2 Peter 2

2 Peter 2:1-3

Deliverance from False Prophets
(Jude 1:3–16)

1 Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed. 3 In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.

False Prophets
False-Prophets
will secretly introduce destructive heresies
- even denying the Master who bought them —
- bringing swift destruction on themselves.
- many
  - will follow in their (false prophets) depravity
  - and because of them (false prophets)
    - the way of truth will be defamed.
- in their (false prophets) greed
  - they will exploit you with deceptive words.
  - exploit - G1710 - emporeuomaiG1710-emporeuomai
    - Strong’s Concordance
      - to travel in, to traffic, by impl. to trade
    - HELPS Word-studies
      - 1710 emporeúomai (the root of the English term, emporium, “a place for trading”) – properly, “to engage in trade” (Souter); doing business by trading; to make a gain by exchanging (bartering, investing) (A-S).
    - Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
      - ἐμπορεύομαι (see ἐν, III. 3): deponent passive with future middle ἐμπορεύσομαι; (from ἔμπορος, which see); to go a trading, to travel for business, to traffic, trade (Thucydides and following; the Sept.): James 4:13 (Rst G here give the 1 aorist subjunctive ἐμπορευσώμεθα); with the accusative of a thing, to import for sale (as ἔλαιον εἰς Αἴγυπτον, the Sept. Hosea 12:1; πορφύραν ἀπό Φοινίκης, (Diogenes Laërtius 7, 2; γλαυκας, Lucian, Nigrin. at the beginning); to deal in; to use a thing or a person for gain (A. V. make merchandise of) (ὥραν τοῦ σώματος, Josephus, Antiquities 4, 6, 8; Ἀσπασια ἐνεπορεύετο πλήθη γυναικῶν, Athen. 13, p. 569 f.): 2 Peter 2:3; cf. Winers Grammar, 223 (209); (Buttmann, 147 (129)).
    - Compare - Revelation 18:13
      - in both these passages, they are trafficking in the souls of men!!!
    - only used twice
      - James 4:13 James-4v13
      - 2 Peter 2:3 2-Peter-2v3
  - deceptive - G4112 - plastosG4112-plastos
    - *Strong’s Concordance
      - formed, moulded
      - fig: feigned, made up, counterfeit
    - HELPS Word-studies
      - 4112 plastós – (from 4111 /plássō, “to mold by using clay, wax, etc.,” which is the root of the English term, “plastic”) – properly, shaped according to a mold (predesign); (figuratively) “made-up,” fabricated, i.e. unrealistic (“forged” from something artificial); contrived.
      - 4112 /plastós (“plastic, fabricated”), used only in 2 Pet 2:3, refers to “words molded at will to suit their vain imaginations” (M. Vincent). That is, “fabricated words from 4111 (plássō), ‘to mould,’ as in clay or wax. The idea is, therefore, of words moulded at will to suit their vain imaginations” (WS, 329). These are spun by a “pretender” (i.e. someone not authentic).
      - In the papyri, plastos means, “forged ” (P Oxy II. 237.viii, ad 186) – “not having immediately declared that the contract is forged ” (MM, 515).
- the longstanding verdict against them remains in force,
  - and their destruction does not sleep.

2 Peter 2:4-9

4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell,^a placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight; 6 if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction,^b reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly;^c 7 and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned,
- but cast them deep into hell
- placing them in chains of darkness
- to be held for judgment
if he did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people,
- but preserved Noah,
  - a preacher of righteousness,
  - among the 8
if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction
- reducing them to ashes
- as an example of what is coming on the ungodly,
and if He rescued Lot,
- a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless
- for that righteous man, living among the day after day
- was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard
if all this is so,
- then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials
- and to hold the unrighteous for punishment
- on the day of judgment

2 Peter 2:10-11

10 Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.^d 11 Yet not even angels, though greater in strength and power, dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before the Lord.

Such punishment is specially reserved
- for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh
- and despise authority
Bold and self-willed
- they are unafraid to slander glorious beings
Yet not even angels
- though greater in strength and power
- dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before the Lord

2 Peter 2:12-14

12 These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed. 13 The harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness.

They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you. 14 Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.

These men (false prophets?? or those who follow them?? or both??)
- are like irrational animals
  - creatures of instunct
  - born to be captured and destroyed
They (false prophets?? or those who follow them?? or both??)
- blaspheme in matters they do not understand
- and like such creatures
  - they too will be destroyed
- the harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness.
they consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight
they are blots and blemishes
- reveling in their deception (so they KNOW what they’re doing?!?)
- as they feast with you
their eyes are full of adultery
their desire for sin is never satisfied
they seduce the unstable
they are accursed children
- with hearts trained in greed.

2 Peter 2:15-16

15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor,^e who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

They
- have left the straight way
- and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor
  - who loved the wages of wickedness
  - BUT
    - he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey
      - otherwise without speech
      - that spoke with a man’s voice
      - and restrained the prophet’s madness

2 Peter 2:17-19

17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

These men (false prophets?? followers?? both??)
- are springs without water
- and mists driven by a storm
Blackest darkness is reserved for them
with lofty but empty words
- they
  - appeal the sensual passions of the flesh
  - and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error
- they
  - promise them freedom
  - while they themselves are slaves to depravity
- for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him

2 Peter 2:20-22

20 If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,^f only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,“^g and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”

Footnotes:

4 a Greek cast them into Tartarus ; see the First Book of Enoch (1 Enoch 13:1–11 and 1 Enoch 20:1–4).
6 b WH does not include to destruction .
6 c Or on future generations of the ungodly
10 d Or to blaspheme angelic majesties
15 e NA, SBL, BYZ, and TR Bosor
20 f SBL and WH the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
22 g Proverbs 26:11

If indeed
- they
  - have escaped the corruption of the world
    - through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
  - only to be entangled and overcome by it again
- their final condition is worse than it was at first
It would have been better for them
- not to have known the way of righteousness
- than to have known it
  - and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them
Of them the proverbs are true
- a dog returns to its vomit
and
- a sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud

Be Not Deceived

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2 Peter 2

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