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 there were also false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who covertly shall bring in destructive sects and shall deny the Lord that 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 shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be blasphemed;

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 covetousness they shall make merchandise of you with feigned words, upon whom the condemnation from a long time ago does not delay, and their perdition does not sleep.

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 if God did not forgive the angels that sinned, but cast them down into the deepest abyss and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

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

and if he did not forgive the old world, but kept Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven other persons, bringing in the flood upon the world of the 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 if he condemned by destruction the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, turning them into ashes, making them an example unto those that after should live without fear and reverence of God;

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

¶ and delivered just Lot, who was persecuted by those abominable people because of their nefarious conversation;

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

(for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, afflicted his righteous soul from day to day with the deeds of those unjust people);

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

the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished;

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 chiefly those that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise dominion; presumptuous, arrogant, they are not afraid to speak evil of the higher powers;

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

whereas even the angels, who are greater in power and might, bring no curse of judgment 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, speaking evil of the things that they do not understand (as natural animals without reason, who are made to be taken and destroyed), shall utterly perish in their own corruption,

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

receiving the reward of their unrighteousness, as those that count it pleasure to live luxuriously every day. These are spots and blemishes, who eat together with you, while at the same time they revel in their deceit,

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;

having their eyes full of adultery, and not knowing how to cease from sin, baiting unstable souls, having their heart exercised in covetous practices; cursed sons,

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

who forsaking the right way have erred, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,

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

and was rebuked for his iniquity; a dumb animal accustomed to a yoke (upon which he was seated), speaking with man’s voice, hindered the madness of the prophet.

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

These are wells without water, clouds that are brought by a whirlwind, to whom gross darkness is reserved for ever.

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 speaking arrogant words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from those who converse in error,

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.

promising them liberty, being they themselves the slaves of corruption: for he who is overcome by someone is subject to bondage by the one that overcame him.

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.

Certainly, if having separated themselves from the contaminations of the world, by the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they again entangle themselves therein and are overcome, their latter end is made worse for them than the beginnings.

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 it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto 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.

But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog returns unto his own vomit, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.