The Threat of False Teachers
Study note
Just as there were false prophets among ancient Israel, false teachers will arise within the church, secretly introducing destructive heresies that even deny the Lord who redeemed them. Many will follow their shameful ways, bringing the truth into disrepute. Driven by greed, they will exploit believers with fabricated stories, but their condemnation has long been at work.
1 But just like false prophets appeared among God's people long ago, false teachers will show up among you too. They will sneak in dangerous lies, even rejecting the Lord who rescued them. They are bringing quick destruction on themselves. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 Many people will follow their disgusting behavior. Because of them, the true way of God will get a bad reputation. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 In their greed, they will make up stories to take advantage of you. But their punishment was decided long ago, and their destruction is wide awake and coming. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Three Examples of Divine Judgment
Study note
Peter presents three Old Testament precedents proving God judges the wicked and rescues the righteous. First, God cast rebellious angels into chains of darkness. Second, he flooded the ancient world but preserved Noah and seven others. Third, he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah but rescued righteous Lot, who was tormented by the lawlessness around him. The conclusion: the Lord knows how to deliver the godly from trial and to hold the unrighteous for judgment.
4 God did not even let the angels off the hook when they sinned. He threw them into the darkest dungeon and chained them there until judgment day. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5 He did not spare the ancient world either. He sent the flood to wipe out a world full of ungodly people, but he saved Noah and seven others. Noah was a man who told others to live right. And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 God also turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, destroying them completely. He made them an example of what will happen to people who live without God. And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
7 But he saved Lot. Lot was a good man. The terrible behavior of the wicked people near him troubled him deeply. And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 Day after day, that good man was torn apart inside by the awful things he saw and heard while living among them. (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from hard times. And he knows how to keep wicked people under guard until the day of judgment when they will be punished. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
The Character of False Teachers
Study note
Peter describes false teachers as bold, self-willed, and arrogant, not afraid to slander celestial beings when even angels do not bring such charges. Like irrational animals born to be caught and destroyed, they blaspheme what they do not understand. Their eyes are full of adultery, they seduce the unstable, and their hearts are trained in greed. They have abandoned the straight path and followed the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness and was rebuked by a donkey.
10 This is especially true for those who chase after dirty desires and show no respect for those in charge. They are bold and stubborn. They are not afraid to insult powerful heavenly beings. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Even angels are much stronger and more powerful. Yet they do not bring rude charges against such beings before the Lord. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these people are like wild animals that act on instinct and are born to be caught and killed. They trash-talk things they know nothing about. They will be destroyed by the very same kind of destruction they cause. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 They will get paid back with suffering for all the suffering they have caused. They think it is fun to party in the middle of the day. They are ugly stains at your gatherings, enjoying their own tricks while they eat with you. And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14 They are always looking for the next sin. They never stop doing wrong. They trap people who are not strong in their faith. Their hearts are trained to be greedy. They are living under a curse! Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 They have walked away from the right path and gotten lost. They are following the footsteps of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who was so in love with getting paid for doing wrong. Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But Balaam got called out for his sin. A donkey -- an animal that cannot talk -- spoke with a human voice and put a stop to the prophet's crazy behavior. But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
The Bondage of False Freedom
Study note
False teachers are waterless springs and mists driven by storms, for whom deepest darkness is reserved. With empty, boastful words they entice people through fleshly desires, promising freedom while themselves being slaves to corruption. Peter warns that those who have escaped the world's defilements through knowing Christ but become entangled again are worse off than before. He uses two proverbs to illustrate their condition: the dog returns to its vomit, and the washed sow returns to wallow in the mud.
17 These people are like dried-up wells that give no water. They are like storm clouds blown off course by the wind. The deepest darkness is waiting for them. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 They use big, impressive-sounding words that mean nothing. They lure people in through sinful physical desires -- people who had just barely gotten away from a life of wrong choices. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 They offer people freedom, but they themselves are slaves to their own sinful habits. Because whatever controls you is your master. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
20 Some people escape the world's filth by getting to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But if they get tangled up in that filth all over again and it takes control of them, they end up worse off than when they started. 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 therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 It would have been better for them to never learn about the right way to live. Instead, they learned about it and then walked away from the holy teaching they received. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 What happened to them proves the old sayings true. "A dog goes back and eats what it threw up." And, "A pig that got washed goes right back to rolling in the mud." But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.