2 Peter 2-3
New American Standard Bible
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.
4 For (P)if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into [a]hell and (Q)committed them to [b]pits of darkness, held for judgment; 5 and did not spare (R)the ancient world, but protected (S)Noah, a [c]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 [d]of what is coming for the (W)ungodly; 7 and if He (X)rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the (Y)perverted conduct of [e](Z)unscrupulous people 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 [f]a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the (AC)day of judgment, 10 and especially those who [g](AD)indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and (AE)despise [h]authority.
[i]Reckless, (AF)self-centered, they (AG)speak abusively of angelic [j]majesties without trembling, 11 (AH)whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a demeaning judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But (AI)these, like unreasoning animals, (AJ)born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, using abusive speech where they have no knowledge, will in [k]the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as (AK)the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to (AL)revel in the (AM)daytime. They are stains and blemishes, (AN)reveling in their [l]deceptions as they (AO)feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery [m]that never cease from sin, (AP)enticing (AQ)unstable souls, having hearts trained in (AR)greed, (AS)accursed children; 15 abandoning (AT)the right way, they have gone astray, having followed (AU)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved (AV)the [n]reward of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own offense, (AW)for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.
17 These are (AX)springs without water and mists driven by a storm, (AY)for whom the [o]black darkness has been reserved. 18 For, while speaking out (AZ)arrogant words of no (BA)value they (BB)entice by fleshly desires, by (BC)indecent behavior, those who barely (BD)escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for (BE)by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have (BF)escaped the defilements of the world by (BG)the knowledge of the (BH)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again (BI)entangled in them and are overcome, (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 [p]It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “(BN)A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”
Purpose of This Letter
3 (BO)Beloved, this is now the second letter I am writing to you in which I am (BP)stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder, 2 to (BQ)remember the words spoken beforehand by (BR)the holy prophets and (BS)the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
The Coming Day of the Lord
3 (BT)Know this first of all, that (BU)in the last days (BV)mockers will come with their mocking, (BW)following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “(BX)Where is the promise of His (BY)coming? For ever since the fathers [q](BZ)fell asleep, all things continue just as they were (CA)from the beginning of creation.” 5 For [r]when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that (CB)by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was (CC)formed out of water and by water, 6 through which (CD)the world at that time was (CE)destroyed by being flooded with water. 7 But by His word (CF)the present heavens and earth are being reserved for (CG)fire, kept for (CH)the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, (CI)beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and (CJ)a thousand years like one day. 9 (CK)The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but (CL)is patient toward you, (CM)not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
A New Heaven and Earth
10 But (CN)the day of the Lord (CO)will come like a thief, in which (CP)the heavens (CQ)will pass away with a roar and the (CR)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and (CS)the earth and [s]its works will be [t]discovered.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 (CT)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which (CU)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the (CV)elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His (CW)promise we are looking for (CX)new heavens and a new earth, (CY)in which righteousness dwells.
14 (CZ)Therefore, (DA)beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be (DB)found (DC)spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, 15 and regard the (DD)patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also (DE)our beloved brother Paul, (DF)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of (DG)these things, (DH)in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and (DI)unstable distort, as they do also (DJ)the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, (DK)beloved, knowing this beforehand, (DL)be on your guard so that you are not carried away by (DM)the error of [u](DN)unscrupulous people and (DO)lose your own [v]firm commitment, 18 but grow in the grace and (DP)knowledge of our (DQ)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (DR)To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 2:4 Gr Tartarus, a name used as a reference to the netherworld (hell)
- 2 Peter 2:4 One early ms chains of darkness
- 2 Peter 2:5 Or herald
- 2 Peter 2:6 One early ms to those who were going to live ungodly lives
- 2 Peter 2:7 Or disgraceful
- 2 Peter 2:9 Or temptation; one early ms trials (temptations)
- 2 Peter 2:10 Lit go after
- 2 Peter 2:10 Lit lordship
- 2 Peter 2:10 Or Audacious
- 2 Peter 2:10 Lit glories
- 2 Peter 2:12 Lit their destruction also
- 2 Peter 2:13 One early ms love feasts
- 2 Peter 2:14 Lit and unceasing from sin
- 2 Peter 2:15 Or wages
- 2 Peter 2:17 Lit blackness of darkness
- 2 Peter 2:22 Lit The thing of the true proverb has happened to them
- 2 Peter 3:4 I.e., died
- 2 Peter 3:5 Or they are willfully ignorant of this fact, that
- 2 Peter 3:10 Lit the works in it
- 2 Peter 3:10 I.e., as worthless; late mss burned up
- 2 Peter 3:17 Or disgraceful
- 2 Peter 3:17 Or firm hold
2 Peter 2-3
King James Version
2 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.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 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.
4 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;
5 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;
6 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;
7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
9 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.
3 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after 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 the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
2 Peter 2-3
Christian Standard Bible
The Judgment of False Teachers
2 There were indeed false prophets(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers(B) among you. They will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought(C) them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved ways, and the way of truth will be maligned because of them.(D) 3 They will exploit(E) you in their greed(F) with made-up stories. Their condemnation,(G) pronounced long ago, is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep.
4 For if God didn’t spare(H) the angels who sinned but cast them into hell[a](I) and delivered them in chains[b] of utter darkness to be kept for judgment;(J) 5 and if he didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah,(K) a preacher of righteousness, and seven others,[c](L) when he brought the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and if he reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah(M) to ashes and condemned them to extinction,[d] making them an example of what is coming to the ungodly;(N) 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot,(O) distressed by the depraved behavior of the immoral 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day by day, his righteous soul was tormented by the lawless deeds he saw and heard(P))— 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue(Q) the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,(R) 10 especially those who follow the polluting desires of the flesh and despise authority.(S)
Bold, arrogant people! They are not afraid to slander the glorious ones; 11 however, angels, who are greater in might and power, do not bring a slanderous charge against them before the Lord.[e] 12 But these people, like irrational animals—creatures of instinct born to be caught and destroyed—slander what they do not understand, and in their destruction they too will be destroyed. 13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are spots and blemishes, delighting in their deceptions[f] while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery(T) that never stop looking for sin. They seduce unstable people and have hearts trained in greed. Children under a curse!(U) 15 They have gone astray by abandoning the straight path(V) and have followed the path of Balaam,(W) the son of Bosor,[g] who loved the wages of wickedness(X) 16 but received a rebuke for his lawlessness: A speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.(Y)
17 These people are springs without water, mists driven by a storm. The gloom of darkness has been reserved for them.(Z) 18 For by uttering boastful, empty words,(AA) they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped[h] from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them.(AB) 20 For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord[i] and Savior Jesus Christ,(AC) they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.(AD) 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness(AE) than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command(AF) delivered(AG) to them.(AH) 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to its own vomit,[j](AI) and, “A washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud.”
The Day of the Lord
3 Dear friends, this is now the second letter(AJ) I have written to you; in both letters, I want to stir up your sincere(AK) understanding by way of reminder, 2 so that you recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. 3 Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days(AL) scoffing and following their own evil desires, 4 saying, “Where is his ‘coming’ that he promised?(AM) Ever since our ancestors fell asleep,(AN) all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.” 5 They deliberately overlook this: By the word of God(AO) the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water.(AP) 6 Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded.(AQ) 7 By the same word,(AR) the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment(AS) and destruction of the ungodly.
8 Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.(AT) 9 The Lord does not delay his promise,(AU) as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any(AV) to perish(AW) but all to come to repentance.(AX)
10 But the day of the Lord(AY) will come like a thief;[k](AZ) on that day the heavens will pass away(BA) with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved,(BB) and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.[l][m] 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.[n](BC) Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. 13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth,(BD) where righteousness dwells.(BE)
Conclusion
14 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace.(BF) 15 Also, regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him.(BG) 16 He speaks about these things in all his letters. There are some things hard to understand in them. The untaught and unstable will twist them to their own destruction,(BH) as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard,(BI) so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stable position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge(BJ) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.[o](BK)
Footnotes
- 2:4 Gk Tartarus
- 2:4 Other mss read in pits
- 2:5 Lit Noah, the eighth, a preacher of righteousness
- 2:6 Other mss omit to extinction
- 2:11 Other mss read them from the Lord
- 2:13 Other mss read delighting in the love feasts
- 2:15 Other mss read Beor
- 2:18 Or people who are actually escaping
- 2:20 Other mss read our Lord
- 2:22 Pr 26:11
- 3:10 Other mss add in the night
- 3:10 Other mss read will be burned up
- 3:10 Some Syriac and Coptic mss read will not be found
- 3:12 Or and speed the coming
- 3:18 Other mss add Amen.
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