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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.
2:2 And many shall follow their
pernicious ways; by reason of whom the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2:3 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.
2:4 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; 2:5 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; 2:6 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; 2:7 And delivered
just Lot, vexed with the filthy
conversation of the wicked: 2:8 (For
that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed
his righteous soul from day to day with their
unlawful deeds;) 2:9 The
Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to
reserve the unjust unto the day of
judgment to be punished: 2:10 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.
2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not
railing
accusation against them before the Lord.
2:12 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; 2:13 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; 2:14 Having eyes
full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable
souls: an heart they have
exercised with covetous practices; cursed
children: 2:15 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; 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass
speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a
tempest; to whom the mist of
darkness is reserved for ever.
2:18 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.
2:19 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.
2:20 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.
2:21 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.
2:22 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.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
2 Peter
Book: 2 Peter
Chapter: 2
Overview:
Believers are cautioned against false teachers, and the
certainty of their
Punishment shown from examples.
(1-9) An
account of these seducers, as exceedingly wicked.
(10-16) But as
making high pretences to liberty and purity.
(17-22)
1-9 Though the way of error is a hurtful way, many are always
ready to walk therein. Let us take care we give
No occasion to
the enemy to blaspheme the holy name whereby we are called, or
to speak evil of the way of
Salvation By Jesus Christ, who is
the Way, the
Truth, and the
Life. These seducers used feigned
words, they deceived the hearts of their followers. Such are
condemned already, and the wrath of
God abides upon them.
God's
usual method of proceeding is shown
By examples. Angels were
cast down from all their
Glory and dignity, for their
disobedience. If creatures
Sin, even in
Heaven, they must suffer
in
Hell.
Sin is the work of
Darkness, and
Darkness is the
Wages
of
Sin. See how
God dealt with the old world. The number of
offenders
No more procures favour, than their quality. If the
Sin be universal, the
Punishment shall likewise extend to all.
If in a fruitful soil the people abound in
Sin,
God can at once
turn a fruitful land into barrenness, and a
Well-watered country
into
Ashes.
No plans or politics can keep off judgments from a
sinful people. He who keeps
Fire and water from hurting his
people, Isa 43:2, can make either destroy his enemies; they
are never safe. When
God sends
Destruction On the ungodly, he
commands deliverance for the righteous. In bad company we cannot
but get either guilt or grief. Let the sins of others be
troubles to us. Yet it is possible for the children of the
Lord,
living among the most profane, to retain their integrity; there
being more power in the
Grace of
Christ, and his dwelling in
them, than in the temptations of
Satan, or the
Example of the
wicked, with all their terrors or allurements. In our intentions
and inclinations to commit
Sin, we meet with strange
hindrances, if we
Mark them. When we intend mischief,
God sends
many stops to hinder us, as if to say, Take heed what you do.
His
Wisdom and power will surely effect the purposes of his
Love, and the engagements of his
Truth; while wicked men often
escape suffering here, because they are kept to the
Day of
Judgment, to be punished with the
Devil and his angels.
10-16 Impure seducers and their abandoned followers, give
themselves up to their own fleshly minds. Refusing to bring
every thought to the obedience of
Christ, they act against
God's
righteous precepts. They walk after the
Flesh, they go
On in
sinful
Courses, and increase to greater
Degrees of impurity and
wickedness. They also despise those whom
God has set in
authority over them, and requires them to honour. Outward
temporal good things are the
Wages sinners expect and promise
themselves. And none have more cause to tremble, than those who
are bold to gratify their sinful lusts,
By presuming
On the
Divine
Grace and
Mercy. Many such there have been, and are, who
speak lightly of the restraints of
God's
Law, and deem
themselves freed from obligations to obey it. Let Christians
stand at a distance from such.
17-22 The
Word of
Truth is the water of
Life, which refreshes
the souls that receive it; but deceivers spread and promote
error, and are set forth as empty, because there is
No Truth in
them. As clouds hinder the
Light of the
Sun,
So do these darken
counsel
By words wherein there is
No Truth. Seeing that these
men increase
Darkness in this world, it is very just that the
mist of
Darkness should be their portion in the next. In the
midst of their talk of liberty, these men are the vilest slaves;
their own lusts gain a complete victory over them, and they are
actually in
Bondage. When men are entangled, they are easily
overcome; therefore Christians should keep close to the
Word of
God, and watch against all who seek to bewilder them. A state of
apostasy is worse than a state of ignorance. To bring an evil
report upon the good way of
God, and a false charge against the
way of
Truth, must expose to the heaviest condemnation. How
dreadful is the state here described! Yet though such a case is
deplorable, it is not utterly hopeless; the leper may be made
Clean, and even the dead may be raised. Is thy backsliding a
grief to thee? Believe in the
Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be
saved.