2
Peter 2
But
there were also False Prophets among the people
JUST
AS THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU.
THEY
WILL SECRETLY INTRODUCE DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES,
EVEN
DENYING THE SOVEREIGN LORD WHO BOUGHT THEM--
BRINGING
SWIFT DESTRUCTION ON THEMSELVES.
2
MANY WILL FOLLOW THEIR SHAMEFUL WAYS
AND
WILL BRING THE WAY OF TRUTH INTO DISREPUTE.
3
In their Greed these Teachers will Exploit you
With
stories they have made up.
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,
BUT
SENT THEM TO HELL,
PUTTING
THEM INTO GLOOMY DUNGEONS
TO
BEHELD FOR JUDGMENT;
IF
HE DID NOT SPARE THE ANCIENT WORLD
WHEN
HE BROUGHT THE FLOOD ON ITS UNGODLY PEOPLE,
BUT
PROTECTED NOAH, A PREACHER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
AND
SEVEN OTHERS;
IF
HE CONDEMNED THE CITIES OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH
BY
BURNING THEM TO ASHES,
AND
MADE THEM AN EXAMPLE
OF
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE UNGODLY;
7
AND IF HE RESCUED LOT, A RIGHTEOUS MAN,
WHO
WAS DISTRESSED BY THE FILTHY LIVES OF LAWLESS MEN
8
(For that righteous man, 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 GODLY MEN FROM TRIALS
AND
TO HOLD THE UNRIGHTEOUS FOR THE DAY OF JUDGMENT,
WHILE
CONTINUING THEIR PUNISHMENT.
10
This is especially true of those
Who
follow the Corrupt Desire of the Sinful Nature
And
Despise Authority.
BOLD
AND ARROGANT,
THESE
MEN ARE NOT AFRAID TO SLANDER CELESTIAL BEINGS;
Yet
even Angels,
Though
they are stronger and more powerful,
Do
not bring Slanderous Accusations
Against
such beings in the Presence of the Lord.
12
BUT THESE MEN BLASPHEME IN MATTERS
THEY
DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
They
are like Brute Beasts, Creatures of Instinct,
BORN
ONLY TO BE CAUGHT AND DESTROYED,
And
like Beasts they too will Perish.
13
THEY WILL BE PAID BACK WITH HARM
FOR
THE HARM THEY HAVE DONE.
Their
idea of Pleasure is to Carouse in Broad Daylight.
They
are Blots and Blemishes,
Reveling
in their Pleasures
While
they Feast with you.
14
WITH EYES FULL OF ADULTERY,
THEY
NEVER STOP SINNING;
THEY
SEDUCE THE UNSTABLE;
THEY
ARE EXPERTS IN GREED—AND ACCURSED BROOD!
15
THEY HAVE LEFT THE STRAIGHT WAY
AND
WANDERED OFF
TO
FOLLOW THE WAY OF BALAAM SON OF BEOR,
WHO
LOVED THE WAGES OF WICKEDNESS.
16
But he was Rebuked for his Wrongdoing by a donkey--
Who
spoke with a man's voice
And
Restrained the prophets' Madness.
17
THESE MEN ARE SPRINGS WITHOUT WATER
AND
MISTS DRIVEN BY A STORM.
BLACKEST
DARKNESS IS RESERVED FOR THEM.
18
FOR THEY MOUTH EMPTY, BOASTFUL WORDS
AND
BY APPEALING TO THE LUSTFUL DESIRES
OF
SINFUL HUMAN NATURE,
THEY
ENTICE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST ESCAPING
FORM
THOSE WHO LIVE IN ERROR.
19
THEY PROMISE THEM FREEDOM,
WHILE
THEY THEMSELVES ARE SLAVES OF DEPRAVITY--
FOR
A MAN IS A SLAVE TO WHATEVER HAS MASTERED HIM.
20
If they have Escaped the Corruption of the World
By
knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
And
are again Entangled in it and Overcome,
THEY
ARE WORSE OFF AT THE END
THAN
THEY WERE AT THE BEGINNING.
21
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THEM
NOT
TO HAVE KNOW THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
THAN
TO HAVE KNOWN IT
AND
THEN TO TURN THEIR BACK
ON
THE SACRED COMMANDMENT
THAT
WAS PASSED ON THE THEM.
22
Of them the Proverbs are true:
'A
dog returns to its Vomit,' and,
'A
sow that is washed
Goes
back to her Wallowing in the Mud.'
(2
Peter 2)
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