This verse doesn't just mention fallen angels; it highlights that their sin was a deliberate rejection of their divinely appointed rank and dwelling. They didn't just stumble; they "left their proper dwelling," demonstrating a radical, willful departure from their God-given place and purpose.
And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jude is reminding his readers of past judgments—first of the Israelites who were saved out of Egypt but then perished for unbelief, and now of angels who rebelled against God. These angels abandoned their divinely appointed positions and heavenly homes, and God has now imprisoned them in darkness, awaiting their final judgment. This serves as a stark warning about the consequences of rejecting God's authority and falling into sin.
Jude pulls no punches, describing angels who abandoned their God-given roles. What did they lose, and why does it matter to us?
The verse speaks of angels who 'did not stay within their own position of authority' and 'left their proper dwelling.'
Their Original Station
These angels were created in a state of holiness and high dignity, serving God in His heavenly realms. They held a 'first estate' or 'principality' – a position of honor and power assigned by God. This wasn't a minor slip; it was a radical departure from their God-ordained purpose.
Abandoning Their Home
They didn't just fall from grace; they left their 'proper dwelling' – the glorious, heavenly abode God provided for them. This abandonment signifies a rejection of God's order and a turning away from His presence. It's a profound loss of what was good and right.
These rebellious angels aren't free to roam unchecked. Jude paints a stark picture of their current confinement. What does this interim punishment reveal?
The angels who fell are not free; they are 'kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.'
The Chains of Darkness
This 'gloomy darkness' is a powerful image of their confinement. It's a state devoid of God's light and presence, a place of despair. The 'eternal chains' speak of God's sovereign power holding them captive, preventing them from carrying out their own will or causing further chaos beyond what God permits.
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Reserved for Final Judgment
Their current state is not the end. They are 'reserved' – set aside – for the 'judgment of the great day.' This highlights that God's justice is both active in their present confinement and assured in their future, final condemnation. Their punishment is ongoing but not yet complete.
Understand the original words
angeloi · Greek Noun
Spiritual beings created by God to serve Him, act as His messengers, and execute His will, though some fell into rebellion.
archēn · Greek Noun
A state of existence or condition, often implying a position of rank, dignity, or power assigned by God.
oikētērion · Greek Noun
The place appointed for habitation; in this context, refers to the heavenly sphere or status originally occupied by the angels.
krisin · Greek Noun
The final, decisive event in history where God will judge the living and the dead, manifesting His righteousness and justice.
porneusasai · Greek Verb
Acts of sexual activity outside the marriage covenant as defined by God; a pervasive term in the New Testament for sexual deviancy and infidelity against God’s moral law.
sarkos heteras · Greek Adjective/Noun phrase
Going against the natural order established by God in creation, specifically regarding sexual relations.
Jude references the ancient tradition of the fallen angels' rebellion and imprisonment. This event, alongside the judgment of the Israelites and Sodom, serves as a powerful, time-tested illustration of God's unwavering judgment against sin and His commitment to preserving His people from destructive influences.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
The Fall of the Angels
A host of angels, created holy and holding high rank, rebelled against God due to pride and left their appointed heavenly dwelling. God immediately judged them, binding them with eternal chains in darkness until the final judgment.
c. 1400 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, demonstrating His power and faithfulness. However, many of them later perished in the wilderness due to unbelief and disobedience, serving as a stark warning.
c. 1400 BC
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
These cities were destroyed by God's judgment because of their extreme wickedness and depravity. This event serves as another example of God's wrath against unrepentant sin, particularly sexual immorality.
c. AD 64
Peter's First Epistle
The Apostle Peter wrote his first letter, addressing similar themes of suffering and warning against false teachers. He references the judgment of the fallen angels, drawing parallels to the fate of those who follow destructive ways.
c. AD 65-67
Jude's Epistle
Jude writes his letter, warning believers about the infiltration of ungodly people who twist God's grace into licentiousness. He uses the examples of the fallen angels, the Israelites in the wilderness, and Sodom and Gomorrah to illustrate the certainty of their judgment.
This passage directly parallels Jude's warning, stating that God did not spare the angels when they sinned but cast them into hell, delivering them to chains of darkness to be kept until judgment. It reinforces the idea of divine judgment on angelic rebellion.
Genesis 6:1-4While not explicitly about angels, this passage describes 'sons of God' taking human wives, leading to the Nephilim and a corrupted humanity. It's often seen as a potential allusion or conceptual precursor to angelic beings overstepping their boundaries and facing divine consequence, similar to Jude's description.
Isaiah 14:12-15This prophetic oracle against the king of Babylon carries themes of pride and a desire to ascend to heaven and be like the Most High, which echoes the underlying sin of rebellion and falling from a high position, often interpreted as a picture of Satan's original fall.
Matthew 25:41Jesus speaks of 'the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,' directly referencing the ultimate destiny of these fallen angelic beings. This passage clarifies the nature of their final judgment and eternal punishment, which Jude alludes to.
Ephesians 6:12Paul describes the spiritual warfare believers face not against flesh and blood but against 'world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.' This highlights the ongoing reality and power of these fallen angelic beings as adversaries.
wesleyJude 1:6: "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."
1:6 And the angels, who kept not their first dignity - Once assigned them under the Son of God. But voluntarily left their own habitation - Then properly their own, by the free gift of God. He reserved - Delivered to be kept. In everlasting chains under darkness - O how unlike their own habitation! When these falle…
gillJude 1:6: "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."
And the angels which kept not their first estate,.... Or "principality"; that holy, honourable, and happy condition, in which they were created; for they were created in perfect holiness and righteousness, stood in the relation of sons to God, and were, for the lustre of their nature, comparable to the morning star…
This verse doesn't just mention fallen angels; it highlights that their sin was a deliberate rejection of their divinely appointed rank and dwelling. They didn't just stumble; they "left their proper dwelling," demonstrating a radical, willful departure from their God-given place and purpose.
Jude is reminding his readers of past judgments—first of the Israelites who were saved out of Egypt but then perished for unbelief, and now of angels who rebelled against God. These angels abandoned their divinely appointed positions and heavenly homes, and God has now imprisoned them in darkness, awaiting their final judgment. This serves as a stark warning about the consequences of rejecting God's authority and falling into sin.
Jude is reminding his readers of past judgments—first of the Israelites who were saved out of Egypt but then perished for unbelief, and now of angels who rebelled against God. These angels abandoned their divinely appointed positions and heavenly homes, and God has now imprisoned them in darkness, awaiting their final judgment. This serves as a stark warning about the consequences of rejecting God's authority and falling into sin.
"And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding…" — This verse doesn't just mention fallen angels; it highlights that their sin was a deliberate rejection of their divinely appointed rank and dwelling. They didn't just stumble; they "left their proper…
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Last reviewed October 2026
