Albert Barnes Commentary Jude 1:6

"And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." — Jude 1:6 (ASV)

And the angels which kept not their first estate. This is a second case denoting that the wicked would be punished. (See Barnes on 2 Peter 2:4).

The word rendered estate (archn) is, in the margin, principality. The word properly means beginning, commencement; and then that which surpasses others, which is first, etc., in point of rank and honor; or preeminence, priority, precedence, princedom. Here it refers to the rank and dignity that the angels had in heaven. They did not keep that rank or preeminence but fell from it. Concerning the word used here, compare Ephesians 1:2; 3:10; Colossians 2:10, as applied to angels; and 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:15, as applied to demons.

But left their own habitation. Namely, according to the common interpretation, heaven. The word rendered habitation (oikhthrion) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means here that heaven was their native abode or dwelling-place. They left it by sin; but the expression here would seem possibly to mean that they became dissatisfied with their abode, and voluntarily preferred to change it for another. If they did become thus dissatisfied, the cause is wholly unknown, and conjecture is useless. Some of the later Jews supposed that they relinquished heaven out of love for the daughters of men.—Robinson.

He hath reserved in everlasting chains. (See Barnes on 2 Peter 2:4).

Peter says, chains of darkness; that is, the darkness encompasses them as chains. Jude says that those chains are everlasting (desmoiv aidioiv).

Compare Romans 1:20, his eternal power and Godhead. The word (aidioiv) does not occur elsewhere.

It is an appropriate word to denote that which is eternal; and no one can doubt that if a Greek wished to express that idea, this would be a proper word to use.

The sense is that this deep darkness always endures; there is no intermission, no light; it will exist forever.

This passage in itself does not prove that the punishment of the rebel angels will be eternal, but merely that they are kept in a dark prison in which there is no light, and which is to exist forever, with reference to the final trial.

The punishment of the rebel angels after the judgment is represented as an everlasting fire, which has been prepared for them and their followers (Matthew 25:41).