2 Peter 2:4

2 Peter 2:4

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

a. NLT: For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell,[fn] in gloomy pits of darkness,[fn] where they are being held until the day of judgment. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT:For if God messengers who sinned did not spare, but with chains of thick gloom, having cast them down to Tartarus, did deliver them to judgment, having been reserved,   [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: For God did not [even] spare angels that sinned, but cast them into hell, delivering them to be kept there in pits of gloom till the judgment and their doom. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell…”

a. For [Strong: 1063. gar gar a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. if [Strong: 1487. ei i a primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.:--forasmuch as, if, that, (al-)though, whether.]

c. [Strong: 3588. [ho] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ho] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

d. God [Strong: 2316. theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

e. spared [Strong: 5339. pheidomai fi'-dom-ahee of uncertain affinity; to be chary of, i.e. (subjectively) to abstain or (objectively) to treat leniently:--forbear, spare.]

f. not [Strong: 3756. ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

g. [the] angels [Strong: 32. aggelos ang'-el-os from aggello (probably derived from 71; compare 34) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor:--angel, messenger.]

h. [that] sinned [Strong: 264. hamartano ham-ar-tan'-o perhaps from 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of 3313; properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin:--for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.]

i. but [Strong: 235. alla al-lah' neuter plural of 243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

j. cast them down to hell [Strong: 5020. tartaroo tar-tar-o'-o from Tartaros (the deepest abyss of Hades); to incarcerate in eternal torment:--cast down to hell.] [Thayer: the name of the subterranean region, doleful and dark, regarded by the ancient Greeks as the abode of the wicked dead, where they suffer punishment for their evil deeds; it answers to Gehenna of the Jews, to thrust down to Tartarus, to hold captive in Tartarus]

1). This word is only used once in the New Testament and it appears this is the place of confinement for the angels that committed fornication with human women. Another Greek word translated “hell’ in the New Testament is hades another is geenna.  

This verse matches what is said in the book of Jude.

a). Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

2).  On the surface it appears as this may be referring to the angles that rebelled with Lucifer. They are, but there is more to this verse when we compare it with other Scriptural witnesses. There are two classes of fallen angels, some are loosed and some are bound.

a). Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 

12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found in heaven anymore in heaven. 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

a). These angels are clearly not bound but are loose.

3). The angels mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4 are bound in hell.

a). 2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

b). These angels according to the text are clearly bound in chains and awaiting judgment.

2. “...and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”

a. [and] delivered [them]  [Strong: 3860. paradidomi par-ad-id'-o-mee from 3844 and 1325; to surrender, i.e yield up, intrust, transmit:--betray, bring forth, cast, commit, deliver (up), give (over, up), hazard, put in prison, recommend.]

b. [into] chains [Strong: 4577. seira si-rah' probably from 4951 through its congener eiro (to fasten; akin to 138); a chain (as binding or drawing):--chain.]

c. [of] darkness [Strong: 2217. zophos dzof'-os akin to the base of 3509; gloom (as shrouding like a cloud):--blackness, darkness, mist.]

d. [to be] reserved [Strong: 5083. tereo tay-reh'-o from teros (a watch; perhaps akin to 2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from 5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from 2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), i.e. to note (a prophecy; figuratively, to fulfil a command); by implication, to detain (in custody; figuratively, to maintain); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried):--hold fast, keep(- er), (pre-, re-)serve, watch.]

e. unto [Strong: 1519. eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

f. judgment [Strong: 2920. krisis kree'-sis decision (subjectively or objectively, for or against); by extension, a tribunal; by implication, justice (especially, divine law):--accusation, condemnation, damnation, judgment.]

1). God is no respecter of persons, if they all fell, why are some in hell and some still loosed? In order to find out we need to look more closely at the matching verse in Jude 6. Those angels in 2 Peter 2:4 who were cast down to hell “and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment”, are the same angels of Jude 6 who “are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”  The critical part of Jude 6 is the beginning of the verse. These angels, “kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation”.

a). kept (Jude 6) [Strong: 5083. tereo tay-reh'-o from teros (a watch; perhaps akin to 2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from 5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from 2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), i.e. to note (a prophecy; figuratively, to fulfil a command); by implication, to detain (in custody; figuratively, to maintain); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried):--hold fast, keep(- er), (pre-, re-)serve, watch.] [Zodhiates) (tereo * 5083) To keep an eye on, watch, and hence to guard, keep, obey…]

b). first estate [Strong: 746. arche ar-khay' from 756; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank):--beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.] [Zodhiates] (In Jude 6, “angels who did not keep their own eminence” [a.t.] or original status).] [Ben Adam, Origin of Heathendom: “The Ephesisan 1:21 context is clear as to these ‘principalities’ being companies of angels occupying positions of great  power and authority among the world rulers in the heavenly places; and we learn from Jude 6 that a portion of them failed to keep their position…in the heavenlies.]

c). habitation  [Strong: 3613. oiketerion oy-kay-tay'-ree-on neuter of a presumed derivative of 3611 (equivalent to 3612); a residence (literally or figuratively):--habitation, house.] [Zodhiates, A dwelling, habitation, abode, e.g., of angels, who supposedly relinquished heaven out of love for the daughters of men (Jude 6; see Genesis 6:2). [Ben Adam, Oigin of Heathendom, “…on the generally accepted principle of interpretation of explaining the unknown by the known, we can explain the word in Jude by the meaning that it undoubtedly bears in Corinthians. Thus we learn that these angels not only left their heavenly home, but they left their spiritual bodies also…in other words they exercised that peculiar power that according to Scripture seems to inhere angel nature---the power to materialize at will, in order that they might correspond with their earthly environment and at the same time be physically capable of intercourse with the daughters of men.” [Ruckman: Psalm 82 refers to the physical death of the angels at the flood. Some how and in some way, they gave up their spiritual bodies???]

2). An added interesting fact about the Greek word used in Jude 6 for “habitation”, is it is only used twice in the New Testament, here in Jude 6 and one other time in 2 Corinthians 5:2 when the Scripture is referring to our glorified bodies.

a). 2 Corinthians 5:1-3 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

3). The reason for the fact that some of the angels who rebelled with Satan are loosed and some are bound is the angels who are bound committed the addition sin of not keeping their original position of power. They were some of the “principalities” Ephesians 1:21 lists for it is the same Greek word. They “left their own habitation”. Since the only other use of this Greek word for “habitation” refers to a spiritual body in 2 Corinthians, we can speculate that these angels somehow left their spiritual bodies, and manifested themselves in a flesh body form and committed fornication with human women which is mentioned in Genesis 6.

a). Genesis 6:1-4 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them. 

6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 

6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that his also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 

6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

4). Only the angels that are bound [2 Peter 2:4], committed the additional sin of sex with human women. Originally there was only one group of fallen angels that followed Satan in his rebellion, but part of that same group committed the additional sin of sexual relations with women and for that additional sin they were bound.