2 Peter 2

The Rise and Fall of the False Teachers

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will bring in destructive heresiest, even denying the Master who bought them, thus bringing on themselves swift destruction.2 And many will follow their licentious ways, because of whom the way of truth will be reviled.

3 And in greediness they will exploit you with false words, whose condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but held them captive in Tartarus with chains of darkness and handed them over to be kept for judgment,5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a proclaimer of righteousness, and seven otherst when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly,6 and condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes, having appointed them as an example for those who are going to be ungodly,7 and rescued righteous Lot, worn down by the way of life of lawless persons in licentiousness8 (for that righteous man, as he lived among them day after day, was tormenting his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he was seeing and hearing),9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to reserve the unrighteous to be punished att the day of judgment,

10 and especially those who go after the flesh in defiling lustt and who despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, they do not tremble in awe as they blaspheme majestic beings,11 whereas angels, who are greater in strength and power, do not bring against them a demeaning judgment.t12 But these persons, like irrational animals born only with natural instincts for capture and killing, blaspheming about thingst they do not understand, in their destruction will also be destroyed,13 being harmed as the wages of unrighteousness. Considering reveling in the daytime a pleasure, they are stains and blemishes, carousing in their deceitful pleasures when they feast together with you,14 having eyes full of desire for an adulteress and unceasing from sin, enticing unstable persons, and having hearts trained for greediness. Accursed children!15 By leaving the straight path, they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam the son of Bosor,t who loved the wages of unrighteousness,

16 but received a rebuke for his own lawlessness: a speechless donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the prophet’s madnesst.
17 These people are waterless springs and mists driven by a hurricane, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved.18 For by speaking high-sounding but empty wordst, they entice with desires of the flesh and with licentiousness those who are scarcely escaping from those who live in error,19 promising them freedom although they themselves are slaves of depravity. For to whatever someone succumbs, by this he is alsot enslaved.20 For if, after they have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lordt and Savior Jesus Christ, and they are again entangled in these things and succumb to them, the last state has become worse for them than the first.21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them.

22 The statement of the true proverb has happened to them, “A dog returns to its own vomit,”t and “A sow, after washing herself, returns to wallowing in the mud.”t

2 Peter 2

1 But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.2 And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of.3 And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.4 For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;5 and spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly;7 and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked8 (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds):9 the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment;10 but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities:11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord.12 But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed,13 suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you;14 having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing;15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing;16 but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with man’s voice and stayed the madness of the prophet.17 These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved.18 For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error;19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage.20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.21 For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.22 It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.