Today means today. Im funny like that
When you recite your creed you say he went to hell.
Others say he went to the holding tank with all the OT saints to release them.
Jesus said He would be in paradise.
Jesus said Paradise. Why would He lie?
Is paradise purgatory? No one has said it was.
Don’t you think that the Good Thief suffered enough? I’m sure his temporal punishment was servere enough already; he probably didn’t even need to go to Purgatory, or was only there for a short stint. And since there was no punctuation in the original manuscript, Jesus’ statement “I say to you today you will be with me in paradise” does not mean there was a comma after the first word “you.” This means Jesus could have said, “I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise” (meaning, Jesus could have emphasized with exclamation his statement was “today” or “now,” and that some time in the future the good thief would go to heaven). Third, even if the thief went straight to Heaven, this does not prove there is no purgatory (those who are fully sanctified in this life – perhaps by a bloody and repentant death – could be ready for admission in to Heaven.
Either way you didn’t disprove Purgatory; it’s right in the Bible:
1 Cor. 3:10-15 - works are judged after death and tested by fire. Bad works are purged away, but the person is still saved. Paul is referring to the state of purgation called Purgatory. The bad wrks that were committed are burned up after death, but the person is still brought to salvation. This state after death cannot be heaven (no one suffers in Heaven) or Hell (there is no forgiveness and salvation). “
if any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” The phrase for “suffer loss” in the Greek is “zemiothesetai.” The root word is “zemioo” which also refers to punishment. The construction “zemiothesetai” is used in Ex. 21:22 and Prov. 19:19 which refers to punishment (from the Hebrew “anash” meaning “punish” or “penalty”). Hence, this verse proves that there is a temporal punishment after our death, but the person themself is still saved.
Baruch 3:4 - Baruch asks the Lord to hear the prayers of the dead of Israel. Prayers for the dead are unnecessary in heaven and unnecessary in hell. These dead are in purgatory.
Zech. 9:11 - God, through the blood of His covenant, will set those free from the waterless pit, a spiritual abode of suffering which the Church calls purgatory.
1 Peter 3:19; 4:6 - Jesus preached to the spirits in the “prison.” These are the righteous souls being purified for the beatific vision.
Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59 – Jesus teaches us, “Come to terms with your adversary or you will be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” The word “adversary” (antidiko) is a reference to the Devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Pet. 5:8) who is an accuser against mankind (c.f. Job 1.6-12; Zech. 3.1; Rev. 12.10) and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with satan and sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a “prison”, and we won’t get out until we have satisfied our entire debt to God. This “prison” is purgatory where we will not get out “until the last penny” is paid.
1 Peter 1:6-7 - Peter refers to this purgatorial fire to test the fruits of our faith.
Jude 1:23 - the people who are saved are being snatched out of the fire. People are already saved if they are in Heaven, and there is no possibility of salvation if they are in Hell. These people are being led to heaven from Purgatory, odviously.
Rev. 3:18-19 - Jesus refers to this fire as what refines into gold those He loves if they repent of their sins. This is in the context of after death because Jesus, speaking from heaven, awards the white garment of salvation after the purgation of fire (both after death).
Dan 12:10 - Daniel refers to this refining by saying many shall purify themselves, make themselves white and be refined.
Wis. 3:5-6 - the dead are disciplined and tested by fire to receive their heavenly reward.
Sirach 2:5 - for gold is tested in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.
