Editing Tartarus (section)

== Biblical pseudepigrapha ==
{{see also|Jewish pseudepigrapha| Jewish apocrypha}}
Tartarus occurs in the [[Septuagint]] translation of Job (40:20 and 41:24) into Koine Greek, and in [[Hellenistic Judaism|Hellenistic Jewish]] literature from the Greek text of the [[Book of Enoch]], dated to 400–200 BC. This states that God placed the archangel [[Uriel]] "in charge of the world and of Tartarus" (20:2). Tartarus is generally understood to be the place where 200 fallen [[Watcher (angel)|Watchers]] ([[angel]]s) are imprisoned.<ref>Kelley Coblentz Bautch ''A Study of the Geography of 1 Enoch 17–19: "no One Has Seen what I Have Seen"'' p134</ref>

Reference to the watchers of the book of Enoch is also observed in Jude 1:6-7 where scripture describes Angels being bound by chains under everlasting darkness, and 2 Peter 2:4 which further describes fallen angels committed to chains in Tartarus.

In ''[[Hypostasis of the Archons]]'' (also translated 'Reality of the Rulers'), an apocryphal gnostic treatise dated before 350 AD, Tartarus makes a brief appearance when Zōē (life), the daughter of [[Sophia (Gnosticism)|Sophia]] (wisdom) casts [[Ialdabaoth|Ialdabaōth]] (demiurge) down to the bottom of the abyss of Tartarus.<ref>Bentley Layton ''The Gnostic Scriptures: "Reality of the Rulers"'' 95:5 p.74</ref>

In [[Book of Thomas the Contender|The Book of Thomas]], Tartaros is claimed by Jesus to be the place where those who hear the word of [[Judas Thomas]] and "turn away or sneer" are to be sent. These damned will be handed over to the angel or power '''Tartarouchos'''.<ref>John D. Turner ''The Nag Hammadi Scriptures - The Revised and Updated Translation of Sacred Gnostic Texts Complete in One Volume: Introduction to "The Book of Thomas"'' p.235</ref>