Cast...into hell is one word in the Greek, the unusual word tartaroo (5020), which is derived from Tártaros which describes the subterranean doleful and dark abyss of mythology where demigods were punished. Greek mythology taught that Tártaros was a place lower than Hades (86) (the NT term corresponding to the OT term Sheol in the OT (7585) reserved for the most wicked of human beings, gods, and demons where divine punishment was meted out. Jewish apocalyptic literature described Tártaros as the place where fallen angels were sent as the lowest, darkest, gloomiest hell, the deepest pit and the most terrible place of torture and suffering. This term came later to refer to the region of the lost dead. It is found only once in the NT in its verbal form in this verse. Tartarus is mentioned in the pseudepigraphal book of Enoch as the place where fallen angels are confined. It is found only in its verbal form in 2 Pet. 2:4 meaning to cast into or consign to Tartarus. The use of the aorist tense pictures the "casting" as a completed past event. Peter seems to regard Tártaros like Hades/Sheol is only a temporary place of detention for these wicked angels who in the day of judgment will be thrown "into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels." (Mt 25:41, cf Rev 20:2,3,10) Although it is difficult to state with absolute certainty, The sinning angels are being held in this netherworld dungeon until the day of final judgment. Peter’s usage of this term by no means suggests that Peter believed in the mythological stories about Tartarus but only borrowed the word from their vocabulary. AND COMMITTED THEM TO PITS OF DARKNESS: paredoken eis krisin teroumenous (3SAAI) seirais zophou: (cf Job 21:30 Jude 1:6, 13) Committed (3860) (paradidomi from para = alongside, beside + didomi = give) means to give alongside, to surrender, to yield, or to deliver one over into the hands or power of someone else. This action involves either the handing over of a presumably guilty person for punishment by authorities or the handing over of an individual to an enemy who will presumably take undue advantage of the victim. Peter's use of this verb conveys the picture of handing these evil angels over to the jailer for imprisonment. (cf Acts 8:3, 12:4) Aorist tense signifies a past completed action and indicative is the mood of reality. This event really happened and is a picture of what will happen to the false teachers! Woe! Paradidomi is used 3x in Romans 1 explaining God's giving the sinful, truth rejecting world over to the power of "the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to degrading passions, & to a depraved mind" (Ro 1:24,26,28). Pits of darkness is an unusual expression and how one translates it depends on which Greek manuscript you favor. Hiebert says that the original Greek "manuscript evidence is about evenly divided between "pits" (sirois or seirois) and "chains" (seirais)." And so we see that the NET Bible (click detailed NET note) favors seirais translating it "locked them up in chains in utter darkness". Similarly the KJV and NKJV translate it "chains of darkness", whereas NASB, Amplified ("pits of gloom"), NIV ("gloomy dungeons"), NLT ("in gloomy caves and darkness") favor sirois or seirois. The point is that neither is very attractive and both portend of the certain fate of the false teachers, utterly separated from the light and glory of God. This is a bleak and hopeless picture Peter is painting of the final resting place for these wicked men (cf 2Th 1:7, 8, 9). Woe!