2 Peter 2

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.

1Long ago, false prophets lived among God's people. A prophet was someone who told people what God said. In the same way, false teachers will come among you. They will quietly bring in wrong teachings that lead to ruin. They will even say no to the Master who bought them. So they bring quick destruction on themselves.

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

2Many people will copy their shameful way of living. Because of them, others will say bad things about the way of truth.

3And 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.

3These teachers want money. They will use lies to get things from you. God decided long ago that they are guilty. That decision still stands. Their punishment is not asleep.

4For 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;

4God did not let the angels off when they sinned. He threw them down into hell. He put them in chains of darkness to wait for judgment.

5And 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;

5God did not let the ancient world off either. He brought a flood on people who did not care about him. But he kept Noah safe, and seven others with him. Noah told people to live right.

NoteThe old English says "Noah the eighth person." That means Noah was one of eight people saved, not the eighth one in line.

6And 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;

6God turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes. He judged them and wiped them out. They stand as a warning to people who live wicked lives later on.

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

7God rescued Lot, who was a good man. The people around Lot lived filthy lives, and it wore him down.

Note"Conversation" in old English means the way a person lives, not talking.

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

8(That good man lived among them day after day. He saw and heard the evil things they did. It hurt his good heart every single day.)

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

9So the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from hard times. He also knows how to hold guilty people for punishment on the day of judgment.

10But 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.

10This is true most of all for people who chase dirty desires. They look down on anyone who is in charge. They are bold and want their own way. They are not afraid to insult glorious beings.

NoteThe old English says "despise government" and "speak evil of dignities." That means looking down on people in charge and insulting glorious beings.

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

11Angels are far stronger and more powerful than these people. Yet angels do not bring insulting charges against those beings before the Lord.

12But 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;

12These men are like animals that cannot think. Such animals are born to be caught and killed. These men say bad things about what they do not understand. They will be destroyed too.

13And 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;

13They will be paid back with harm for the wrong they did. They think it is fun to party in broad daylight. They are stains and spots. They sit and eat with you while they enjoy their own lies.

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

14Their eyes are always looking for someone else's husband or wife. They never stop sinning. They trick people whose faith is shaky. Their hearts have been trained to be greedy. They are children under a curse.

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

15They have left the straight road and wandered off. They follow the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor. Balaam loved the money he was paid for doing wrong.

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

16But Balaam was scolded for his sin. His donkey, an animal that cannot speak, spoke with a man's voice. It stopped the prophet from his foolish plan.

NoteThe old English calls the animal a "dumb ass." "Ass" means donkey, and "dumb" means it could not speak.

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

17These men are like wells with no water. They are like clouds blown away by a storm. The blackest darkness is being kept for them.

18For 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.

18They say big, proud words that mean nothing at all. They use dirty desires to pull people in. Those people had only just escaped from others who live wrong.

19While 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.

19They promise these people freedom. But they themselves are slaves to what is rotten. Whatever beats a person becomes that person's master.

20For 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.

20Some people escaped the filth of the world. They did it by coming to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But then they got tangled in it again, and it beat them. Now they are worse off than they were at the start.

21For 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.

21It would have been better for them never to know the right way. Instead they knew it, and then turned away from the holy command given to them.

22But 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.

22An old saying came true about them. "A dog goes back to what it threw up." And, "A pig that was washed goes back to rolling in the mud."