Read Scripture ad-free with Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
2 Peter 2
New King James Version

### Destructive Doctrines

2 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be (A)false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction [a]does not slumber.

### Doom of False Teachers

4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to [b]hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of (B)Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and (C)delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, (D)tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 9 then (E)the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially (F)those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. (G)They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of [c]dignitaries, 11 whereas (H)angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

### Depravity of False Teachers

12 But these, (I)like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 (J)and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure (K)to [d]carouse in the daytime. (L)They are spots and blemishes, [e]carousing in their own deceptions while (M)they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of [f]adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. (N)They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of (O)Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

17 (P)These are wells without water, [g]clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness [h]forever.

### Deceptions of False Teachers

18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who [i]have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of [j]corruption; (Q)for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into [k]bondage. 20 For if, after they (R)have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are (S)again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For (T)it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: (U)“A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

#### Footnotes

1. 2 Peter 2:3 M will not
2. 2 Peter 2:4 Lit. Tartarus
3. 2 Peter 2:10 glorious ones, lit. glories
4. 2 Peter 2:13 revel
5. 2 Peter 2:13 reveling
6. 2 Peter 2:14 Lit. an adulteress
7. 2 Peter 2:17 NU and mists
8. 2 Peter 2:17 NU omits forever
9. 2 Peter 2:18 NU are barely escaping
10. 2 Peter 2:19 depravity
11. 2 Peter 2:19 slavery

#### Cross references

1. 2 Peter 2:1 : Matt. 24:5, 24; 1 Tim. 4:1, 2
2. 2 Peter 2:6 : Gen. 19:1–26; Jude 7
3. 2 Peter 2:7 : Gen. 19:16, 29
4. 2 Peter 2:8 : Ps. 119:139
5. 2 Peter 2:9 : Ps. 34:15–19; 1 Cor. 10:13; Rev. 3:10
6. 2 Peter 2:10 : Jude 4, 7, 8
7. 2 Peter 2:10 : Ex. 22:28; Jude 8
8. 2 Peter 2:11 : Jude 9
9. 2 Peter 2:12 : Jude 10
10. 2 Peter 2:13 : Phil. 3:19
11. 2 Peter 2:13 : Rom. 13:13
12. 2 Peter 2:13 : Jude 12
13. 2 Peter 2:13 : 1 Cor. 11:20, 21
14. 2 Peter 2:14 : Jude 11
15. 2 Peter 2:15 : Num. 22:5, 7; Deut. 23:4; Neh. 13:2; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14
16. 2 Peter 2:17 : Jude 12, 13
17. 2 Peter 2:19 : John 8:34; Rom. 6:16
18. 2 Peter 2:20 : Matt. 12:45
19. 2 Peter 2:20 : Luke 11:26; [Heb. 6:4–6]
20. 2 Peter 2:21 : Luke 12:47
21. 2 Peter 2:22 : Prov. 26:11

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NKJV, Gift and Award Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version
Retail: $9.99
Our Price: $6.99
Save: $3.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People
Retail: $19.98
Our Price: $13.99
Save: $5.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Prayer Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $35.99
Save: $24.00 (40%)
Buy Now
NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Everyday Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: 365 Daily Readings Through the Whole Bible
Retail: $29.99
Our Price: $20.99
Save: $9.00 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles