⁴ For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about^[a] long ago have secretly slipped in among you.^(A) They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.^(B)

⁴ This matter arose because some false believers^(A) had infiltrated our ranks to spy on^(B) the freedom^(C) we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.

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.

¹⁰ This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire^(A) of the flesh^[a] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;^(B)

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.^(A)

¹⁶ Live as free people,^(A) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;^(B) live as God’s slaves.^(C)

⁸ and,

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.^(B)

¹⁵ To the pure, all things are pure,^(A) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.^(B) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.^{(C) 16} They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.^(D) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.^(E)

¹⁸ For they mouth empty, boastful words^(A) and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping^(B) 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.”^{(C) 20} If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing^(D) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ^(E) and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.^{(F) 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.^{(G) 22} Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”^[a](H) and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”