ἀγγέλους τε τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαντας τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχὴν, ἀλλὰ ἀπολιπόντας τὸ ἴδιον οἰκητήριον εἰς κρίσιν μεγάλης ἡμέρας δεσμοῖς ἀϊδίοις ὑπὸ ζόφον τετήρηκεν
Jude 6 paints a vivid, almost apocalyptic picture of divine judgment. The Greek grammar is dense and carefully layered: participles build a charge, prepositions stack with intensity, and a perfect verb holds the entire scene in place. These fallen angels aren’t described with flourish—they’re bound in theological precision.
Grammatical Foundations
The main subject is ἀγγέλους—“angels”—with the particle τε linking it back to previous examples of judgment. Two attributive aorist participles describe them: τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαντας (“those who did not keep”) and ἀπολιπόντας (“but left”). These actions define the rebellion. The first is negative: they failed to keep τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχὴν—their own domain, rule, or origin. The second is active desertion: they abandoned τὸ ἴδιον οἰκητήριον—their own dwelling or habitation.
The phrase εἰς κρίσιν μεγάλης ἡμέρας expresses the purpose or result of their imprisonment—“for the judgment of the great day.” The construction uses εἰς with accusative to point forward toward a final act.
The heart of the sentence is the perfect verb τετήρηκεν—“he has kept” or “he has reserved.” It’s perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular, with God as the implied subject. The verb links back to the earlier τηρήσαντας, forming a powerful contrast: they did not “keep” their role, so God has “kept” them under judgment.
The means of that keeping is striking: δεσμοῖς ἀϊδίοις ὑπὸ ζόφον—“in eternal bonds under gloom.” ἀϊδίοις (eternal) is a rare word, intensifying the finality of their imprisonment. ζόφος means darkness or nether gloom—language borrowed from apocalyptic tradition and possibly influenced by 2 Peter and Enochic texts.
Exegetical and Theological Implications
Jude’s grammar doesn’t just inform—it convicts. The angels are not anonymous rebels; they’re described in active, concrete terms. They didn’t keep their place. They left what was given to them. And God has kept them—not in position, but in chains.
The use of the perfect tense τετήρηκεν underscores ongoing consequence. Their judgment isn’t pending—it’s already locked in. The eternal bonds are already in place, and the final judgment is just awaiting its appointed day.
This passage places angelic rebellion in line with human apostasy. Jude builds his case with grammatical repetition and escalating imagery. Grammar serves theology by binding the offenders in a structure as tight as the chains they’re said to wear.
Linguistic and Historical Perspectives
The participles τηρήσαντας and ἀπολιπόντας reflect common rhetorical strategies in Hellenistic Greek, where descriptive participles precede the main verb to build an argument. The contrast between human and divine “keeping” would be especially resonant to readers familiar with Jewish apocalyptic traditions.
οἰκητήριον is a rare word, used also in 2 Corinthians 5:2 of a heavenly dwelling. Here, the angels give up what they were meant to inhabit. The word choice supports the reading that these angels crossed boundaries they were meant to guard—an act of cosmic rebellion.
Table: Verbal and Syntactic Features in Jude 6
| Text | Greek Verb / Phrase | Form | Function / Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jude 6 | τηρήσαντας | Aorist active participle, accusative plural | “not having kept” their own domain; part of the charge |
| Jude 6 | ἀπολιπόντας | Aorist active participle, accusative plural | “but having abandoned” their dwelling; active desertion |
| Jude 6 | τετήρηκεν | Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular | “has kept” in eternal bonds; completed and ongoing result |
The Verse as a Paradigm of Koine Greek Richness
Jude 6 is a powerhouse of structured accusation. The participles narrate rebellion. The perfect verb anchors judgment. The prepositions draw the reader into a cosmic legal scene. This isn’t just description—it’s indictment. The Greek grammar delivers weight, clarity, and theological punch, all at once. Through its precision, it invites readers to consider the seriousness of spiritual transgression and the certainty of divine justice.
