God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

^18 (A)For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and ^(B)unrighteousness of men, who ^[a]suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because ^(C)what may be known of God is ^[b]manifest ^[c]in them, for ^(D)God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world ^(E)His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and ^[d]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but ^(F)became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ^22 (G)Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and changed the glory of the ^(H)incorruptible ^(I)God into an image made like ^[e]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

^24 (J)Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, ^(K)to dishonor their bodies ^(L)among themselves, ²⁵ who exchanged ^(M)the truth of God ^(N)for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to ^(O)vile passions. For even their ^[f]women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷ Likewise also the ^[g]men, leaving the natural use of the ^[h]woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things ^(P)which are not fitting; ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, ^[i]sexual immorality, wickedness, ^[j]covetousness, ^[k]maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ^31 [l]undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, ^[m]unforgiving, unmerciful; ³² who, ^(Q)knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things ^(R)are deserving of death, not only do the same but also ^(S)approve of those who practice them.

⁹ then ^(A)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 ^(B)those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. ^(C)They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of ^[a]dignitaries, ¹¹ whereas ^(D)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, ^(E)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 (F)and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure ^(G)to ^[b]carouse in the daytime. ^(H)They are spots and blemishes, ^[c]carousing in their own deceptions while ^(I)they feast with you, ¹⁴ having eyes full of ^[d]adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. ^(J)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 ^(K)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 (L)These are wells without water, ^[e]clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness ^[f]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 ^[g]have actually escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹ While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of ^[h]corruption; ^(M)for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into ^[i]bondage. ²⁰ For if, after they ^(N)have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are ^(O)again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. ²¹ For ^(P)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: ^(Q)“A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

⁶ And the angels who did not keep their ^[a]proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; ⁷ as ^(A)Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the ^[b]vengeance of eternal fire.

^8 (B)Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and ^(C)speak evil of ^[c]dignitaries.