Ephesians 6:12 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Principalities, against powers,— These are put here for those revolted angels, who stood in opposition to the kingdom of God. The rulers of the darkness of this world, seems to mean those who have long usurped a dominion over the world, and who, in the present age, hold men in the chains of hereditary superstition and destructive errors, which have been delivered down to them through many succeeding generations. There is somewhat peculiar in the original of the next clause, which Mr. Locke paraphrases, "the spiritual managers of the opposition to the kingdom of God." There is no doubt but it refers to those revolted spirits who are continuallyemployed in propagating wickedness. Some, however, would render the last words εν τοις επουρανιοις, about heavenly things; as signifying that we wrestlewith them to secure to ourselves those spiritual and eternal blessings, of which they would endeavour to deprive us.