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And There Will Be False Teachers Among You, Exploiting You

But false-prophets also came among the people, as there will also be false-teachers among you who will secretly-bring-in heresies of [a] destruction— even denying the Master having bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many will follow-after their sensualities[b], because of whom the way of the truth will be blasphemed. And in greed they will exploit[c] you with fabricated words, for whom the judgment from-long-ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

God Will Reserve Them For Punishment And Protect The Righteous

For if God did not spare angels having sinned but handed-them-over to chains of gloom, having cast-them-into-hell, being reserved for[d] judgment; and He did not spare the ancient world but protected the eighth[e] one, Noah, a proclaimer of righteousness, having brought a flood upon the world of ungodly ones; and He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, having reduced-them-to-ashes by an overthrow, having made them an example of things coming to ungodly ones; and He delivered Lot, a righteous one being oppressed[f] by the conduct of the lawless[g] ones in connection with sensuality (for by sight and hearing the righteous one dwelling among them day[h] after day was tormenting his righteous soul with their lawless[i] works) then the Lord knows-how to deliver godly ones from a trial[j] and reserve unrighteous ones for the day of judgment while being punished, 10 and especially the ones proceeding after the flesh in[k] a lust[l] for[m] defilement, and despising[n] authority[o].

They Are Self-Willed Slaves of Corruption Speaking Against The Things of God

Daring[p], self-willed ones— they do not tremble while blaspheming glories[q], 11 where[r] angels being greater in strength and power do not bring a blasphemous judgment against them from the Lord. 12 But these ones are like unreasoning animals having been born as creatures-of-instinct[s] for capture and destruction. While blaspheming in[t] things which they are ignorant, they will also be destroyed in their[u] destruction[v], 13 being wronged as the wages of wrong-doing. Regarding the reveling during the day to be a pleasure, they are spots and blemishes reveling in their deceptions while feasting-with you, 14 having eyes full of an adulteress[w] and restless[x] of sin, enticing[y] unstable souls, having a heart trained in[z] greed. Children of [aa] a curse!— 15 leaving-behind the straight way, they went-astray, having followed-after the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of wrong-doing. 16 But he had a rebuke of his own law-violation: a speechless donkey having uttered in the voice of a human restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These ones are waterless springs, and mists being driven by a storm, for whom the gloom of the darkness has been reserved. 18 For while uttering pompous[ab] words of [ac] futility[ad], they entice by the desires of the flesh, by[ae] sensualities, the ones barely[af] escaping-from the ones living in error, 19 promising them freedom, themselves being slaves of corruption. For by what one has been defeated, by this he has been enslaved.

Their Slavery Now Is Worse Than Ever

20 For if— having escaped-from the defilements of the world by the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and again having been entangled by these things— they[ag] are defeated, then the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having known, to turn-back from the holy commandment having been delivered to them. 22 The thing of the true proverb has happened to them— “The dog having returned to its own vomit”, and, “The sow having washed herself returns to a wallowing of the mire”.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:1 That is, leading to; or, characterized by (destructive heresies).
  2. 2 Peter 2:2 Or, indecent conduct, lustful indulgences.
  3. 2 Peter 2:3 Or, make merchandise of.
  4. 2 Peter 2:4 Or, until.
  5. 2 Peter 2:5 That is, eighth along with seven others.
  6. 2 Peter 2:7 Or, worn out.
  7. 2 Peter 2:7 That is, ones who rebel against what is ‘set down’.
  8. 2 Peter 2:8 dwelling... day after day. Or, was day after day tormenting.
  9. 2 Peter 2:8 That is, contrary to law.
  10. 2 Peter 2:9 Or, from temptation.
  11. 2 Peter 2:10 That is, in connection with. Or, with.
  12. 2 Peter 2:10 Or, desire.
  13. 2 Peter 2:10 a lust for defilement. Or, a desire characterized by defilement, a defiled desire.
  14. 2 Peter 2:10 Or, scorning, disregarding.
  15. 2 Peter 2:10 Or, lordship, dominion. That is, authority in general; or, the lordship of Christ (denying the Master, 2:1); or, the rule of angels; or, the authority of church leaders.
  16. 2 Peter 2:10 Or, Bold, in a negative sense, Presumptuous.
  17. 2 Peter 2:10 Or, dignities, majesties. Compare Jude 8-9.
  18. 2 Peter 2:11 Or, whereas.
  19. 2 Peter 2:12 That is, they live like animals led by their physical appetites to their destruction. Or, of-nature; like unreasoning animals of-nature, having been born for capture. They live like part of the animal kingdom and share their fate.
  20. 2 Peter 2:12 That is, in connection with, in the sphere of.
  21. 2 Peter 2:12 That is, their own; or, the animals’.
  22. 2 Peter 2:12 Or, corruption (as in v 19), taking this word differently here than earlier in the verse.
  23. 2 Peter 2:14 That is, full of desire for a woman with whom to commit adultery.
  24. 2 Peter 2:14 Or, unceasing, not-resting. That is, eyes restless to continue sinning, or never resting from sinning.
  25. 2 Peter 2:14 Or, luring, baiting, entrapping.
  26. 2 Peter 2:14 Or, from, by.
  27. 2 Peter 2:14 That is, characterized by (accursed children); or, destined to.
  28. 2 Peter 2:18 Or, swollen, excessive, bombastic.
  29. 2 Peter 2:18 That is, characterized by.
  30. 2 Peter 2:18 Or, uselessness, worthlessness.
  31. 2 Peter 2:18 Or, for. Or, by the sensual desires of the flesh.
  32. 2 Peter 2:18 That is, just beginning to.
  33. 2 Peter 2:20 That is, the false teachers (v 17-18a); or, their victims (v 18b-19); or, this may be a general principle referring to all.

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