2 Peter 2
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there shall be among you lying teachers, who shall bring in sects of perdition, and deny the Lord who bought them: bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies. They will even deny the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their riotousnesses, through whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
Many will follow their sensual ways, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their perdition slumbereth not.
In their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation from of old is not idle, and their destruction will not slumber.
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but delivered them, drawn down by infernal ropes to the lower hell, unto torments, to be reserved unto judgment: (Tartaroō g5020)
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus and committed them to chains of darkness to be kept for judgment; (Tartaroō g5020)
5 And spared not the original world, but preserved Noe, the eighth person, the preacher of justice, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.
and if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, along with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 And reducing the cities of the Sodomites, and of the Gomorrhites, into ashes, condemned them to be overthrown, making them an example to those that should after act wickedly.
and if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes and made them an example to those who would live in an ungodly way;
7 And delivered just Lot, oppressed by the injustice and lewd conversation of the wicked.
and if he rescued righteous Lot, who was distressed by the sensual conduct of the lawless
8 For in sight and hearing he was just: dwelling among them, who from day to day vexed the just soul with unjust works.
(for as that righteous man dwelt among them, his righteous soul was tormented day after day over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly from temptation, but to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be tormented.
then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and how to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,
10 And especially them who walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government, audacious, self willed, they fear not to bring in sects, blaspheming.
especially those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and who despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they do not tremble when they blaspheme glorious beings,
11 Whereas angels who are greater in strength and power, bring not against themselves a railing judgment.
whereas angels, who are greater in strength and power, do not bring a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.
12 But these men, as irrational beasts, naturally tending to the snare and to destruction, blaspheming those things which they know not, shall perish in their corruption,
But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like irrational beasts, creatures of instinct born for capture and destruction, and in the destruction of those beasts they will be destroyed,
13 Receiving the reward of their injustice, counting for a pleasure the delights of a day: stains and spots, sporting themselves to excess, rioting in their feasts with you:
receiving the wages of unrighteousness. Counting indulgence in the daytime as pleasure, they are stains and blemishes, openly indulging in their deceptions as they feast with you.
14 Having eyes full of adultery and of sin that ceaseth not: alluring unstable souls, having their heart exercised with covetousness, children of malediction:
They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unstable souls. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.
15 Leaving the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity,
They have abandoned the straight path and gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.
16 But had a check of his madness, the dumb beast used to the yoke, which speaking with man’s voice, forbade the folly of the prophet.
But he received a rebuke for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and prevented the prophet's madness.
17 These are fountains without water, and clouds tossed with whirlwinds, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved.
These men are springs without water, clouds driven by a storm, for whom the thick gloom of darkness has been reserved forever. (questioned)
18 For, speaking proud words of vanity, they allure by the desires of fleshly riotousness, those who for a little while escape, such as converse in error:
For they speak bombastic words of nonsense, and with sensual desires of the flesh they entice people who have truly escaped from others who live in error.
19 Promising them liberty, whereas they themselves are the slaves of corruption. For by whom a man is overcome, of the same also he is the slave.
They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption. For a man is a slave to whatever masters him.
20 For if, flying from the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they be again entangled in them and overcome: their latter state is become unto them worse than the former.
For if after they have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these defilements and overcome, the last state is worse for them than the first.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of justice, than after they have known it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was delivered to them.
It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was passed on to them.
22 For, that of the true proverb has happened to them: The dog is returned to his vomit: and, The sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.
What the true proverb says has happened to them: “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing herself, returns to wallowing in the mire.”
