2 Peter 2
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will privately bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
But there were false prophets also in the nation, just as there will be false teachers among you, people who will secretly introduce ruinous divisions, disowning even the Lord who bought them, and bringing speedy ruin on themselves.
2 And many will follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth will be evil spoken of.
There will be many, too, who will follow their licentious courses, and cause the way of the truth to be maligned.
3 And through covetousness they will with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
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.
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 to judgment; (Tartaroō g5020)
Remember, God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them down to Tartarus, and consigned them to caverns of darkness, to be kept under guard for judgment. (Tartaroō g5020)
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth [person], a preacher of righteousness, bringing the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
Nor did he spare the world of old; though he preserved Noah, the preacher of righteousness, and seven others, when he brought a flood on the godless world.
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned [them] with an overthrow, making [them] an example to those that afterwards should live ungodly lives.
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;
7 And delivered just Lot, grieved with the habitual lewdness of the wicked:
but he rescued righteous Lot, whose heart was vexed by the wanton licentiousness of his neighbours;
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, grieved [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds; )
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.
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished:
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” –
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous [are they], self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
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 celestial beings, maligning them,
11 Whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
even where angels, though excelling them in strength and power, do not bring against them a malignant charge 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:
These people, however, like animals without reason, intended by nature to be caught and killed – these people, I say, malign those of whom they know nothing, and will assuredly perish through 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;
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.
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: they have a heart exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
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.
15 Who have forsaken the right way, and gone astray, following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
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 wrongdoing,
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice, forbad the madness of the prophet.
but was rebuked for his offence. A dumb animal spoke with a human voice, and checked the prophet’s madness.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. (questioned)
These people are like springs without water, or mists driven before a gale; and for them the blackest darkness has been reserved.
18 For when they speak great swelling [words] of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, [through much] wantonness, those that had quite escaped from them who live in error.
With boastful and foolish talk, they appeal to the passions of people’s lower nature, and, by their profligacy, entice those who are just escaping from the people who live such misguided lives.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for by whom a man is overcome, by the same is he brought into bondage.
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to corrupt habits; for a person is the slave of anything to which they give way.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
If, after having escaped the polluting influences of the world, through knowing our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, people are again entangled in them, and give way to them, their last state has become worse than their first.
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 to them.
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.
22 But it hath happened to 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.
In their case is seen the truth of the proverb – “A dog returns to what it has vomited” and “A sow after washing to her wallowing-place in the mud.”
