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(The whole thing gets even more ominous when we realize that the aggelois [angels] of Matthew 25:41 properly includes people. [Ooops!])

That was my understanding, too, the_doc. It seems to me that "rebellious spiritual principalities" is a category "flexible enough" to include human beings who consciously choose to promote and extend the original rebellion...that of Satan and his host. Humans are free to choose to collaborate in that enterprise. Thus it seems such folks can become eligible for the same treatment as the devil himself.

But of course, this is only a speculation....

Thank y'all for your posts! Indeed, the condemnation may include human spirits as well. I do not know. My hope that the eternal torment is “targeted” rests with this verse:

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Which precedes the second death description as follows:

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. – Revelation 20:10-14

It is my hope that the eternity of torment would not apply to those who were deceived.

Humans are free to choose to collaborate in that enterprise. Thus it seems such folks can become eligible for the same treatment as the devil himself.

But of course, this is only a speculation....

Actually, I think the Bible is pretty clear about this. We have free will in that we are free to do/think as we please. This establishes the idea of choice, an idea which is repeatedly upheld as important in the Bible.

It is this very idea of free will which makes unbelievers culpable. And the fact that sinners freely choose to defy their infinitely holy Creator makes them infinitely deserving of punishment.