¹⁰ and especially ^(A)those who indulge^[a] in the lust of defiling passion and ^(B)despise authority.

Bold and willful, they do not tremble ^(C)as they blaspheme the glorious ones, ^11 (D)whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. ^12 (E)But these, like irrational animals, ^(F)creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, ¹³ suffering wrong as ^(G)the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure ^(H)to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions,^[b] while ^(I)they feast with you. ¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery,^{[c] (J)}insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts ^(K)trained in greed. ^(L)Accursed children! ¹⁵ Forsaking the right way, ^(M)they have gone astray. They have followed ^(N)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(O)gain from wrongdoing, ¹⁶ but was rebuked for his own transgression; ^(P)a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

^17 (Q)These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. ^(R)For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ For, ^(S)speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely ^(T)escaping from those who live in error.

⁶ Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as ^(A)they did. ^7 (B)Do not be idolaters ^(C)as some of them were; as it is written, ^(D)“The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” ^8 (E)We must not indulge in sexual immorality ^(F)as some of them did, and ^(G)twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.

Baal Worship at Peor

25 While Israel lived in ^(A)Shittim, ^(B)the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. ^2 (C)These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. ³ So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. ⁴ And the Lord said to Moses, ^(D)“Take all the chiefs of the people and ^(E)hang^[a] them in the sun before the Lord, ^(F)that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” ⁵ And Moses said to ^(G)the judges of Israel, ^(H)“Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”

⁶ And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were ^(I)weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting.

⁷ just as ^(A)Sodom and Gomorrah and ^(B)the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and ^(C)pursued unnatural desire,^[a] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

⁸ Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and ^(D)blaspheme the glorious ones. ⁹ But when ^(E)the archangel ^(F)Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing ^(G)about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, ^(H)“The Lord rebuke you.” ^10 (I)But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they walked in ^(J)the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain ^(K)to Balaam's error and ^(L)perished in Korah's rebellion. ¹² These are hidden reefs^{[b] (M)}at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, ^(N)shepherds feeding themselves; ^(O)waterless clouds, ^(P)swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, ^(Q)uprooted; ^13 (R)wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of ^(S)their own shame; ^(T)wandering stars, ^(U)for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.