11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way (A)of Cain, (B)have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished (C)in the rebellion of Korah.

Apostates Depraved and Doomed

12 These are [a]spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried [b]about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 (D)raging waves of the sea, (E)foaming up their own shame; wandering stars (F)for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:12 stains, or hidden reefs
  2. Jude 1:12 NU, M along

11 Woe to them! For they have gone the [defiant] way of Cain, and for profit they have run headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of [mutinous] Korah.(A) 12 These men are hidden reefs [elements of great danger to others] in your [a]love feasts when they feast together with you without fear, looking after [only] themselves; [they are like] clouds without water, swept along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted and lifeless; 13 wild waves of the sea, flinging up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of deep darkness has been reserved forever.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:12 The early church frequently met together for a communal meal followed by the Lord’s Supper.

11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain;(A) they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;(B) they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.(C)

12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts,(D) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.(E) They are clouds without rain,(F) blown along by the wind;(G) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted(H)—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea,(I) foaming up their shame;(J) wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.(K)

Read full chapter

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Read full chapter

14 having eyes full of [a]adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. (A)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 (B)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 (C)These are wells without water, [b]clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness [c]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 [d]have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of [e]corruption; (D)for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into [f]bondage.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:14 Lit. an adulteress
  2. 2 Peter 2:17 NU and mists
  3. 2 Peter 2:17 NU omits forever
  4. 2 Peter 2:18 NU are barely escaping
  5. 2 Peter 2:19 depravity
  6. 2 Peter 2:19 slavery

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;(A) 16 but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.(B)

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.

Read full chapter

14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce(A) the unstable;(B) they are experts in greed(C)—an accursed brood!(D) 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam(E) son of Bezer,[a] 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.(F)

17 These people are springs without water(G) and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.(H) 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words(I) and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping(J) 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.”(K)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:15 Greek Bosor

14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

Read full chapter