1But there arose false prophets also among the people , as among you also there shall be false teachers , who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them , bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of . 3And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you : whose sentence now from of old lingereth not , and their destruction slumbereth not .
The Consequences of False Teaching
4For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell , and committed them to pits of darkness , to be reserved unto judgment ; 5and spared not the ancient world , but preserved Noah with seven others , a preacher of righteousness , when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow , having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly; 7and delivered righteous Lot , sore distressed by the lascivious life 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 lawless deeds ): 9the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation , and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment ;
Characteristics of False Teachers
10but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion . Daring , self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities : 11whereas angels, though greater in might and power , bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord . 12But these , as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed , railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed , 13suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes , revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you ; 14having eyes full of adultery , and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls ; having a heart exercised in covetousness ; children of cursing ; 15forsaking the right way , they went astray , having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing; 16but he was rebuked for his own transgression : a dumb ass spake with man’ s voice and stayed the madness of the prophet .
The Deception of False Teachers
17These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm ; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved . 18For , uttering great swelling words of vanity , they entice in the lusts of the flesh , by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error ; 19promising them liberty , while they themselves are bondservants of corruption ; for of whom a man is overcome , of the same is he also brought into bondage .
The Danger of Turning Away
20For if , after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ , they are again entangled therein and overcome , the last state is become worse with them than the first . 21For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness , than , after knowing it , to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them . 22It has happened unto them according to the true proverb , The dog turning to his own vomit again , and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire .