|
Chapter 2 |
| 1 | But 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. |
| 2 | And
many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth
shall be evil spoken of. |
| 3 | And 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. |
| 4 | For 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; |
| 5 | And 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; |
| 6 |
And 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; |
| 7
| And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy
conversation 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 unlawful deeds;) |
| 9 | The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out
of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be
punished: |
| 10
| But 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. |
|
11 | Whereas angels, which
are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them
before the Lord. |
|
12 | But 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; |
| 13 | And 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; |
|
14 | Having eyes full of
adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart
they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: |
| 15 |
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of
Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; |
| 16 |
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad
the madness of the prophet. |
|
17 | These are wells without water, clouds
that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for
ever. |
| 18 |
For 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. |
|
19 | While 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. |
| 20 | For 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. |
| 21 | For 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. |
| 22 |
But 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. |
