Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 8:38

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers," — Romans 8:38 (ASV)

Neither death, nor life . . .—The enumeration that follows is intended to include (poetically rather than logically) every possible category of being, especially those unseen powers of evil against which the Christian's warfare was especially directed.

Nor principalities.—Compare Ephesians 6:12, We wrestle . . . against principalities, against powers; terms belonging to the Jewish enumeration of angels. However, the critical evidence is absolutely decisive in separating “powers” from “principalities” in this instance and placing it after things present, nor things to come. It would therefore be better to take it in a wider sense: “Agencies of every kind, personal or impersonal.”