1 B ut there were false prophets also among the people, as there shall be also among you false teachers, who shall bring in by the bye destructive heresies, and deny the master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction;

But also there arose false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among yourselves, who will subtly and stealthily introduce heretical doctrines (destructive heresies), even denying and disowning the Master Who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

2 a nd many shall follow their dissolute ways, through whom the way of the truth shall be blasphemed.

And many will follow their immoral ways and lascivious doings; because of them the true Way will be maligned and defamed.

3 A nd through covetousness, with well-turned words, will they make merchandise of you: for whom judgment of old is not idle, and their destruction slumbers not.

And in their covetousness (lust, greed) they will exploit you with false (cunning) arguments. From of old the sentence for them has not been idle; their destruction (eternal misery) has not been asleep.

4 F or if God spared not angels who had sinned, but having cast them down to the deepest pit of gloom has delivered them to chains of darkness kept for judgment;

For God did not spare angels that sinned, but cast them into hell, delivering them to be kept there in pits of gloom till the judgment and their doom.

5 a nd spared not old world, but preserved Noe, eighth, a preacher of righteousness, having brought in flood upon world of ungodly;

And He spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven other persons, when He brought a flood upon the world of ungodly.

6 a nd having reduced cities of Sodom and Gomorrha to ashes, condemned with an overthrow, setting an example to those that should live an ungodly life;

And He condemned to ruin and extinction the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes set them forth as an example to those who would be ungodly;

7 a nd saved righteous Lot, distressed with the abandoned conversation of the godless,

And He rescued righteous Lot, greatly worn out and distressed by the wanton ways of the ungodly and lawless—

8 ( for the righteous man through seeing and hearing, dwelling among them, tormented righteous soul day after day with lawless works,)

For that just man, living among them, tortured his righteous soul every day with what he saw and heard of unlawful and wicked deeds—

9 L ord knows to deliver the godly out of trial, and to keep unjust to day of judgment punished;

Now if the Lord knows how to rescue the godly out of temptations and trials, and how to keep the ungodly under chastisement until the day of judgment and doom,

10 a nd specially those who walk after the flesh in lust of uncleanness, and despise lordship. Bold, self-willed; they do not fear speaking injuriously of dignities:

And particularly those who walk after the flesh and indulge in the lust of polluting passion and scorn and despise authority. Presumptuous daring! They scoff at and revile dignitaries (glorious ones) without trembling,

11 w hen angels, who are greater in might and power, do not bring against them, before the Lord, an injurious charge.

Whereas angels, though superior in might and power, do not bring a defaming charge against them before the Lord.

12 B ut these, as natural animals without reason, made to be caught and destroyed, speaking injuriously in things they are ignorant of, shall also perish in their own corruption,

But these! Like unreasoning beasts, mere creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed, railing at things of which they are ignorant, they shall utterly perish in their corruption,

13 r eceiving reward of unrighteousness; accounting ephemeral indulgence pleasure; spots and blemishes, rioting in their own deceits, feasting with you;

Being destined to receive the reward of unrighteousness. They count it a delight to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions and carousing together as they feast with you.

14 h aving eyes full of adultery, and that cease not from sin, alluring unestablished souls; having a heart practised in covetousness, children of curse;

They have eyes full of harlotry, insatiable for sin. They beguile and bait and lure away unstable souls. Their hearts are trained in covetousness (lust, greed), children of a curse '> exposed to cursing]!

15 h aving left straight way they have gone astray, having followed in the path of Balaam of Bosor, who loved reward of unrighteousness;

Forsaking the straight road they have gone astray; they have followed the way of Balaam of Beor, who loved the reward of wickedness.

16 b ut had reproof of his own wickedness— dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the folly of the prophet.

But he was rebuked for his own transgression when a dumb beast of burden spoke with human voice and checked the prophet’s madness.

17 T hese are springs without water, and mists driven by storm, to whom the gloom of darkness is reserved.

These are springs without water and mists driven along before a tempest, for whom is reserved forever the gloom of darkness.

18 F or speaking great highflown words of vanity, they allure with lusts of flesh, by dissoluteness, those who have just fled those who walk in error,

For uttering loud boasts of folly, they beguile and lure with lustful desires of the flesh those who are barely escaping from them who are wrongdoers.

19 p romising them liberty, while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a man is subdued, by him is he also brought into slavery.

They promise them liberty, when they themselves are the slaves of depravity and defilement—for by whatever anyone is made inferior or worse or is overcome, to that he is enslaved.

20 F or if after having escaped the pollutions of the world through knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, again entangled, they are subdued by these, their last state is worse than the first.

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again become entangled in them and are overcome, their last condition is worse than the first.

21 F or it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

For never to have obtained a knowledge of the way of righteousness would have been better for them than, having obtained, to turn back from the holy commandment which was delivered to them.

22 B ut that of the true proverb has happened to them: dog turned back to his own vomit; and, washed sow to rolling in mud.

There has befallen them the thing spoken of in the true proverb, The dog turns back to his own vomit, and, The sow is washed only to wallow again in the mire.