2 Peter 2
CHAPTER 2
False teachers
But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their destructive ways, by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be blasphemed. 3 And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. Their sentence now from of old does not linger, and their destruction does not slumber.
Old Testament examples of judgment
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved until judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 and turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemning them to destruction, having made them an example to those that should live ungodly lives; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, distressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, tormented his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds): 9 therefore the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment to the day of judgment.
Characteristics of false teachers
10 Chief among these are those that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries. 11 Whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not dare bring before the Lord an injurious accusation against them.
12 But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, speak reproachfully in matters of which they are ignorant; they shall in their destroying surely be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as the wages of wrong-doing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you.
14 Having eyes full of adultery, they cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness, children of cursing. 15 Forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing. 16 But he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spoke with a man's voice and hindered the madness of the prophet.
17 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error; 19 promising them liberty, while they are in fact slaves to corruption. For of whom a person is overcome, of the same is he also brought into 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 in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For 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 to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to his own vomit and a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.
Commentary
2:1 Among the people- The people of Israel. The following examples in this chapter are therefore taken from the history of Israel in the Old Testament. The ‘angels’ that sinned and were thrown down into the earth refer to the men led by the false prophet Korah who were swallowed up into the earth (Num. 16:32).
2:7 We get the impression from the Old Testament that Lot was spiritually weak; but we must be careful how we judge Bible characters because here we read that Lot was in fact righteous and although he was well involved in the life of Sodom, he was deeply grieved for their wickedness. He is a type of the faithful living in the world of the very last days (Lk. 17:28-32).
2:14 A heart exercised- The Bible uses “the heart” to refer to the mind. Our mind thinks in regular patterns; we are to exercise it, but not with unspiritual thoughts.
2:21 This proves there is no such thing as universal salvation, nor ‘once saved always saved’. We who have believed have a very real possibility of failure, and we should always be aware of this.
