2 Peter 2 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.

KJV⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ 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 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. ³ 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. ⁴ 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 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 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 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: ⁸ (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) ⁹ The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: ¹⁰ 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 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. ¹² 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 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 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 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 was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. ¹⁷ These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. ¹⁸ 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 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 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 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 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.

RKJNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who secretly shall bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many shall follow their licentious ways; and because of them the way of truth shall be maligned. ³ And in greed they shall exploit you with false words: the judgment against them from of old does not linger, and their condemnation does not slumber. ⁴ For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into pits of gloom, to be reserved for judgment; ⁵ And did not spare the old world, but saved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶ If he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, overthrowing them and turning them into ashes, and made them an example to those who would be ungodly; ⁷ And delivered righteous Lot, who was vexed by the licentious lives of the wicked: ⁸ (For that righteous man dwelt among them, seeing and hearing, and his righteous soul was vexed from day to day by their unlawful deeds;) ⁹ Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust under punishment until the day of judgment: ¹⁰ And particularly those who walk after the flesh in its unclean lusts, and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of the glorious ones. ¹¹ Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, do not bring slanderous accusation against them before the Lord. ¹² But these, like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of things they do not understand; and shall utterly perish with them in the same destruction; ¹³ And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness. They count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, revelling in their own deceptions while they feast with you; ¹⁴ Having eyes full of adultery, who cannot cease from sin; enticing unstable souls: they have a heart trained in greed; cursed children: ¹⁵ Who have forsaken the right way, and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ But was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. ¹⁷ These are wells without water, mists driven before a tempest; for whom the blackest darkness is reserved. ¹⁸ For they speak great swelling words of vanity, and allure through the lusts of the flesh, through sensuality, those who are just escaping from the ones who live in error. ¹⁹ While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the slaves of depravity: for by that which a man is overcome, to that he is enslaved. ²⁰ For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled by them, and overcome, they are worse off in the end than at the beginning. ²¹ For 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, The dog returns to its own vomit; and the sow that is washed returns to wallowing in the mire.