in Hosea's rebuke and reconcilliation to his wife demonstrates Israel's punishment and subsequent restoration. Then there's the cancellation of all debts every 70th year....
Can you explain to me what the Ruach HaRavee is please?

Revee is the Hebrew for "first" and is the first of the Seven Ruach haQodesh's (Spirits of God) and is associated with Pesach.

Can you tell me where in the Hebrew scriptures the different Ruach's are mentioned please? Thanks.

Rev 3:1
'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead
NKJV

Rev 4:5-6
5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
NKJV

Rev 5:6
6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth
NKJV

Prov 9:1
Wisdom has built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars
NKJV

See Yah'shua the Messiah and His Place in the Godhead

Yes, I've read the sermon on Yah'shua's place in the Godhead, excellent sermon. I know that in Revelations it mentions the seven spirits of God several times, but what I meant was in your previous reply you said Revee is the Hebrew for "first" and is the first of the Seven Ruach haQodesh's (Spirits of God) and is associated with Pesach. Where, in Hebrew scripture, does it mention the 'first' spirit of God or the Ruach HaRevee and that this is associated with Pesach? Are the second, third, fourth etc. Spirits of God mentioned in Hebrew scripture? And if so, what festivals are they associated with?

The passages cited are the only ones that directly refer to the svenfold nature of the Ruach haQodesh. Unlike most of the other ruachs/spirits that are named in Scripture (e.g. the Spirit of Elijah), these Seven are not named, so we have simply numbered them in the same manner as the days of the week are numbered in Hebrew - e.g. Sunday is Yom Rishon = First Day.

Jacqui said:

Yes, I've read the sermon on Yah'shua's place in the Godhead, excellent sermon. I know that in Revelations it mentions the seven spirits of God several times, but what I meant was in your previous reply you said Revee is the Hebrew for "first" and is the first of the Seven Ruach haQodesh's (Spirits of God) and is associated with Pesach. Where, in Hebrew scripture, does it mention the 'first' spirit of God or the Ruach HaRevee and that this is associated with Pesach? Are the second, third, fourth etc. Spirits of God mentioned in Hebrew scripture? And if so, what festivals are they associated with?

As in most of the Bible the number 7 symbolises fulness, completeness and perfection.
Rev. 5:6 "Then I saw a lamb looking as if it had been slain standing in the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth."
Seven horns symbolises full strength.
Zec. 4:10 "These seven are the eye's of the Lord, which diligently search throughout all the earth."
So the sevenfold spirit of God are the eye's of the Lord which search throughout all the earth. They are all seeing, all knowing. Nothing escapes the eye's of the Lord which see everything and know everything.
I really can't agree with you in that the sevenfold spirit of God is seven separate persons. Sevenfold Spirit of God means just that the Spirit of God is full, complete and perfect - all knowing, all seeing. Nothing escapes Him. Just as the Lamb had seven horns.

The "seven eyes" of Zechariah 4:10 refer back to the 7 lights of the 7-armed Hebrew Menorah of v.2. The p'shat or plain sense of the texts is that there are literally 7 ruachim. That in a sod of mystical sense there is no doubt that what you say is true. However, most (and especially prophetic and eschatological) Scripture is properly viewed in four modes in the Hebrew way, viz. p'shat, remez, drash and sod. You can only eliminate one of the exegetical modes if the context makes it absolutely clear that it cannot apply (e.g. Elohim having 'feathers' cannot be literal {p'shat} because we know He is not a bird). When looking at anything to do with the Godhead we must establish whether descriptions of Him may or may not be literal. For instance, we know that there are Three basic Beings in the Godhead because we are told that the Godhead is a compound unity or echad and not singular (yachid). Thus we can speak of Elohim (God) as being 3 'units' and not merely a threefold singular entity. Unless you are a Montotarian or Unitarian (like Oneness Pentecostals or Monotarian Messianics) you must conceed that Deity is to be viewed in this way otherwise you must apply the same rule you apply to the Ruachim to the Godhead as a whole. Thus the Ruach haQodesh/Holy Spirit - like Elohim as a whole which is both one and three - is both one and seven. Thus the Menorah is both a single light as well as seven lights representing the Ruach haQodesh who is a Compound Unity of Seven. The "echadness" of the Godhead is what makes sense of Yah'shua's High Priestly Prayer in the Johannine Gospel since we are commanded to echad oneness in the same way that the Godhead enjoys this echad oneness. Thus plurality in unity of the Ruach is hinted everywhere in Scripture, including Isaiah 4:1, where clearly seven persons are in mind.

So Ido not disagree that - viewing Elohim as a whole - the meaning you ascribe is not incorrect but would like to suggest that is also much bigger and more glorious.

lol, I wish you'd talk english! I don't understand half the words you have said. Sorry, I'm just not familiar with Hebrew terminology. I think I see what you're getting at though.....