2 Peter 2

1 Now there were also false prophets [deceptive messengers, pseudo-prophets] among the people, just as there will be false teachers [lying instructors, deceitful guides] among you. They will secretly introduce [slyly bring in, smuggle] destructive heresies [damnable sects, pernicious doctrines], even denying [rejecting, disowning] the Master [Lord, Redeemer] who bought them [purchased, redeemed]—bringing swift [sudden, quick] destruction [perdition, ruin] on themselves. word study 2 Many [a great number, numerous] will follow [imitate, obey] in their [these false teachers’] depravity [debauchery, licentiousness], and because of them [through their influence] the way [road, path] of truth [reality] will be defamed [evil spoken of, blasphemed, slandered]. word study 3 In their greed [covetousness, avarice], these false teachers [with feigned words, deceitful stories] will exploit [make merchandise of, traffic in] you with deceptive words [made-up tales, artificial speeches]. The longstanding verdict [judgment, sentence] against them remains in force [does not linger, is not idle], and their destruction [perdition, loss] does not sleep [is not postponed, does not slumber]. word study 4 For if God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] did not spare [treat leniently, have pity on] the angels [messengers of God, heavenly beings] when they sinned [missed the mark, fell short], but cast them deep into hell [Tartarus, a place of eternal torment], placing them in chains [bonds, fetters] of darkness [gloom, spiritual blindness] to be held [reserved, kept] for judgment [divine verdict, decision]; word study 5 if He did not spare [treat leniently, have mercy on] the ancient [original, from the beginning of time] world when He brought [inflicted, sent upon] the flood [deluge, catastrophic overflow] on its ungodly [irreverent, wicked] people, but preserved [kept safe, protected] Noah [a righteous patriarch], a preacher [herald, messenger] of righteousness [living according to God’s will, moral integrity], among the eight [one of eight, a small remnant]; word study 6 if He condemned [judged against, gave a negative verdict] the cities [towns with walls, communities] of Sodom [a place in ancient Palestine] and Gomorrah [a city near the Dead Sea, known for its wickedness] to destruction [complete ruin, overthrow], reducing [burning, turning to ashes] them to ashes [nothing but ash, a pile of ashes] as an example [a pattern, a warning] of what is coming [about to happen, intended to happen] on the ungodly [those who live impiously, wickedly, without God]; word study 7 and if He rescued [delivered, saved] Lot, a [just, righteous] righteous man [righteous Lot, oppressed by the injustices] distressed [vexed, worn down] by the depraved [lascivious] conduct [behaviour, manner of life] of the [lawless, wicked] [in their uncleanly conversation, by their filthy lifestyle] lawless word study 8 (for that righteous [just, fair, and innocent] man, living [dwelling, residing] among them day after day [from day to day, daily], was tormented [vexed, distressed, tortured] in his righteous [just, upright] soul [the seat of emotions and desires] by the lawless [unlawful, wicked] deeds [actions, works] he saw [with his eyes, perceived] and heard [with his ears, became aware of])— word study 9 if all this is so, then the Lord [God, the supreme authority] knows how to rescue [to deliver, to save] the godly [pious, devout] from trials [temptations, testing] and to hold [to keep, to reserve] the unrighteous [unjust, wicked] for punishment [to punish, to chastise] on the day [a period of time] of judgment [divine verdict]. word study 10 Such punishment is specially [especially, mostly] reserved for those who indulge [follow, walk after] the corrupt desires [lust, uncleanness] of the flesh [human nature, physical body] and despise [think little of, disregard] authority [lordship, dominion]. Bold [daring, presumptuous] and self-willed [arrogant, uncontrolled], they are unafraid [without fear, trembling] to slander [speak evil of, blaspheme] glorious beings [dignitaries, heavenly beings]. word study 11 Yet not even angels [heavenly messengers, spirits], though greater in strength [power, ability] and power [miraculous ability, might], dare to bring such [railing, evil] slanderous charges [blasphemous accusations, judgments] against them before the Lord [God, the Supreme Authority]. word study 12 These men are like irrational [unreasonable, without logic] animals [living creatures, beasts], creatures of instinct [natural, driven by nature], born to be captured [taken, seized] and destroyed [ruined, perished]. They blaspheme [speak evil, slander] in matters they do not understand [are ignorant of, lack knowledge about], and like such creatures [brute beasts, mindless animals], they too will be destroyed [utterly perish, completely ruined]. word study 13 The harm [suffering wrong, punishment] they will suffer is the wages [reward, payment] of their wickedness [unrighteousness, evil deeds]. They consider [count, regard] it a pleasure [delight, sensual enjoyment] to carouse [revel, riot] in broad daylight [in the daytime, openly]. They are blots [stains, spots] and blemishes [defects, flaws], reveling [indulging, luxuriating] in their deception [deceit, false teachings] as they feast [dine, eat] with you [in your company, among you]. word study 14 Their eyes [full of evil desire, unable to cease from sin] are full of adultery [literally and figuratively]; their desire [unceasing] for sin [missing the mark] is never satisfied [cannot cease]; they seduce [entice] the unstable [vacillating]. They are accursed [under a curse] children [born to parents] with hearts [the seat of thoughts] trained [exercised] in greed [greediness, avarice]. word study 15 They have left [abandoned, forsaken] the straight [right, level] way and wandered off [gone astray, following the wrong path] to follow the way of Balaam [the prophet who erred] son of Beor [a Moabite], who loved [was pleased with, had a strong affection for] the wages [payment, reward] of wickedness [unrighteousness, evil deeds]. word study 16 But he was rebuked [had a rebuke, received a reproof] for his transgression [own iniquity, lawlessness] by a donkey [dumb ass, beast of burden], otherwise [naturally] without speech [mute, unable to speak], that spoke [uttering a clear sound] with a man’s [human, a person’s] voice and restrained [prevented, stopped] the prophet’s [one who speaks forth God’s will] madness [insanity, foolishness, paranoia]. word study 17 These men [false teachers, deceitful leaders] are springs [sources of living water] without water [dry, barren] and mists [clouds] driven [blown away] by a storm [a strong whirlwind, or a tempest]. Blackest darkness [intense gloom, or the mist of darkness] is reserved [kept, observed] for them [forever, for an age]. word study 18 With lofty [inflated with their own nonsense, speaking proud words] but empty [of no real value, futile] words, they appeal to the sensual [lustful, driven by desires] passions of the flesh [the physical body, human nature] and entice [lure, tempt] those who are just escaping [recently freed, turning away] from others who live in error [deceit, wrong beliefs, spiritual darkness]. word study 19 They promise them freedom [liberty from sin’s bondage], while they themselves are slaves [bondservants, servants of corruption] to depravity [corruption, moral decay]. For a man is a slave [in bondage, brought into servitude] to whatever [that which, the thing that] has mastered [overcome, conquered] him. word study 20 If indeed they have escaped [fled from, gotten free from] the corruption [defilement, pollution] of the world [the system of evil, the ungodly] through the knowledge [deep understanding, recognition] of our Lord [Master, Savior] and Savior [Deliverer, Rescuer] Jesus Christ, only to be entangled [involved, trapped] and overcome [defeated, surpassed] by it again, their final condition [last state, ultimate fate] is worse [more evil, more harmful] than it was at first [in the beginning, initially]. word study 21 It would have been better [more advantageous, stronger] for them not to have known [to be aware of, recognized] the way [road, path] of righteousness [living according to God’s will, moral integrity] than to have known [acknowledged, understood] it and then to turn away [revert, apostatize] from the holy [set apart, sacred] commandment [divine instruction, ordinance] passed on [delivered, surrendered] to them. word study 22 Of them the proverbs [true sayings, wise teachings] are true: “A dog [a worthless creature, unclean animal] returns to its vomit [its own filth, disgusting refuse],” and, “A sow [a pig, unclean beast] that is washed [cleaned, purified] goes back to her wallowing [rolling, reveling] in the mud [mire, filthy muck].” word study