¹⁸ For such people are ^(A)slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of ^(B)their own ^[a]appetites; and by their ^(C)smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

The Appearance of False Prophets

2 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. ² Many will follow their ^(I)indecent behavior, and because of them ^(J)the way of the truth will be ^(K)maligned; ³ 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.

³ For ^(A)the time will come when they will not tolerate ^(B)sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, ⁴ and they ^(C)will turn their ears away from the truth and ^(D)will turn aside to myths.

⁴ For certain people have ^(A)crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand ^[a](B)marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn ^(C)the grace of our God into ^(D)indecent behavior and ^(E)deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

⁵ Now I want to ^(F)remind you, though ^(G)you know everything once and for all, that ^[b]the Lord, ^(H)after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, ^[c]subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.

⁸ Yet in the same way these people also, dreaming, ^(A)defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak abusively of angelic ^[a]majesties.

⁶ No one who remains in Him ^(A)sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or ^[a](B)knows Him. ^7 (C)Little children, make sure no one ^(D)deceives you; ^(E)the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; ⁸ the one who practices sin is ^(F)of the devil; for the devil ^[b]has been sinning from the beginning. ^(G)The Son of God ^(H)appeared for this purpose, ^(I)to destroy the works of the devil.