Bible Questions and Answers

What is the meaning of delivered them into chains of darkness? 2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 4.

2 Peter 2: 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.

There cannot literally be chains made out of darkness. Chains of darkness is a metaphor for the grave.

Job describes it thus:

Job 10:21,22 Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, To the land of darkness and the shadow of death, 22 A land as dark as darkness itself, As the shadow of death, without any order, Where even the light is like darkness.

Solomon writes:

Ecclesiastes 11:8 But if a man lives many years and rejoices in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that is coming is vanity.

In the grave the dead lie unconscious, their faculties corrupted into dust.

Angels of God cannot sin, the reference is to Korah, Dathan and Abiram, men of authority in Israel who rebelled against Moses in Numbers 16 who were swallowed up alive into the earth, all except the children of Korah who did not join in the rebellion of their father.

Jude describes the same event. Note that Jude 1:5 puts the context of verse 6 as the rebellion described in Numbers 16.

Jude 1:6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;

Hell is the translation of the Greek ‘hades’ – the grave.

The word "angels" is from the Greek "aggelos" and simply means a "messenger". It can refer to a heavenly or human messenger.

The judgment will take place when Christ returns to judge the living and the dead. 1 Peter 4:5; John 5:22; 2 Timothy 4:1

I hope this helps,

God bless,
Glenn