2 Peter 2
1 But there were false prophets also in the nation, just as there will be false teachers among you, men who will secretly introduce ruinous divisions, disowning even the Lord who bought them, and bringing speedy Ruin upon themselves.
But false prophets also developed among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will sneak in pernicious denominations, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2 There will be many, too, who will follow their licentious courses, and cause the Way of the Truth to be maligned.
And many will follow their wantonness, because of whom the way of the truth will be blasphemed.
3 In their covetousness they will try to make you a source of profit by their fabrications; but for a long time past their Sentence has not been standing idle, nor their Ruin slumbering.
And they will exploit you in greed with fabricated words, whose judgment is not idle for long, and their destruction will not slumber.
4 Remember, God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them down to Tartarus, and committed them to caverns of darkness, to be kept under guard for judgment. (Tartaroō g5020)
For if God did not spare agents who sinned, but delivered them up to chains of darkness, having been cast into hell being reserved for judgment, (Tartaroō g5020)
5 Nor did he spare the world of old; though he preserved Noah, the Preacher of Righteousness, and seven others, when he brought a flood upon the godless world.
and he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, the eighth, a herald of righteousness, when he brought on a flood upon the world of the irreverent,
6 He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and reduced them to ashes, holding them up as a warning to the godless of what was in store for them;
and he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, being reduced to ashes, having made an example of men who were going to be irreverent,
7 but he rescued righteous Lot, whose heart was vexed by the wanton licentiousness of his neighbours;
and he rescued righteous Lot, being distressed by the conduct of the lawless in their licentiousness
8 for, seeing and hearing what he did, as he lived his righteous life among them, day after day, Lot’s righteous soul was tortured by their wicked doings.
(for that righteous man dwelling among them day after day, in the sight and hearing of their lawless deeds, it anguished his righteous soul),
9 The Lord, therefore, knows how to deliver the pious from temptation, and to keep the wicked, who are even now suffering punishment, in readiness for ‘the Day of Judgment’ —
the Lord knows how to rescue the pious out of temptation, and to hold in reserve unrighteous men being cut off for a day of judgment.
10 especially those who, following the promptings of their lower nature, indulge their polluting passions and despise all control. Audacious and self-willed, they feel no awe of the Mighty, maligning them,
And especially those going rear of flesh in a degenerate lust, and who despise lordship. Reckless, self-willed men, they do not tremble when speaking evil of dignities.
11 even where angels, though excelling them in strength and power, do not bring against them a malignant charge before the Lord.
Whereas agents, being greater in might and power, do not bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord.
12 These men, however, like animals without reason, intended by nature to be caught and killed — these men, I say, malign those of whom they know nothing, and will assuredly perish through their own corruption,
But these men, like irrational beasts of nature, having been born for capture and destruction, speaking evil at which things they do not understand, will be destroyed in their corruption,
13 suffering themselves, as the penalty for the suffering that they have inflicted. They think that pleasure consists in the self-indulgence of the moment. They are a stain and a disgrace, indulging, as they do, in their wanton revelry, even while joining you at your feasts.
getting back a wage of unrighteousness. Men who consider soft living in the daytime to be pleasure, spots and blemishes reveling in their deceitfulness, feasting together with you,
14 They have eyes only for adulteresses, eyes never tired of sin; they entice weak souls; their minds are trained to covet; they live under a curse.
having eyes full of adultery, and unceasing sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, children of a curse,
15 Leaving the straight road, they have gone astray and followed in the steps of Balaam, the son of Beor, who set his heart on the reward for wrong-doing,
having forsaken a straight path, they were led astray, men who followed the way of Balaam, son of Beor, who loved the wage of unrighteousness.
16 but was rebuked for his offence. A dumb animal spoke with the voice of a man, and checked the prophet’s madness.
But he had a rebuke of his own lawbreaking. A mute donkey, uttering in a man's voice, restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These men are like springs without water, or mists driven before a gale; and for them the blackest darkness has been reserved.
These men are waterless wells, and clouds driven by a fierce wind, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved into an age. (questioned)
18 With boastful and foolish talk, they appeal to the passions of man’s lower nature, and, by their profligacy, entice those who are just escaping from the men who live such misguided lives.
For, uttering swollen things of vanity, they entice (to sensuality by lusts of flesh) those who actually escaped from those who live in error,
19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to corrupt habits; for a man is the slave of anything to which he gives way.
promising them freedom, while they themselves are bondmen of corruption, for by what any man has been overcome, of this he has also been enslaved.
20 If, after having escaped the polluting influences of the world, through knowing our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, men are again entangled in them, and give way to them, their last state has become worse than their first.
For if, having escaped the defilements of the world by knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and, having been again entangled in these, they are overcome, the last things have become worse for them than the first.
21 It would, indeed, have been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn away from the holy Command delivered to them.
For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 In their case is seen the truth of the proverb — ‘A dog returns to what he has vomited’ and ‘A sow after washing to her wallowing-place in the mud.’
But that of the true proverb has happened to them, The dog returning to his own vomit, and the sow that washed to wallowing in mire.
