The Second of Peter
2 However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among YOU.+ These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects* and will disown even the owner that bought them,+ bringing speedy destruction upon themselves. 2 Furthermore, many will follow+ their acts of loose conduct,*+ and on account of these the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively.+ 3 Also, with covetousness they will exploit YOU with counterfeit words.+ But as for them, the judgment from of old+ is not moving slowly, and the destruction of them is not slumbering.+
4 Certainly if God did not hold back from punishing the angels+ that sinned, but, by throwing them into Tarʹta·rus,*+ delivered them to pits of dense darkness to be reserved for judgment;+ 5 and he did not hold back from punishing an ancient* world,+ but kept Noah, a preacher of righteousness,+ safe with seven others+ when he brought a deluge*+ upon a world of ungodly people; 6 and by reducing the cities Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah to ashes he condemned them,+ setting a pattern for ungodly persons* of things to come;+ 7 and he delivered righteous Lot,+ who was greatly distressed by the indulgence of the law-defying people in loose conduct*+— 8 for that righteous man by what he saw and heard while dwelling among them from day to day was tormenting his righteous soul by reason of their lawless deeds— 9 Jehovah* knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial,+ but to reserve unrighteous people for the day of judgment to be cut off,*+ 10 especially, however, those who go on after flesh with the desire to defile [it]+ and who look down* on lordship.+
Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble at glorious ones* but speak abusively,+ 11 whereas angels, although they are greater in strength and power, do not bring against them an accusation in abusive terms,+ [not doing so] out of respect for Jehovah.*+ 12 But these [men], like unreasoning animals born naturally to be caught and destroyed, will, in the things of which they are ignorant and speak abusively,+ even suffer destruction in their own [course of] destruction, 13 wronging themselves+ as a reward for wrongdoing.+
They consider luxurious living in the daytime a pleasure.+ They are spots and blemishes, indulging with unrestrained delight in their deceptive teachings* while feasting together with YOU.+ 14 They have eyes full of adultery*+ and unable to desist from sin,+ and they entice* unsteady souls. They have a heart trained in covetousness.+ They are accursed children.+ 15 Abandoning the straight path, they have been misled. They have followed the path of Baʹlaam,+ [the son] of Beʹor, who loved the reward of wrongdoing,+ 16 but got a reproof for his own violation of what was right.*+ A voiceless beast of burden, making utterance with the voice of a man,+ hindered the prophet’s mad course.+
17 These are fountains without water,+ and mists driven by a violent storm, and for them the blackness of darkness has been reserved.+ 18 For they utter swelling expressions of no profit, and by the desires of the flesh+ and by loose habits they entice+ those who are just escaping+ from people who conduct themselves in error. 19 While they are promising them freedom,+ they themselves are existing as slaves of corruption.+ For whoever is overcome by another is enslaved by this one.*+ 20 Certainly if, after having escaped from the defilements of the world+ by an accurate knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they get involved* again with these very things and are overcome,+ the final conditions have become worse for them than the first.+ 21 For it would have been better for them not to have accurately known the path of righteousness+ than after knowing it accurately to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.+ 22 The saying of the true proverb has happened to them: “The dog+ has returned to its own vomit, and the sow that was bathed to rolling in the mire.”+