II Peter 2

¹But there arose false prophets also among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will stealthily bring in destructive factions, even denying the Lord that bought them; bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

²And many will follow their dissolute ways, by reason of whom the way of truth will be evil spoken of;

³and in covetousness will they with feigned words make merchandise of you; for whom the judgment long ago ordained lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.

⁴For if God spared not angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them over to chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

⁵and spared not the old world, but saved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

⁶and turning into ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, condemned them to overthrow, making them an example for those who in after time should live ungodly;

⁷and delivered righteous Lot, distressed by the lewd conduct of the lawless men;

⁸(for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing tormented his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds;)

⁹the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unrighteous under punishment to the day of judgment;

¹⁰but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise dominion. Presumptuous, self-willed, they are not afraid to rail at dignities;

¹¹whereas angels, who are greater in strength and power, bring not against them a railing accusation;

¹²but these, as brute beasts, by nature born to be taken and destroyed, railing at things which they understand not, shall even perish in their own corruption,

¹³receiving the wages of unrighteousness. Counting it pleasure to riot in the day-time, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceits while they feast with you,

¹⁴having eyes full of an adulteress, and that cannot cease from sin, alluring unstable souls, having a heart exercised in covetousness, children of a curse,

¹⁵they have forsaken the right way, and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,

¹⁶but was rebuked for his iniquity; the dumb ass, speaking with man’s voice, restrained the madness of the prophet.

¹⁷These are wells without water, and mists driven by a tempest; for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved.

¹⁸For speaking great swelling words of vanity, they allure in the lusts of the flesh, by dissolute ways, such as were in some measure escaping from those who live in error;

¹⁹promising them liberty, while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by the same is he also brought into bondage.

²⁰For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is worse with them than the first.

²¹For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

²²It hath happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog returned to his own vomit; and, The sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.

II Peter 2

¹But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

²And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

³And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

⁵And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

⁶And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

⁷And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

⁸(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

⁹The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

¹⁰But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

¹¹Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

¹²But 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;

¹³And 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;

¹⁴Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

¹⁵Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

¹⁶But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

¹⁷These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

¹⁸For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

¹⁹While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

²⁰For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

²¹For 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 unto them.

²²But it is happened unto 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.