Lexical Summary tartaroó: to cast into Tartarus, to confine in hell Original Word: ταρταρόω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cast into hell. From Tartaros (the deepest abyss of Hades); to incarcerate in eternal torment -- cast down to hell. HELPS Word-studies 5020 tartaróō – properly, send to Tartarus ("Tartaros"). The NT uses 5020 (tartaróō) for the netherworld – the place of punishment fit only for demons. Later, Tartaros came to represent eternal punishment for wicked people. "5020 (tartaróō) is a Greek name for the under-world, especially the abode of the damned – hence to cast into hell" (A-S); to send into the subterranean abyss reserved for demons and the dead. [In Greek mythology, Tartarus was a "place of punishment under the earth, to which, for example, the Titans were sent" (Souter).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Tartaros (a Gr. name for the abode of the damned) Definition to cast into hell NASB Translation cast...into hell (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5020: ταρταρόωταρταρόω, ταρτάρῳ: 1 aorist participle ταρταρώσας; (τάρταρος, the name of a 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 the Gehenna of the Jews, see γηννα); to thrust down to Tartarus (sometimes in the Scholiasts) (cf. Winers Grammar, 25 (24) n.); to hold captive in Tartarus: τινα σειραῖς (which see) σοφοῦ, 2 Peter 2:4 (A. V. cast down to hell (making the dative depend on παρέδωκεν)). Topical Lexicon Meaning and BackgroundStrong’s Greek 5020 designates God’s decisive action of consigning rebellious angels to a place of punitive confinement often referred to in the Greco-Roman world as “Tartarus.” Scripture employs the verb only once, portraying the Lord as sovereign Judge who restricts these supernatural beings in a realm of darkness until the final assize. While Hellenistic literature imagined Tartarus as the deepest, most dreadful region of the underworld, the biblical writer adapts the term to communicate a distinctly biblical reality: God alone determines the fate of His creatures, and no power—celestial or terrestrial—can escape His justice. Biblical Occurrence 2 Peter 2:4: “For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of darkness to be held for judgment”. Peter introduces this single occurrence within a triad of divine judgments (angels, antediluvian world, Sodom and Gomorrah) to demonstrate with cumulative force that the Lord both judges wickedness and rescues the godly. The verb underscores the certainty and severity of judgment upon false teachers who similarly rebel against rightful authority (2 Peter 2:1, 2 Peter 2:9). Historical Context and Extra-Biblical Usage In classical mythology, Tartarus was a subterranean abyss beneath Hades where the Titans suffered eternal punishment. Second Temple Jewish literature (for example, 1 Enoch 10:4-14; 2 Baruch 56:13) appropriated this imagery to depict a dark holding place for disobedient angels. Peter’s audience—vivified by the cultural memory of such writings—would grasp at once the gravity of divine censure. The apostle, however, reframes the idea: Tartarus is not a mythological prison but a very real dimension in which God confines fallen angels until the final judgment described in Revelation 20:10. Relationship to Angelic Rebellion The sin “when they sinned” likely recalls the primeval rebellion alluded to in Jude 6: “And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day”. Whether Peter is referencing the Genesis 6 incursion or an earlier celestial revolt, the point remains: angels possessed of immense glory fell under God’s wrath when they transgressed fixed boundaries. Their confinement demonstrates that no creature’s status exempts it from divine law. Theological Significance Judicial Certainty: The aorist tense portrays an accomplished act; the sentence is already enacted though the full penalty awaits (compare Revelation 20:10). Moral Warning: If angels—beings superior to humans in power—could not evade punishment, how much more should humans heed the gospel call (Hebrews 2:2-3)? Providential Timing: God can reserve judgment while history unfolds (2 Peter 3:9), proving that delayed justice is not denied justice. Cosmic Order: The verb affirms a structured universe under God’s governance; spiritual rebellion results in real, not merely symbolic, consequences. Implications for Believers Assurance of Deliverance: Peter’s argument culminates in comfort—“the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials” (2 Peter 2:9). The same God who restrains rebellious angels promises preservation for believers amid persecution. Sobriety in Teaching: False doctrine carries dire outcomes. Spiritual leaders must respect the authority and purity of Scripture lest they imitate the arrogance of the fallen angels (James 3:1). Hope of Final Vindication: Present evil, whether human or demonic, is temporary. God has already shown His willingness and capacity to incarcerate evil powers; He will consummate that victory at Christ’s return (Colossians 2:15). Related Passages Jude 6; Revelation 20:10; Genesis 6:1-4; Job 4:18; 1 Peter 3:19-20; Revelation 12:7-9; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14. Summary Strong’s Greek 5020 encapsulates God’s decisive judgment against rebellious angels by consigning them to a dark domain until the final judgment. Its lone biblical appearance powerfully supports Peter’s larger message: God punishes the wicked and preserves the righteous. For the church, the term stands as both warning and assurance—warning that spiritual arrogance invites severe retribution, and assurance that ultimate justice rests in the hands of a sovereign, righteous, and unfailing Judge. Forms and Transliterations ταρταρωσας ταρταρώσας tartarosas tartarōsas tartarṓsasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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