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In the book, The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel he interviews Donald A. Carson, PH.D. In the passage of the chapter where he is interviewing him, Carson says, "There are many degrees of punishment." Is this true? If so, where—because I have read the New Testament and I do not remember anything about the levels of hell (which is related to the particular subject in the chapter)? Maybe the Lord mentioned it in one of the parables.

There is an inference of varying degrees of eternal punishment as is implied for eternal life in heaven (John 14:2). This glimpse is stated in passages such as below that seem to allude to the separation from Jesus Christ in itself as the worst of any status on Judgment Day. The illustration of the ablazed cities and inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah that experienced an earthly inferno for their wickedness is actually a better scenario than the rejection of Christ's servants or His words.

"And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city" (Matthew 10:14-15)