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2 Peter 2 - 1 John 2
New King James Version

Destructive Doctrines

2 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. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 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

4 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; 5 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; 6 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; 7 and (C)delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, (D)tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 9 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.”

God’s Promise Is Not Slack(V)

3 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which (W)I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words (X)which were spoken before by the holy prophets, (Y)and of the commandment of [l]us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, (Z)walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of (AA)creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that (AB)by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth (AC)standing out of water and in the water, 6 (AD)by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But (AE)the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for (AF)fire until the day of judgment and [m]perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and (AG)a thousand years as one day. 9 (AH)The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but (AI)is longsuffering toward [n]us, (AJ)not willing that any should perish but (AK)that all should come to repentance.

The Day of the Lord

10 But (AL)the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which (AM)the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be [o]burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be (AN)in holy conduct and godliness, 12 (AO)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will (AP)be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will (AQ)melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for (AR)new heavens and a (AS)new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Be Steadfast

14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent (AT)to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that (AU)the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his (AV)epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the (AW)rest of the Scriptures.

17 You therefore, beloved, (AX)since you know this beforehand, (AY)beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 (AZ)but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

(BA)To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched(BB)

1 That (BC)which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have (BD)seen with our eyes, (BE)which we have looked upon, and (BF)our hands have handled, concerning the (BG)Word of life— 2 (BH)the life (BI)was manifested, and we have seen, (BJ)and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was (BK)with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is (BL)with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you (BM)that [p]your joy may be full.

Fellowship with Him and One Another

5 (BN)This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that (BO)God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 (BP)If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we (BQ)walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and (BR)the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we (BS)confess our sins, He is (BT)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to (BU)cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we (BV)make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

The Test of Knowing Christ

2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, (BW)we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And (BX)He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but (BY)also for the whole world.

The Test of Knowing Him

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a (BZ)liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But (CA)whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God [q]is perfected (CB)in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 (CC)He who says he abides in Him (CD)ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

7 [r]Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had (CE)from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard [s]from the beginning. 8 Again, (CF)a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, (CG)because the darkness is passing away, and (CH)the true light is already shining.

9 (CI)He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 (CJ)He who loves his brother abides in the light, and (CK)there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who (CL)hates his brother is in darkness and (CM)walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Their Spiritual State

12 I write to you, little children,
Because (CN)your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is (CO)from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have (CP)known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because (CQ)you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.

Do Not Love the World

15 (CR)Do not love the world or the things in the world. (CS)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, (CT)the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And (CU)the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Deceptions of the Last Hour

18 (CV)Little children, (CW)it is the last hour; and as you have heard that (CX)the[t] Antichrist is coming, (CY)even now many antichrists have come, by which we know (CZ)that it is the last hour. 19 (DA)They went out from us, but they were not of us; for (DB)if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out (DC)that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

20 But (DD)you have an anointing (DE)from the Holy One, and (DF)you[u] know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22 (DG)Who is a liar but he who denies that (DH)Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 (DI)Whoever denies the Son does not have the (DJ)Father either; (DK)he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Let Truth Abide in You

24 Therefore let that abide in you (DL)which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, (DM)you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 (DN)And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to [v]deceive you. 27 But the (DO)anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and (DP)you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing (DQ)teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you [w]will abide in Him.

The Children of God

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that [x]when He appears, we may have (DR)confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 (DS)If you know that He is righteous, you know that (DT)everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

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
  12. 2 Peter 3:2 NU, M the apostles of your Lord and Savior or your apostles of the Lord and Savior
  13. 2 Peter 3:7 destruction
  14. 2 Peter 3:9 NU you
  15. 2 Peter 3:10 NU laid bare, lit. found
  16. 1 John 1:4 NU, M our
  17. 1 John 2:5 has been completed
  18. 1 John 2:7 NU Beloved
  19. 1 John 2:7 NU omits from the beginning
  20. 1 John 2:18 NU omits the
  21. 1 John 2:20 NU you all know.
  22. 1 John 2:26 lead you astray
  23. 1 John 2:27 NU omits will
  24. 1 John 2:28 NU if
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2 Peter 2 - 1 John 2
New International Version

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 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. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 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.

4 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) 5 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) 6 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) 7 and if he rescued Lot,(P) a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless(Q) 8 (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)— 9 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.”

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,(AQ) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders(AR) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets(AS) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.(AT)

3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days(AU) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.(AV) 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?(AW) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”(AX) 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word(AY) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.(AZ) 6 By these waters also the world of that time(BA) was deluged and destroyed.(BB) 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,(BC) being kept for the day of judgment(BD) and destruction of the ungodly.

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.(BE) 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,(BF) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient(BG) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.(BH)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.(BI) The heavens will disappear with a roar;(BJ) the elements will be destroyed by fire,(BK) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.[h](BL)

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward(BM) to the day of God and speed its coming.[i](BN) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.(BO) 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,(BP) where righteousness dwells.

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless(BQ) and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience(BR) means salvation,(BS) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.(BT) 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable(BU) people distort,(BV) as they do the other Scriptures,(BW) to their own destruction.

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard(BX) so that you may not be carried away by the error(BY) of the lawless(BZ) and fall from your secure position.(CA) 18 But grow in the grace(CB) and knowledge(CC) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.(CD) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.(CE)

The Incarnation of the Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning,(CF) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,(CG) which we have looked at and our hands have touched(CH)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared;(CI) we have seen it and testify to it,(CJ) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,(CK) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,(CL) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.(CM) 4 We write this(CN) to make our[j] joy complete.(CO)

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

5 This is the message we have heard(CP) from him and declare to you: God is light;(CQ) in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,(CR) we lie and do not live out the truth.(CS) 7 But if we walk in the light,(CT) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[k] sin.(CU)

8 If we claim to be without sin,(CV) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(CW) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins(CX) and purify us from all unrighteousness.(CY) 10 If we claim we have not sinned,(CZ) we make him out to be a liar(DA) and his word is not in us.(DB)

2 My dear children,(DC) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate(DD) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,(DE) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.(DF)

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

3 We know(DG) that we have come to know him(DH) if we keep his commands.(DI) 4 Whoever says, “I know him,”(DJ) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.(DK) 5 But if anyone obeys his word,(DL) love for God[l] is truly made complete in them.(DM) This is how we know(DN) we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.(DO)

7 Dear friends,(DP) I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning.(DQ) This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command;(DR) its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing(DS) and the true light(DT) is already shining.(DU)

9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[m](DV) is still in the darkness.(DW) 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[n] lives in the light,(DX) and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.(DY) 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister(DZ) is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.(EA) They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.(EB)

Reasons for Writing

12 I am writing to you, dear children,(EC)
    because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.(ED)
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(EE)
I am writing to you, young men,
    because you have overcome(EF) the evil one.(EG)

14 I write to you, dear children,(EH)
    because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(EI)
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,(EJ)
    and the word of God(EK) lives in you,(EL)
    and you have overcome the evil one.(EM)

On Not Loving the World

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.(EN) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[o] is not in them.(EO) 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(EP) the lust of the eyes,(EQ) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away,(ER) but whoever does the will of God(ES) lives forever.

Warnings Against Denying the Son

18 Dear children, this is the last hour;(ET) and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,(EU) even now many antichrists have come.(EV) This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us,(EW) but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.(EX)

20 But you have an anointing(EY) from the Holy One,(EZ) and all of you know the truth.[p](FA) 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it(FB) and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.(FC) 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.(FD)

24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning(FE) remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.(FF) 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.(FG)

26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.(FH) 27 As for you, the anointing(FI) you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things(FJ) and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.(FK)

God’s Children and Sin

28 And now, dear children,(FL) continue in him, so that when he appears(FM) we may be confident(FN) and unashamed before him at his coming.(FO)

29 If you know that he is righteous,(FP) you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.(FQ)

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
  8. 2 Peter 3:10 Some manuscripts be burned up
  9. 2 Peter 3:12 Or as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come
  10. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
  11. 1 John 1:7 Or every
  12. 1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love
  13. 1 John 2:9 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15, 17; 4:20; 5:16.
  14. 1 John 2:10 The Greek word for brother and sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 3:10; 4:20, 21.
  15. 1 John 2:15 Or world, the Father’s love
  16. 1 John 2:20 Some manuscripts and you know all things
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