1 B ut 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.

But 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;

2 A nd many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

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

3 A nd 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.

And 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.

4 F or 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;

For 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;

5 A nd 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;

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

6 A nd 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;

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

7 A nd delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

and saved righteous Lot, distressed with the abandoned conversation of the godless,

8 ( For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

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

9 T he Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

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

10 B ut 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.

and 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:

11 W hereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

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

12 B ut 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;

But 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,

13 A nd 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;

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

14 H aving eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

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

15 W hich have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

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

16 B ut was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

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

17 T hese are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

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

18 F or 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.

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

19 W hile 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.

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

20 F or 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.

For 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.

21 F or 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.

For 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.

22 B ut 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.

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