| 1 | But also [in those days] there arose false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among yourselves, who will subtly
and
stealthily introduce heretical doctrines (destructive heresies), even denying
and
disowning the Master Who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. |
| 2 | And many will follow their immoral ways
and
lascivious doings; because of them the true Way will be maligned
and
defamed. |
| 3 | And in their covetousness (lust, greed) they will exploit you with false (cunning) arguments. From of old the sentence [of condemnation] for them has not been idle; their destruction (eternal misery) has not been asleep. |
| 4 | For God did not [even] spare angels that sinned, but cast them into hell, delivering them to be kept there in pits of gloom till the judgment
and
their doom. |
| 5 | And He spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven other persons, when He brought a flood upon the world of ungodly [people]. |
| 6 | And He condemned to ruin
and
extinction the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes [and thus] set them forth as an example to those who would be ungodly; |
| 7 | And He rescued righteous Lot, greatly worn out
and
distressed by the wanton ways of the ungodly
and
lawless— |
| 8 | For that just man, living [there] among them, tortured his righteous soul every day with what he saw and heard of [their] unlawful and wicked deeds— |
| 9 | Now if [all these things are true, then be sure] the Lord knows how to rescue the godly out of temptations
and
trials, and how to keep the ungodly under chastisement until the day of judgment
and
doom, |
| 10 | And particularly those who walk after the flesh and indulge in the lust of polluting passion and scorn
and
despise authority. Presumptuous [and] daring [self-willed and self-loving creatures]! They scoff at
and
revile dignitaries (glorious ones) without trembling, |
| 11 | Whereas [even] angels, though superior in might and power, do not bring a defaming charge against them before the Lord. |
| 12 | But these [people]! Like unreasoning beasts, mere creatures of instinct, born [only] to be captured and destroyed, railing at things of which they are ignorant, they shall utterly perish in their [own] corruption [in their destroying they shall surely be destroyed], |
| 13 | Being destined to receive [punishment as] the reward of [their] unrighteousness [suffering wrong as the hire for their wrongdoing]. They count it a delight to revel in the daytime [living luxuriously and delicately]. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their
[a]deceptions
and
carousing together [even] as they feast with you. |
| 14 | They have eyes full of harlotry, insatiable for sin. They beguile
and
bait
and
lure away unstable souls. Their hearts are trained in covetousness (lust, greed), [they are] children of a curse [
[b]exposed to cursing]! |
| 15 | Forsaking the straight road they have gone astray; they have followed the way of Balaam [the son] of Beor, who loved the reward of wickedness. |
| 16 | But he was rebuked for his own transgression when a dumb beast of burden spoke with human voice and checked the prophet’s madness. |
| 17 | These are springs without water and mists driven along before a tempest, for whom is reserved
forever
the gloom of darkness. |
| 18 | For uttering loud boasts of folly, they beguile
and
lure with lustful desires of the flesh those who are barely escaping from them who are wrongdoers. |
| 19 | They promise them liberty, when they themselves are the slaves of depravity
and
defilement—for by whatever anyone is made inferior
or
worse
or
is overcome, to that [person or thing] he is enslaved. |
| 20 | For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through [the full, personal] knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again become entangled in them and are overcome, their last condition is worse [for them] than the first. |
| 21 | For never to have obtained a [full, personal] knowledge of the way of righteousness would have been better for them than, having obtained [such knowledge], to turn back from the holy commandment which was [verbally] delivered to them. |
| 22 | There has befallen them the thing spoken of in the true proverb, The dog turns back to his own vomit, and, The sow is washed only to wallow again in the mire. |
Cross references:
-
2 Peter 2:5 : Gen. 6-8; I Peter 3:20.
-
2 Peter 2:6 : Gen. 19:24.
-
2 Peter 2:7 : Gen. 19:16, 29.
-
2 Peter 2:15 : Num. 22:5, 7.
-
2 Peter 2:16 : Num. 22:21-31.
-
2 Peter 2:22 : Prov. 26:11.
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