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2 Peter 2
Common English Bible

Appearance of false teachers

2 But false prophets also arose among the people. In the same way, false teachers will come among you. They will introduce destructive opinions and deny the master who bought them, bringing quick destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow them in their unrestrained immorality, and because of these false teachers the way of truth will be slandered. 3 In their greed they will take advantage of you with lies. The judgment pronounced against them long ago hasn’t fallen idle, nor is their destruction sleeping.

Active judgment of God

4 God didn’t spare the angels when they sinned but cast them into the lowest level of the underworld and committed them to chains of darkness, keeping them there until the judgment. 5 And he didn’t spare the ancient world when he brought a flood on the world of ungodly people, even though he protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, along with seven others. 6 God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to total destruction, reducing them to ashes as a warning to ungodly people. 7 And he rescued righteous Lot, who was made miserable by the unrestrained immorality of unruly people. (8 While that righteous man lived among them he felt deep distress every day on account of the immoral actions he saw and heard.) 9 These things show that the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials, and how to keep the unrighteous for punishment on the Judgment Day. 10 This is especially true for those who follow after the corrupt cravings of the sinful nature and defy the Lord’s authority.

Evil character of the false teachers

These reckless, brash people aren’t afraid to insult the glorious ones, 11 yet angels, who are stronger and more powerful, don’t use insults when pronouncing the Lord’s judgment on them. 12 These false teachers are like irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They slander what they don’t understand and, like animals, they will be destroyed. 13 In this way, they will receive payment for their wrongdoing.

They even enjoy unruly parties in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, taking delight in their seductive pleasures while feasting with you. 14 They are always looking for someone with whom to commit adultery. They are always on the lookout for opportunities to sin. They ensnare people whose faith is weak. They have hearts trained in greed. They are under God’s curse. 15 Leaving the straight path, they have gone off course, following the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the payment of doing wrong. 16 But Balaam was rebuked for his wrongdoing. A donkey, which has no voice, spoke with a human voice and put a stop to the prophet’s madness.

17 These false teachers are springs without water, mists driven by the wind. The underworld has been reserved for them. 18 With empty, self-important speech, they use sinful cravings and unrestrained immorality to ensnare people who have only just escaped life with those who have wandered from the truth. 19 These false teachers promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of immorality; whatever overpowers you, enslaves you. 20 If people escape the moral filth of this world through the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, then get tangled up in it again and are overcome by it, they are worse off than they were before. 21 It would be better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having come to know it, to turn back from the holy commandment entrusted to them. 22 They demonstrate the truth of the proverb: “A dog returns to its own vomit, and a washed sow wallows in the mud.”

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2 Peter 2
Lexham English Bible

The Rise and Fall of the False Teachers

2 But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will bring in destructive heresies[a], even denying the Master who bought them, thus[b] bringing on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their licentious ways, because of whom the way of truth will be reviled. 3 And in greediness they will exploit you with false words, whose condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but held them captive in Tartarus with chains of darkness and handed them over to be kept for judgment, 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a proclaimer of righteousness, and seven others[c] when he[d] brought a flood on the world of the ungodly, 6 and condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes, having appointed them as an example for those who are going to be ungodly, 7 and rescued righteous Lot, worn down by the way of life of lawless persons in licentiousness 8 (for that righteous man, as he[e] lived among them day after day, was tormenting his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he was seeing and hearing), 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to reserve the unrighteous to be punished at[f] the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who go after the flesh in defiling lust[g] and who despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they do not tremble in awe as they[h] blaspheme majestic beings, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in strength and power, do not bring against them a demeaning judgment.[i] 12 But these persons, like irrational animals born only with natural instincts for capture and killing, blaspheming about things[j] they do not understand, in their destruction will also be destroyed, 13 being harmed as the wages of unrighteousness. Considering reveling in the daytime a pleasure, they are stains and blemishes, carousing in their deceitful pleasures when they[k] feast together with you, 14 having eyes full of desire for an adulteress and unceasing from sin, enticing unstable persons, and[l] having hearts trained for greediness. Accursed children! 15 By[m] leaving the straight path, they have gone astray, because they[n] followed the way of Balaam the son of Bosor,[o] who loved the wages of unrighteousness, 16 but received a rebuke for his own lawlessness: a speechless donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the prophet’s madness[p].

17 These people are waterless springs and mists driven by a hurricane, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved. 18 For by speaking high-sounding but empty words[q], they entice with desires of the flesh and with licentiousness those who are scarcely escaping from those who live in error, 19 promising them freedom although they[r] themselves are slaves of depravity. For to whatever someone succumbs, by this he is also[s] enslaved. 20 For if, after they[t] have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord[u] and Savior Jesus Christ, and they are again entangled in these things and succumb to them, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them. 22 The statement of the true proverb has happened to them, “A dog returns to its own vomit,”[v] and “A sow, after[w] washing herself, returns[x] to wallowing in the mud.”[y]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:1 Literally “heresies of destruction”
  2. 2 Peter 2:1 Here “thus” is supplied as a component of the participle (“bringing on”) which is understood as result
  3. 2 Peter 2:5 Literally “eighth”
  4. 2 Peter 2:5 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“brought”) which is understood as temporal
  5. 2 Peter 2:8 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“lived”) which is understood as temporal
  6. 2 Peter 2:9 Or “until”
  7. 2 Peter 2:10 Literally “in lust of defilement,” translated here as an attributive genitive
  8. 2 Peter 2:10 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“blaspheme”) which is understood as temporal
  9. 2 Peter 2:11 Some manuscripts have “a demeaning judgment from the Lord”
  10. 2 Peter 2:12 Literally “with reference to which”
  11. 2 Peter 2:13 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“feast together”) which is understood as temporal
  12. 2 Peter 2:14 Here “and” is supplied in keeping with English style
  13. 2 Peter 2:15 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“leaving”) which is understood as means
  14. 2 Peter 2:15 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“followed”) which is understood as causal
  15. 2 Peter 2:15 Although some English versions use “Beor” here, this is due to harmonization with the Old Testament; the vast majority of Greek manuscripts read “Bosor” here
  16. 2 Peter 2:16 Literally “the of the prophet madness”
  17. 2 Peter 2:18 Literally “for speaking pompous words of emptiness”
  18. 2 Peter 2:19 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as concessive
  19. 2 Peter 2:19 Some manuscripts omit “also”
  20. 2 Peter 2:20 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have escaped from”) which is understood as temporal
  21. 2 Peter 2:20 Some manuscripts have “of our Lord”
  22. 2 Peter 2:22 A paraphrased quotation from Prov 26:11
  23. 2 Peter 2:22 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“washing herself”) which is understood as temporal
  24. 2 Peter 2:22 The verb “returns” is not in the Greek text, but is an understood repetition from the previous clause
  25. 2 Peter 2:22 The source of this quotation is uncertain
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2 Peter 2
Legacy Standard Bible

The Rise of False Prophets

2 But (A)false prophets also arose 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 And many will follow their (I)sensuality, 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.

4 For (P)if God did not spare angels who sinned, but cast them into the [a]pit and (Q)delivered them to chains of darkness, being kept for judgment; 5 and did not spare (R)the ancient world, but preserved (S)Noah, a [b]preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a (T)flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 and if He (U)condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an (V)example to those who would (W)live ungodly lives thereafter; 7 and if He (X)rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the (Y)sensual conduct of (Z)unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that (AA)righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9 (AB)then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from [c]trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the (AC)day of judgment, 10 and especially those who (AD)go after the flesh in its corrupt lust and (AE)despise authority.

Daring, (AF)self-willed, they do not tremble when they (AG)blaspheme [d]glorious ones, 11 (AH)whereas angels who are greater in strength and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But (AI)these, like unreasoning animals, (AJ)born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, blaspheming where they have no knowledge, will in [e]the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering unrighteousness as (AK)the wages of their unrighteousness, considering it a pleasure to (AL)revel in the (AM)daytime—they are stains and blemishes, (AN)reveling in their [f]deceptions, as they (AO)feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and unceasing sin, (AP)enticing (AQ)unstable souls, having a heart trained in (AR)greed—they are (AS)accursed children. 15 Forsaking (AT)the right way, they have gone astray, having followed (AU)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved (AV)the wages of unrighteousness, 16 but he received a rebuke for his own lawlessness, (AW)for a mute donkey, speaking out with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.

17 These are (AX)springs without water and mists driven by a storm, (AY)for whom the [g]black darkness has been kept. 18 For speaking out (AZ)arrogant words of (BA)vanity, they (BB)entice by (BC)sensual lusts of the flesh, those who barely (BD)escape from the ones who conducted themselves in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for (BE)by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if they are overcome, having both (BF)escaped the defilements of the world by (BG)the knowledge of the (BH)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and having again been (BI)entangled in them, then (BJ)the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 (BK)For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from (BL)the holy commandment (BM)handed on to them. 22 The [h]message of the true proverb has happened to them, “(BN)A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:4 Gr tartarus
  2. 2 Peter 2:5 Or herald
  3. 2 Peter 2:9 Or temptation
  4. 2 Peter 2:10 Angels
  5. 2 Peter 2:12 Lit their destruction also
  6. 2 Peter 2:13 One early ms love feasts
  7. 2 Peter 2:17 Lit blackness of darkness
  8. 2 Peter 2:22 Lit thing
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2 Peter 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.”

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
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