2 Many years ago, there were false prophets among God's people. They did not speak God's true messages. In the same way, there will also be false teachers among you. They will come among you and they will teach you things that are not true. Their wrong ideas will deceive people. Those false teachers will even speak against the Master, who paid the price for their sins. As a result, they will bring trouble on themselves that quickly destroys them. 2 Many people will believe these false teachers. They will live in a bad way, like the false teachers. As a result, other people will say bad things against God's true way to live.
3 The false teachers want you to give them money. So they will teach things that are not true. A long time ago, God already decided that he must punish them. God is ready to do that now. Certainly, he will soon destroy them.
4 God even punished the angels who refused to obey him. He threw them down into the deep hole of hell. He tied them up and he kept them in that completely dark place. They will remain there until the day when God will judge them. [ a ]
5 Also, a long time ago, God punished all the bad people who lived in the world. He sent water to cover over all the earth. All the people who had turned away from him drowned in the water. But God kept Noah safe. Noah had told people God's message that they should do right things. So God saved Noah, and seven other people, from the water. [ b ]
6 Later, God punished the people who lived in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Because they did bad things, God decided to destroy them. He burned those cities completely, so that only ashes remained. When God did that, he showed what will happen to all people who refuse to obey him. 7 But God saved Lot from danger. Lot was a good man. He was very sad because the people in Sodom did not obey God's laws. They lived in a very bad way. 8 Lot lived among those bad people. Every day, he saw the bad things that they did. Every day, he heard the bad things that they said. As a result, Lot had much trouble in his mind, because he was a good man. [ c ]
9 We know that the Lord God has done all these things in past times. He knows how to save people who respect him from their troubles. But he will continue to punish the people who refuse to obey him. He will keep them until the day when he will judge them. 10 God will certainly punish those people who want bad things for themselves. They do the wrong things that their bodies want to do. They do not want to obey anyone's authority.
These false teachers are not afraid of what other people think about them. They think that they themselves are very important. They are not afraid to say many bad things against the great angels in heaven. [ d ] 11 The angels are more powerful than the false teachers are. But even these angels will not say bad things against them when the Lord is present.
12 But these false teachers speak against things that they do not understand. They are like wild animals. Their minds cannot think properly. They only do what their nature causes them to do. Wild animals are born so that people can catch them and kill them. In the same way, God will destroy the false teachers. 13 They have caused other people to have much trouble. In return, God will cause them to have trouble. They just do things which will make their bodies happy. They have wild parties, even during the day. They eat and drink too much when they eat meals with you. They enjoy all these bad ways to be happy. As a result, people think bad things about you as well. They cause people to be ashamed about you. So they are like dirty marks that spoil something which is clean. 14 All the time, they are looking for women who will have sex with them. They never stop doing wicked things. They teach people who have weak minds to believe wrong things. They just want more and more things to make themselves happy. God will certainly punish these people, because they are so bad.
15 These false teachers have left the way which is good and right. Like Balaam, Beor's son, they have gone the wrong way. Balaam wanted money so much that he did wrong things to get it. 16 But a donkey told him that he was not obeying God. We know that donkeys cannot talk. But that donkey spoke with a human voice. It stopped the prophet Balaam from doing more crazy things. [ e ]
17 These false teachers promise good things that will never happen. They are like a dry well that has no water. They are like clouds in a storm which the wind blows away so that no rain comes. God will certainly send them to the darkest place in hell. He has kept that place ready for them.
18 The messages that these teachers speak seem very important. But their words really mean nothing. In that way, they lead people away from God. Some people have not been believers for very long. They have only just become free from the wrong things that people do. But the false teachers tell these people to do bad things that will make them happy. 19 The false teachers tell these believers to do whatever they want to do. They promise that this will make them really free. But the false teachers themselves are not free. Instead, they are like slaves. They cannot stop doing the bad things that will destroy them. We know that if something has power over a person, then that person is its slave.
20 People like that learned about our Lord Jesus Christ, who saves us. As a result, they had stopped doing the bad things that belong to this world. They had become free from the power of those things. But now they have started to do those bad things again. Those things have power over them and they cannot stop doing them. So now, these false teachers are worse than they were at the beginning, before they believed in the Lord Jesus.
21 It would have been better for them if they had never known God's good way. But they did understand about the right things that God wants us to do. And then they turned away from that way of life. They stopped obeying God's good rules, that people had taught them. 22 You know these true proverbs: ‘After a dog has been sick, it returns to eat it again.’ [ f ] Also: ‘After you wash a pig, it will quickly roll in the dirt again.’ These words describe how the false teachers live.
2 In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves. 2 Many people will follow them in the morally wrong things they do. And because of them, others will say bad things about the way of truth we follow. 3 These false teachers only want your money. So they will use you by telling you things that are not true. But the judgment against these false teachers has been ready for a long time. And they will not escape God who will destroy them.
4 When angels sinned, God did not let them go free without punishment. He sent them to hell. He put those angels in caves of darkness, where they are being held until the time when God will judge them.
5 And God punished the evil people who lived long ago. He brought a flood to the world that was full of people who were against God. But he saved Noah and seven other people with him. Noah was a man who told people about living right.
6 God also punished the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He burned them until there was nothing left but ashes. He used those cities as an example of what will happen to people who are against God. 7 But he saved Lot, a good man who lived there. Lot was greatly troubled by the morally bad lives of those evil people. 8 This good man lived with those evil people every day, and his good heart was hurt by the evil things he saw and heard.
9 So you see that the Lord God knows how to save those who are devoted to him. He will save them when troubles come. And the Lord will hold evil people to punish them on the day of judgment. 10 That punishment is for those who are always doing the evil that their sinful selves want to do. It is for those who hate the Lord’s authority.
These false teachers do whatever they want, and they are so proud of themselves. They are not afraid even to say bad things against the glorious ones. [ a ] 11 The angels are much stronger and more powerful than these beings. But even the angels don’t accuse them and say bad things about them to the Lord.
12 But these false teachers speak evil against what they don’t understand. They are like animals that do things without really thinking—like wild animals that are born to be caught and killed. And, like wild animals, they will be destroyed. 13 They have made many people suffer. So they themselves will suffer. That is their pay for what they have done.
They think it is fun to do evil where everyone can see them. They enjoy the evil things that please them. So they are like dirty spots and stains among you—they bring shame to you in the meals you eat together. 14 Every time they look at a woman, they want her. They are always sinning this way. And they lead weaker people into the trap of sin. They have taught themselves well to be greedy. They are under a curse. [ b ]
15 These false teachers left the right way and went the wrong way. They followed the same way that the prophet Balaam went. He was the son of Beor, who loved being paid for doing wrong. 16 But a donkey told him that he was doing wrong. A donkey cannot talk, of course, but that donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the prophet from acting so crazy.
17 These false teachers are like springs that have no water. They are like clouds that are blown by a storm. A place in the deepest darkness has been kept for them. 18 They boast with words that mean nothing. They lead people into the trap of sin. They find people who have just escaped from a wrong way of life and lead them back into sin. They do this by using the evil things people want to do in their human weakness. 19 These false teachers promise those people freedom, but they themselves are not free. They are slaves to a mind that has been ruined by sin. Yes, people are slaves to anything that controls them.
20 People can be made free from the evil in the world. They can be made free by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But if they go back into those evil things and are controlled by them, then it is worse for them than it was before. 21 Yes, it would be better for them to have never known the right way. That would be better than to know the right way and then to turn away from the holy teaching that was given to them. 22 What they did is like these true sayings: “A dog vomits and goes back to what it threw up.” [ c ] And, “After a pig is washed, it goes back and rolls in the mud again.”
2 But 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.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And 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.
4 For 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;
5 And 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;
6 And 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;
7 And 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;)
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
10 But 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.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But 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;
13 And 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;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For 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.
19 While 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.
20 For 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.
21 For 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.
22 But 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.
2 But ( A ) false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be ( B ) false teachers ( C ) among you, who will ( D ) secretly introduce ( E ) destructive heresies, even ( F ) denying the ( G ) Master who ( H ) bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their ( I ) indecent behavior, and because of them ( J ) the way of the truth will be ( K ) maligned; 3 and in their ( L ) greed they will ( M ) exploit you with ( N ) false words; ( O ) their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
4 For ( P ) if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into [ a ] hell and ( Q ) committed them to [ b ] pits of darkness, held for judgment; 5 and did not spare ( R ) the ancient world, but protected ( S ) Noah, a [ c ] preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a ( T ) flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 and if He ( U ) condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an ( V ) example [ d ] of what is coming for the ( W ) ungodly; 7 and if He ( X ) rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the ( Y ) perverted conduct of [ e ] ( Z ) unscrupulous people 8 (for by what he saw and heard that ( AA ) righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9 ( AB ) then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from [ f ] a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the ( AC ) day of judgment, 10 and especially those who [ g ] ( AD ) indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and ( AE ) despise [ h ] authority.
[ i ] Reckless, ( AF ) self-centered, they ( AG ) speak abusively of angelic [ j ] majesties without trembling, 11 ( AH ) whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a demeaning judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But ( AI ) these, like unreasoning animals, ( AJ ) born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, using abusive speech where they have no knowledge, will in [ k ] the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as ( AK ) the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to ( AL ) revel in the ( AM ) daytime. They are stains and blemishes, ( AN ) reveling in their [ l ] deceptions as they ( AO ) feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery [ m ] that never cease from sin, ( AP ) enticing ( AQ ) unstable souls, having hearts trained in ( AR ) greed, ( AS ) accursed children; 15 abandoning ( AT ) the right way, they have gone astray, having followed ( AU ) the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ( AV ) the [ n ] reward of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own offense, ( AW ) for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.
17 These are ( AX ) springs without water and mists driven by a storm, ( AY ) for whom the [ o ] black darkness has been reserved. 18 For, while speaking out ( AZ ) arrogant words of no ( BA ) value they ( BB ) entice by fleshly desires, by ( BC ) indecent behavior, those who barely ( BD ) escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for ( BE ) by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have ( BF ) escaped the defilements of the world by ( BG ) the knowledge of the ( BH ) Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again ( BI ) entangled in them and are overcome, ( BJ ) the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 ( BK ) For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from ( BL ) the holy commandment ( BM ) handed on to them. 22 [ p ] It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “ ( BN ) A dog returns to its own vomit ,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”
2 But there were also false prophets ( A ) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. ( B ) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord ( C ) who bought them ( D ) —bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct ( E ) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed ( F ) these teachers will exploit you ( G ) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, ( H ) but sent them to hell, [ a ] putting them in chains of darkness [ b ] to be held for judgment; ( I ) 5 if he did not spare the ancient world ( J ) when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, ( K ) but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; ( L ) 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, ( M ) and made them an example ( N ) of what is going to happen to the ungodly; ( O ) 7 and if he rescued Lot, ( P ) a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless ( Q ) 8 (for that righteous man, ( R ) living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials ( S ) and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. ( T ) 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire ( U ) of the flesh [ c ] and despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; ( V ) 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from [ d ] the Lord. ( W ) 12 But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish. ( X )
13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. ( Y ) They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. [ e ] ( Z ) 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce ( AA ) the unstable; ( AB ) they are experts in greed ( AC ) —an accursed brood! ( AD ) 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam ( AE ) son of Bezer, [ f ] who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. ( AF )
17 These people are springs without water ( AG ) and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. ( AH ) 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words ( AI ) and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping ( AJ ) from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” ( AK ) 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing ( AL ) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ( AM ) and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. ( AN ) 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. ( AO ) 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” [ g ] ( AP ) and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
