Rev. James D. Conley, D.D., S.T.L. | Diocese of Lincoln website

"2 Peter 2:4 says “God did not spare the angels who sinned but threw them down into Tartarus...” What is Tartarus and where is it? The New Testament letter, 2 Peter, describes God’s judgment upon the fallen angels, or demons, who joined in Lucifer’s rebellion and were cast out of heaven as a consequence."

"The Bible uses a variety of words to describe what we generally refer to as ‘hell’ today. This is a result of the Bible being written in different languages: the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, and the New Testament was originally written in Greek."

"A helpful way to incorporate all of these elements would be to picture the Old Testament concept of ‘hell’ as divided into three sections or concentric circles. The first and outermost circle could be referred to as “the place of the righteous dead.” In the Bible, this circle would be called by words such as ‘paradise’ or ‘Abraham’s bosom.’ It is the place in which righteous human souls who died before the death of Christ waited for heaven to be opened to them."

"The last and innermost circle of hell could be called “the prison for fallen angels,” or Tartarus, as 2 Peter 2:4 calls it in the New American Bible. This deepest part of hell is the place reserved for angelic spirits (not human souls) who denied the Lord God and were eternally banished from His company in heaven."

"In congruence with the Apostles’ Creed, St. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:6 that “the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.” Traditional Catholic interpretation has understood this verse (alongside others) to mean that upon expiring on the cross on Good Friday, Jesus continued His saving mission by descending into the realm of the righteous dead (‘paradise’ or ‘Abraham’s bosom’) to bring those souls with him into heaven."

"Tartarus as well as Hades (the lower circles), even if visited by Christ to pronounce His victory over sin and death, remain untouched and continue to hold captive those fallen angels and unrighteous souls, respectively, to form the eternal hell of damnation that we typically conceive of today."