Destructive Doctrines

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be (A)false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction [a]does not slumber.

Doom of False Teachers

For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to [b]hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of (B)Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and (C)delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, (D)tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— then (E)the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially (F)those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. (G)They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of [c]dignitaries, 11 whereas (H)angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

Depravity of False Teachers

12 But these, (I)like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 (J)and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure (K)to [d]carouse in the daytime. (L)They are spots and blemishes, [e]carousing in their own deceptions while (M)they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of [f]adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. (N)They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of (O)Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

17 (P)These are wells without water, [g]clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness [h]forever.

Deceptions of False Teachers

18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who [i]have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of [j]corruption; (Q)for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into [k]bondage. 20 For if, after they (R)have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are (S)again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For (T)it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: (U)“A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:3 M will not
  2. 2 Peter 2:4 Lit. Tartarus
  3. 2 Peter 2:10 glorious ones, lit. glories
  4. 2 Peter 2:13 revel
  5. 2 Peter 2:13 reveling
  6. 2 Peter 2:14 Lit. an adulteress
  7. 2 Peter 2:17 NU and mists
  8. 2 Peter 2:17 NU omits forever
  9. 2 Peter 2:18 NU are barely escaping
  10. 2 Peter 2:19 depravity
  11. 2 Peter 2:19 slavery

The Appearance of False Prophets

But (A)false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be (B)false teachers (C)among you, who will (D)secretly introduce (E)destructive heresies, even (F)denying the (G)Master who (H)bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their (I)indecent behavior, and because of them (J)the way of the truth will be (K)maligned; and in their (L)greed they will (M)exploit you with (N)false words; (O)their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

For (P)if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into [a]hell and (Q)committed them to [b]pits of darkness, held for judgment; and did not spare (R)the ancient world, but protected (S)Noah, a [c]preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a (T)flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He (U)condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an (V)example [d]of what is coming for the (W)ungodly; and if He (X)rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the (Y)perverted conduct of [e](Z)unscrupulous people (for by what he saw and heard that (AA)righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), (AB)then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from [f]a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the (AC)day of judgment, 10 and especially those who [g](AD)indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and (AE)despise [h]authority.

[i]Reckless, (AF)self-centered, they (AG)speak abusively of angelic [j]majesties without trembling, 11 (AH)whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a demeaning judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But (AI)these, like unreasoning animals, (AJ)born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, using abusive speech where they have no knowledge, will in [k]the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as (AK)the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to (AL)revel in the (AM)daytime. They are stains and blemishes, (AN)reveling in their [l]deceptions as they (AO)feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery [m]that never cease from sin, (AP)enticing (AQ)unstable souls, having hearts trained in (AR)greed, (AS)accursed children; 15 abandoning (AT)the right way, they have gone astray, having followed (AU)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved (AV)the [n]reward of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own offense, (AW)for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.

17 These are (AX)springs without water and mists driven by a storm, (AY)for whom the [o]black darkness has been reserved. 18 For, while speaking out (AZ)arrogant words of no (BA)value they (BB)entice by fleshly desires, by (BC)indecent behavior, those who barely (BD)escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for (BE)by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have (BF)escaped the defilements of the world by (BG)the knowledge of the (BH)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again (BI)entangled in them and are overcome, (BJ)the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 (BK)For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from (BL)the holy commandment (BM)handed on to them. 22 [p]It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “(BN)A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:4 Gr Tartarus, a name used as a reference to the netherworld (hell)
  2. 2 Peter 2:4 One early ms chains of darkness
  3. 2 Peter 2:5 Or herald
  4. 2 Peter 2:6 One early ms to those who were going to live ungodly lives
  5. 2 Peter 2:7 Or disgraceful
  6. 2 Peter 2:9 Or temptation; one early ms trials (temptations)
  7. 2 Peter 2:10 Lit go after
  8. 2 Peter 2:10 Lit lordship
  9. 2 Peter 2:10 Or Audacious
  10. 2 Peter 2:10 Lit glories
  11. 2 Peter 2:12 Lit their destruction also
  12. 2 Peter 2:13 One early ms love feasts
  13. 2 Peter 2:14 Lit and unceasing from sin
  14. 2 Peter 2:15 Or wages
  15. 2 Peter 2:17 Lit blackness of darkness
  16. 2 Peter 2:22 Lit The thing of the true proverb has happened to them

The Rise of False Prophets

But [in those days] false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will subtly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned. And in their greed they will exploit you with false arguments and twisted doctrine. Their sentence [of condemnation which God has decreed] from a time long ago is not idle [but is still in force], and their destruction and deepening misery is not asleep [but is on its way].

[a]For if God did not [even] spare angels that sinned, but threw them into [b]hell and sent them to pits of gloom to be kept [there] for judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought [the judgment of] a flood upon the world of the ungodly;(A) and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;(B) and if He rescued righteous [c]Lot, who was tormented by the immoral conduct of unprincipled and ungodly men(C) (for that just man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by what he saw and heard of their lawless acts), then [in light of the fact that all this is true, be sure that] the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and how to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10 and especially [d]those who indulge in the corrupt passions of the sin nature, and despise authority.

Presumptuous and reckless, self-willed and arrogant [creatures, despising the majesty of the Lord], they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas even angels who are superior in might and power do not bring a reviling (defaming) accusation against them before the Lord.(D) 12 But these [false teachers], like unreasoning animals, [mere] creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed, reviling things they do not understand, will also perish in their own corruption [in their destroying they will be destroyed], 13 suffering wrong [destined for punishment] as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a delight to revel in the daytime [living luxuriously]. They are stains and blemishes [on mankind], reveling in their [e]deceptions even as they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, constantly looking for sin, enticing and luring away unstable souls. Having hearts trained in greed, [they are] children of a curse. 15 Abandoning the straight road [that is, the right way to live], they have gone astray; they have followed the way of [the false teacher] Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the reward of wickedness;(E) 16 but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.(F)

17 These [false teachers] are springs without water and mists driven by a tempest, for whom is reserved the gloom of black darkness. 18 For uttering arrogant words of vanity [pompous words disguised to sound scholarly or profound, but meaning nothing and containing no spiritual truth], they beguile and lure using lustful desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error. 19 They promise them liberty, when they themselves are the slaves of depravity—for by whatever anyone is defeated and overcome, to that [person, thing, philosophy, or concept] he is continually enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world by [personal] knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, their last condition has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have [personally] known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to have turned back from the holy commandment [verbally] handed on to them. 22 The thing spoken of in the true proverb has happened to them, “The dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “A sow is washed only to wallow [again] in the mire.”(G)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:4 This verse begins one of the longest sentences in the NT. The sentence concludes in v 10a.
  2. 2 Peter 2:4 For emphasis Peter uses a word (tartarus) from Greek mythology describing a hell reserved for the most horrendous of people to emphasize the terrible doom awaiting false prophets and teachers who manipulate and twist the truth of the gospel message.
  3. 2 Peter 2:7 Lot was the nephew of Abraham and the son of Haran. He traveled with his uncle to Canaan and eventually settled in Sodom because of its proximity to good grazing land for his flocks. Peter presents a side of Lot not easily inferred from the OT account.
  4. 2 Peter 2:10 In the descriptions that follow, Peter may specifically have in mind the false teachers of whom he spoke in vv 1-3.
  5. 2 Peter 2:13 One early ms reads love feasts.

False Teachers and Their Destruction

But there were also false prophets(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord(C) who bought them(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed(F) these teachers will exploit you(G) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned,(H) but sent them to hell,[a] putting them in chains of darkness[b] to be held for judgment;(I) if he did not spare the ancient world(J) when he brought the flood on its ungodly people,(K) but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;(L) if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes,(M) and made them an example(N) of what is going to happen to the ungodly;(O) and if he rescued Lot,(P) a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless(Q) (for that righteous man,(R) living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials(S) and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.(T) 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire(U) of the flesh[c] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;(V) 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from[d] the Lord.(W) 12 But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.(X)

13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight.(Y) They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.[e](Z) 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce(AA) the unstable;(AB) they are experts in greed(AC)—an accursed brood!(AD) 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam(AE) son of Bezer,[f] who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.(AF)

17 These people are springs without water(AG) and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.(AH) 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words(AI) and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping(AJ) from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”(AK) 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing(AL) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ(AM) and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.(AN) 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.(AO) 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”[g](AP) and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:4 Greek Tartarus
  2. 2 Peter 2:4 Some manuscripts in gloomy dungeons
  3. 2 Peter 2:10 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 18.
  4. 2 Peter 2:11 Many manuscripts beings in the presence of
  5. 2 Peter 2:13 Some manuscripts in their love feasts
  6. 2 Peter 2:15 Greek Bosor
  7. 2 Peter 2:22 Prov. 26:11