THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF
PETER

2 Peter 2 ©

1 The apostle warns believers for the false teachers, who shall bring destructive heresies into the congregation, and shall deceive many. 3 Which the better to avoid, he describes their covetousness, and the destruction whereunto they shall bring themselves. 4 Which he confirms by examples of the angels which sinned; of the old world and those of Sodom and Gomorrah. 7 To which he contrasts the preservation of Lot, as before of Noah. 10 Shows further these deceivers’ uncleanness, pride, intemperance, deceits and other sins, wherein they are like unto the unreasonable beasts, and for which they shall receive the deserved reward of punishment. 15 Even as Balaam, who was reproved for his unrighteousness by a dumb beast. 17 Compares them to fountains and clouds without water. 18 Describes their pride, and how they entice away Christians, and promise them liberty, whereas they themselves are servants of sin. 20 Teaches that the state of Christians, who suffer themselves to be deceived by them, is worse than if they had never known Christ. 22 And compares them to dogs, which lick up their vomit, and to washed swines, which wallow in the mire again.

1

BUT 1there were falsea prophets also among 2the people, evenb as there shall be false teachers 3among you, who 4privily 5shall bring in 6damnable 7heresies, even 8denying 9the Lord 10that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2

And many shall follow 11their pernicious ways; by reason of whom 12the way of truth 13shall be evil spoken of.

3

And 14through covetousness shall 15they with 16feigned words 17make merchandise of you: whosec18judgment now 19of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

4

20For if God spared not thed angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them 21into chains of darkness, to be reserved 22unto judgment;

5

And spared not 23the old world, but saved Noahe the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

6

And 24turning the cities off Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes 25condemned them with an overthrow, making them 26an ensampleg unto those that after 27should live ungodly;

7

And delivered 28just Lot, 29vexedh with 30the filthy conversationi31of the wicked:

8

(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, 32vexedjhis righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

9

The Lord knoweth 33howk to deliver the godly out of 34temptations, and to reserve 35the unjust unto the day 36of judgment 37to be punished:

10

But 38chiefly them that walk 39after the flesh 40in the lust of uncleanness, and despise 41government. Presumptuous are they, 42selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of 43dignities.

11

Whereas 44angels, which are 45greater in power and might, bring 46not railingl accusation against them before the Lord.

12

Butm47these, as 48natural brute beasts, 49made 50to be taken and destroyed, speakn evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly 51perish in their own corruption;

13

And shall receive 52the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it 53pleasure 54to riot in the day time. 55Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own 56deceivings 57while they feast with you;

14

Having eyes 58full of adultery, and 59that cannot cease from sin; 60beguiling 61unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; 62cursed children:

15

Which have forsaken 63the right way, and are gone astray, followingo64the way of Balaam the son of 65Bosor, who 66loved 67the wages of unrighteousness;

16

But was rebuked for his 68iniquity: 69thep dumb ass 70speaking with man's voice forbad the 71madness of the prophet.

17

Theseq are 72wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; 73to whom 74the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

18

For when they speak 75great swelling words of vanity, they allure 76through the lusts of the flesh, through much 77wantonness, those that were 78clean escaped from them who live in error.

19

While they promise them 79liberty, they themselves are the servants of 80corruption: forr of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

20

Fors if after they have 81escaped 82the pollutions of the world 83through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and 84overcome, thet85latter end is worse with them than 86the beginning.

21

For it had been better for them not to have known 87the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy 88commandment delivered unto them.

22

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, Theu dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.