But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

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.

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

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

Ang mga Huwad na Guro

Ngunit nagkaroon din ng mga huwad na propeta sa mga mamamayan ng Israel noong araw, at ganito rin ang mangyayari sa inyo. Magkakaroon ng mga huwad na guro sa inyo at palihim nilang ituturo ang mga aral na makakasira sa pananampalataya ninyo. Itatakwil nila maging ang Panginoon na tumubos sa kanila, kaya biglang darating sa kanila ang kapahamakan. Sa kabila nito, marami pa ring susunod sa nakakahiya nilang pamumuhay, at dahil sa kanila, malalapastangan ang katotohanang sinusunod natin. Dahil sa kasakiman nila, lilinlangin nila kayo sa pamamagitan ng matatamis na salita para kwartahan kayo. Matagal nang nakahanda ang hatol sa kanila, at malapit na silang lipulin.

Kahit nga ang mga anghel ay hindi kinaawaan ng Dios nang nagkasala sila. Sa halip, itinapon sila sa malalim at madilim na hukay para roon hintayin ang Araw ng Paghuhukom. Hindi rin kinaawaan ng Dios ang mga tao noong unang panahon dahil sa kasamaan nila, kundi nilipol silang lahat sa baha. Tanging si Noe na nangaral tungkol sa matuwid na pamumuhay at ang pito niyang kasama ang nakaligtas. Hinatulan din ng Dios ang mga lungsod ng Sodom at Gomora dahil sa kasamaan nila, at sinunog ang mga ito, para ipakita ang mangyayari sa masasama. Pero iniligtas ng Dios si Lot, isang taong matuwid na nababahala sa malaswang pamumuhay ng mga tao. Habang naninirahan doon si Lot, araw-araw niyang nasasaksihan ang masasama nilang gawain at labis na naghihirap ang kalooban niya. 9-10 Kaya makikita natin na alam ng Panginoon kung paano iligtas sa mga pagsubok ang mga matuwid, at kung paano parusahan ang masasama. Parurusahan niya lalo na ang mga sumusunod sa masasamang nasa ng kanilang laman at ayaw magpasakop sa kanya, hanggang sa pagdating ng Araw ng Paghuhukom. Ang binabanggit kong mga huwad na guro ay mayayabang at mapangahas. Hindi sila natatakot lapastanganin ang mga makapangyarihang nilalang. 11 Kahit ang mga anghel, na higit pang malakas at makapangyarihan sa mga gurong ito, ay hindi nilalapastangan ang mga makapangyarihang nilalang sa harap ng Panginoon. 12 Pero nilalapastangan ng mga gurong ito ang mga bagay na wala naman silang alam. Para silang mga hayop na walang isip at ipinanganak para hulihin at patayin. Talagang lilipulin ang mga taong ito. 13 Ito ang kabayaran sa ginagawa nilang kasamaan. Mahilig silang gumawa ng lantarang kalaswaan. Malaking kahihiyan at kapintasan ang dala nila sa inyo. Natutuwa silang lokohin kayo habang kumakain silang kasama ninyo sa mga pagsasalo-salo ninyo. 14 Kung tumingin sila sa babae, puno ito ng pagnanasa. Wala silang tigil sa paggawa ng kasalanan at hinihikayat pa ang mga taong mahihina. Sanay sila sa pagiging sakim. Mga isinumpa sila! 15 Tinalikuran nila ang tamang daan, kaya sila naligaw. Sinunod nila ang halimbawa ni Balaam na anak ni Beor na pumayag masuhulan sa paggawa ng masama. 16 At dahil nilabag niya ang utos ng Dios, sinumbatan siya ng asno[a] niyang nakapagsalita na parang tao upang mapigilan siya sa kabaliwan niya.

17 Ang mga huwad na gurong itoʼy tulad ng mga natuyong batis at mga ulap na tinatangay ng malakas na hangin. Inilaan na sila ng Dios sa kadiliman. 18 Mayabang silang magsalita, pero wala namang kabuluhan. Sinasabi nilang hindi masama ang pagsunod sa masasamang nasa ng laman. Kaya nahihikayat nilang bumalik sa imoralidad ang mga taong kakatalikod pa lamang sa masamang pamumuhay. 19 Ipinapangako nila ang kalayaan sa mga nahihikayat nila, pero sila mismo ay mga alipin ng kasalanang magpapahamak sa kanila. Sapagkat alipin ang tao ng anumang kumokontrol sa kanya. 20 Ang mga taong nakakilala na kay Jesu-Cristo na Panginoon at Tagapagligtas ay tumalikod na sa kasamaan ng mundo. Ngunit kung muli silang bumalik sa kasamaan at maging alipin muli nito, mas masahol pa sa dati ang magiging kalagayan nila. 21 Mas mabuti pang hindi na nila natagpuan ang landas patungo sa matuwid na pamumuhay, kaysa sa natagpuan ito at talikuran lang sa bandang huli ang mga banal na utos na ibinigay sa kanila. 22 Bagay sa kanila ang kasabihan,

    “Ang asoʼy kumakain ng suka niya.”[b]
    At, “Ang baboy, paliguan man ay babalik din sa kanyang lubluban.”

Footnotes

  1. 2:16 asno: sa Ingles, donkey.
  2. 2:22 Kaw. 26:11.