1But[G1161] there were[G1096] false prophets[G5578]also[G2532]among[G1722] the people[G2992], even[G2532]as[G5613] there shall be[G2071] false teachers[G5572]among[G1722]you[G5213], who[G3748] privily shall bring[G1863]in[G3919]damnable[G684]heresies[G139], even[G2532]denying[G720] the Lord[G1203] that bought[G59]them[G846], and bring[G1863] upon themselves[G1438]swift[G5031]destruction[G684].
2And[G2532]many[G4183] shall follow[G1811]their[G846] pernicious ways[G684]; by reason of[G1223]whom[G3739] the way[G3598]of[G987]truth[G225] shall be evil spoken of[G987].
3And[G2532]through[G1722]covetousness[G4124] shall they with feigned[G4112]words[G3056] make merchandise[G1710] of you[G5209]: whose[G3739]judgment[G2917] now of a long time[G1597]lingereth[G691]not[G3756], and[G2532]their[G846]damnation[G684]slumbereth[G3573]not[G3756].
4For[G1063]if[G1487]God[G2316]spared[G5339]not[G3756] the angels[G32] that sinned[G264], but[G235] cast them down to hell[G5020], and delivered[G3860] them into chains[G4577] of darkness[G2217], to be reserved[G5083]unto[G1519]judgment[G2920];
5And[G2532]spared[G5339]not[G3756] the old[G744]world[G2889], but[G235]saved[G5442]Noah[G3575] the eighth[G3590] person, a preacher[G2783] of righteousness[G1343], bringing in[G1863] the flood[G2627] upon the world[G2889] of the ungodly[G765];
6And[G2532]turning[G5077] the cities[G4172] of Sodom[G4670]and[G2532]Gomorrha[G1116] into ashes[G5077]condemned[G2632] them with an overthrow[G2692], making[G5087] them an ensample[G5262] unto those that after should[G3195] live ungodly[G764];
7And[G2532]delivered[G4506]just[G1342]Lot[G3091], vexed[G2669]with[G5259] the filthy[G766]conversation[G391]of[G1722] the wicked[G113]:
8
(For[G1063] that righteous[G1342]man[G1342]dwelling[G1460]among[G1722]them[G846], in seeing[G990]and[G2532]hearing[G189], vexed[G928] his righteous[G1342]soul[G5590] from day[G2250]to[G1537]day[G2250] with their unlawful[G459]deeds[G2041];)
9
The Lord[G2962]knoweth[G1492] how to deliver[G4506] the godly[G2152] out of[G1537]temptations[G3986], and[G1161] to reserve[G5083] the unjust[G94]unto[G1519] the day[G2250]of[G1537]judgment[G2920] to be punished[G2849]:
10But[G1161]chiefly[G3122] them that walk[G4198]after[G3694] the flesh[G4561]in[G1722] the lust[G1939] of uncleanness[G3394], and[G2532]despise[G2706]government[G2963]. Presumptuous[G5113] are they, selfwilled[G829], they are not[G3756]afraid[G5141] to speak evil[G987] of dignities[G1391].
11Whereas[G3699]angels[G32], which are[G5607] greater in[G3187]power[G2479]and[G2532]might[G1411], bring[G5342]not[G3756]railing[G989]accusation[G2920]against[G2596]them[G846]before[G3844] the Lord[G2962].
12But[G1161]these[G3778], as[G5613]natural[G5446]brute[G249]beasts[G2226], made[G1080]to[G1519] be taken[G259]and[G2532]destroyed[G5356], speak evil[G987]of[G1722] the things that[G3739] they understand not[G50]; and[G2532] shall utterly perish[G2704]in[G1722] their own[G846]corruption[G5356];
13And[G2532] shall receive[G2865] the reward[G3408] of unrighteousness[G93], as they that count[G2233] it pleasure[G2237] to riot[G5172]in[G1722] the day time[G2250]. Spots[G4696] they are and[G2532]blemishes[G3470], sporting themselves[G1792]with[G1722] their own[G846]deceivings[G539] while they feast[G4910]with[G1722]you[G5213];
14Having[G2192]eyes[G3788]full[G3324] of adultery[G3428], and[G2532] that cannot cease from[G180]sin[G266]; beguiling[G1185]unstable[G793]souls[G5590]: an heart[G2588] they have[G2192]exercised[G1128] with covetous practices[G4124]; cursed[G2671]children[G5043]:
15
Which have forsaken[G2641] the right[G2117]way[G3598], and are gone astray[G4105], following[G1811] the way[G3598] of Balaam[G903] the son of Bosor[G1007], who[G3739]loved[G25] the wages[G3408] of unrighteousness[G93];
16But[G1161]was[G2192]rebuked[G1649] for his[G2398]iniquity[G3892]: the dumb[G880]ass[G5268]speaking[G5350]with[G1722] man's voice[G5456]forbad[G2967] the madness[G3913] of the prophet[G4396].
17These[G3778]are[G1526]wells[G4077] without water[G504], clouds[G3507] that are[G1526]carried[G1643]with[G5259] a tempest[G2978]; to whom[G3739] the mist[G2217] of darkness[G4655] is reserved[G5083]for[G1519]ever[G165].
18For[G1063] when they speak[G5350] great swelling[G5246] words of vanity[G3153], they allure[G1185]through[G1722] the lusts[G1939] of the flesh[G4561], through[G1722] much wantonness[G766], those that were clean[G3689]escaped[G668] from them who live[G390]in[G1722]error[G4106].
19
While they promise[G1861]them[G846]liberty[G1657], they themselves[G846]are[G5225] the servants[G1401] of corruption[G5356]: for[G1063] of whom[G3739] a man[G5100] is overcome[G2274], of the same[G5129] is he brought in bondage[G1402].
20For[G1063]if[G1487] after they have escaped[G668] the pollutions[G3393] of the world[G2889]through[G1722] the knowledge[G1922] of the Lord[G2962]and[G2532]Saviour[G4990]Jesus[G2424]Christ[G5547], they are[G1707]again[G3825]entangled[G1707]therein[G5125], and[G1161]overcome[G1096], the latter end[G2078] is worse[G5501] with them[G846] than the beginning[G4413].
21For[G1063] it had been[G2258]better[G2909]for[G1063]them[G846]not[G3361] to have known[G1921] the way[G3598] of righteousness[G1343], than[G2228], after they have known[G1921] it, to turn[G1994]from[G1537] the holy[G40]commandment[G1785]delivered[G3860] unto them[G846].
22But[G1161] it is happened[G4819] unto them[G846] according to[G3588] the true[G227]proverb[G3942], The dog[G2965] is turned[G1994]to[G1909] his own[G2398]vomit[G1829]again[G1994]; and[G2532] the sow[G5300] that was washed[G3068]to[G1519] her wallowing[G2946] in the mire[G1004].