The Second Epistle of Peter
2:1 But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there
shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying
even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2:2And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of
the truth shall be evil spoken of. 2:3And in covetousness shall they with feigned
words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not,
and their destruction slumbereth not. 2:4For if God spared not angels when they
sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be
reserved unto judgment; 2:5and spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah
with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the
world of the ungodly; 2:6and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes
condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those
that should live ungodly; 2:7and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the
lascivious life of the wicked 2:8(for that righteous man dwelling among them, in
seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless
deeds): 2:9the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to
keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment; 2:10but chiefly
them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion.
Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities: 2:11whereas angels, though
greater in might and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the
Lord. 2:12But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and
destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying
surely be destroyed, 2:13suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count
it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their
deceivings while they feast with you; 2:14having eyes full of adultery, and that
cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in
covetousness; children of cursing; 2:15forsaking the right way, they went astray,
having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of
wrong-doing; 2:16but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake
with man's voice and stayed the madness of the prophet. 2:17These are springs
without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness
hath been reserved. 2:18For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice in
the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them
that live in error; 2:19promising them liberty, while they themselves are
bondservants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he
also brought into bondage. 2:20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the
world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the
first. 2:21For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto
them. 2:22It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning
to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.