Hell is not eternal it is age abiding or for an age of ages. Aeon literally means for an age, so, eternal punishment is not a proper translation of the original languages God breathed.
However, judgment and punishment/purification is real.
Punishment is existent within a proper measure based on what God needs to correct you into repenting/restoration from sin and saying Jesus is Lord.
So, it is better to not end up going through Hell before ascending into Heaven or entering Christ's Kingdom.
