Darkness (4655) (skotos from skia = shadow thrown by an object. Skia it can assume the meaning of skotos and indicate the sphere of darkness) is literally that sphere in which light is absent. The phrase "the outer darkness" refers to the place of punishment or exclusion from God Who is light! Skotos is used 30 times in the NAS -- Matt. 4:16; 6:23; 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; 27:45; Mk. 15:33; Lk. 1:79; 11:35; 22:53; 23:44; Jn. 3:19; Acts 2:20; 13:11; 26:18; Rom. 2:19; 13:12; 1 Co. 4:5; 2 Co. 4:6; 6:14; Eph. 5:8, 11; 6:12; Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 5:4, 5; 1 Pet. 2:9; 2 Pet. 2:17; 1 Jn. 1:6; Jude 1:13 and is translated "darkness" every time! Click (or here) for more in depth discussion of the Biblical concept of "Darkness". See Torrey's Topic Darkness NIDNTT explains that In classic Gk. darkness applies primarily to the state characterized by the absence of light (phos) without any special metaphysical overtones. The thought is chiefly of the effect of darkness upon man. In the dark man gropes around uncertainly (Plato, Phaedo, 99b), since his ability to see is severely limited. Thus the man who can see may become blind in the darkness, and no longer know which way to turn. Hence darkness appears as the “sphere of objective peril and of subjective anxiety” (H. Conzelmann, TDNT VII 424). Since all anxiety ultimately derives from the fear of death, the ominous character of darkness culminates in the darkness of death which no man can escape (cf. Homer, Il., 4, 461). Darkness is therefore Hades, the world of the dead, which already reaches out into our world in the mythical figures of the Eumenides, the children of Skotos and Gaia (Soph., Oedipus Coloneus, 40). Freed from their proper, temporal sense, the words of this group can be used in a metaphorical sense to describe human ways of life and behaviour. Thus they can describe a man’s seclusion or obscurity. They can also indicate the secrecy, furtiveness or deceitfulness of his activity, the abstruseness of his speech, lack of enlightenment, insight and knowledge. “The word does not attain to high conceptual rank in philosophy. Mention of darkness serves to set off light; it has no philosophical content of its own” (TDNT VII 425 f.). (Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan) Skotos can refer to literal darkness as occurred on the day of Jesus' crucifixion (Mt 27:45) or darkness as opposed to light in the creation (2Cor 4:6). Skotos is used as another name for the place of punishment, eternal misery and eternal separation from God (the meaning of skotos here in 2Peter) . Skotos figuratively can refer to spiritual or moral darkness (including a lack of understanding) as in the following examples "(Jesus declared) And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. (John 3:19) "(the gospel would) to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' (Acts 26:18) If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (truth is not only something we should believe and teach but also something we should practice, otherwise our life is a "lie") (1John 1:6-note) And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; (Ephesians 5:11 sermon note) For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, (note Colossians 1:13) The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (see note Romans 13:12) Absence of light leaves room for evil and sin. In this sense darkness may be described as evil. In his first epistle Peter used skotos figuratively explaining to the believers that... you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness (the moral and spiritual condition that enshrouds this present world and all those who do not know Christ) into His marvelous light (note 1 Peter 2:9) Darkness is used to describe the spiritual powers of Satan and his evil empire... "While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours." (Luke 22:53) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 note) In Acts 13:11 skotos is used to refer to physical blindness or inability to see (literally) Note that skotos is the essence of darkness, darkness itself and as applied to sin is the essence of sin. On the other hand the closely related word skotia speaks more of the consequence of darkness, and so the consequences of sin is the darkness that man has to live in, that darkness entering into Adam in the Garden of Eden. Ponder what Peter is saying in view of John's declaration... And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (1John 1:5-note) The opposite of light is absolute darkness. Where God is there can be no darkness. Conversely where the darkness is indicates separation from God. God’s children have been "qualified... to share in the inheritance of the saints in light... delivered... from the domain of darkness and transferred... to the kingdom of His beloved Son" (Col 1:12-13-notes Col 1:12-13). The children of the devil, especially his servants who masquerade as ambassadors of light, walk around in spiritual darkness (and separation from God) today, but their darkness is but a foretaste of the utter "black darkness" that awaits them when they die. Not only is their eternal destiny of purposeless existence horrible but Peter graphically describes their present life as utter emptiness and purposelessness. All life lived without the spiritual goals of glorifying God and worshiping Him is an empty and purposeless existence. Jesus described the ultimate destiny of the lost declaring... but the sons of the kingdom (speaking of the Jews who had the special privilege as the chosen nation) shall be cast out into the outer darkness (the final hell); in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Mt 8:12) "Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (describes the extreme torment that sadly will be true in hell).' (Mt 22:13) "And cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Mt 25:30 Earlier Peter had reminded his readers... For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment (see notes 2 Peter 2:4) Jude has a parallel description writing that... And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6) (The men who have crept into the church and are turning the grace of God into licentiousness are like) wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 1:13) "The gloom of darkness is stored up for them" (NJB) or even more literally "the blackness of darkness." Here Peter once again sounds the knell of doom for the false teachers consigning them to "black darkness" which is simply beyond human comprehension. Black as explained above (see zophos) describes darkness that ranges from partial to total and conveys the idea of foreboding and gloom and here specifically referring to the thick darkness associated with the region of those who are lost. The addition of "black" to "darkness" (skotos, the essence of darkness) would seem unnecessary but is Peter's way of "multiplying" the horror and terror of the deserved fate of these men. Jesus uses a similar description three times in Matthew, stating for example that "the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Mt 8:12; cf 22:13; 25:30) (See numerous Scriptures in Torrey's Topic "Punishment of the Wicked") Wiersbe has an instructive note writing that... "These apostates promise to lead people into the light, but they themselves end up in the darkest part of the darkness! (see Jude 1:6, 1:13) The atmosphere of hell is not uniform: some places will be darker than others. How tragic that innocent people will be led astray by these apostates and possibly end up in hell with them." Compare James' fearful warning that "not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment." (Ja 3:1) Note that in (2 Peter 2:4- note) Peter speaks of the wicked angels presently in “chains of utter darkness,” while the final fate of the false teachers is a darker place still! Woe! (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor) Calvin says Peter pronounces "on them the dreadful judgment of God, that fear might restrain the faithful. By naming the mist or the blackness of darkness, he alludes to the clouds which obscure the air; as though he had said, that for the momentary darkness which they now spread, there is prepared for them a much thicker darkness which is to continue for ever." Wayne Barber makes a distinction between the two Greek words, skotos and skotia...in his sermon on 1John (1Jn 1:5-10 - Evidence of Christianity) The term "darkness" is found in 1 John several times. I want to make sure we understand what it means. It is found in 1Jn 1:5, 6, and in 1Jn 2:8, 9, 11. There are two different words used for darkness. The first word is in 1Jn 1:5. It is the word skotia. In 1Jn 1:6 it is the word skotos. Now if you look in a Greek lexicon, you are going to find in 1Jn 1:5 it says skotia means darkness and skotos in 1Jn 1:6 means darkness. That is all they are basically say but if you run both words through the NT, you will discover that there is a significant difference in verses 1Jn 1:5 and 1Jn 1:6. Skotia (1Jn 1:5) is the word John uses 98% of the time in both his gospel and his epistles. Skotos is rarely used and in fact, it is only used by John in 1Jn 1:6 and in Jn 3:19. Let me show you the difference. The word in 1Jn 1:5, skotia, means the result of darkness. If I walk outside in the darkness and fall over a stump and break my leg, I have been out in the darkness. But I have suffered the consequence of being in that darkness. The word skotos in 1Jn 1:6 means the essence of darkness itself. Let’s look over in John 3:19 (which uses skotos). I want you to see what this darkness is. Why does John bring up the word "darkness" and contrast it with light? The answer is that he is dealing with false doctrine. Any false doctrine is darkness. It is clear here that darkness is the environment in which men seek to hide their sin. And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness." This is not the consequence of the darkness because they haven’t realized that yet, but they love the essence of darkness. They love the darkness "rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. (John 3:19) John 3:20 says For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be exposed. So we see that darkness, skotos, is something that hides a man’s sin. He likes it because no one knows what is going on in the darkness. But Jesus is the light, and when Jesus comes into a man’s life, He turns on the light and exposes what is going on. That is why men would not respond to the light. That is the judgment that has come into the world. In 1 John 1:6 we see a very similar truth. John writes says, If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." "Lie" and "practice" are in the present tense, so they should read "lying" and "practicing." In other words, John is saying, "You can’t say you know Christ and seek to go off in the darkness and hide your sin. You cannot do that and claim to be a believer." (1Jn 1:5-10 - Evidence of Christianity)