2 Peter 2

1. The Apostle warns believers of false Teachers, who shall bring destructive heresies into the church, and seduce many. 3. The better to avoid which he describes their covetousness, and the destruction whereinto they shall bring themselves. 4. Which he confirms by examples of the Angels that sinned, of the old world, and of those of Sodom and Gomorrah. 7. Whereunto he opposeth the preservation of Lot, as before of Noah. 10. Shows further these seducers uncleanness, pride, intemperance, deceits, and other sins, wherein they are like unto the unreasonable beasts: and for which they shall receive the deserved reward of punishment. 15. Even as Balaam who was reproved for his unrighteousness by a dumb beast. 17. Compares them to fountains and clouds without water. 18. Describes their pride, and how they entice away Christians, and promise them liberty, whereas they themselves are servants of sin. 20. Teacheth that the state of Christians who suffer themselves to be seduced by them, is worse than if they had never known Christ. 22. And compares them to dogs, which lick up their vomit, and to washed swine, which wallow in the mire again.

1. And there were also false Prophets [That is, even as there were true Prophets among God’s people, to whose writings we must hold, chapter 1. 19. So there were false also, whom we must shun, Deuteronomy 13:1.] among the people [namely of God, or the people of the Jews] as there shall also be false Teachers among you, [namely, Christians. So that the State of the Church in this respect shall not be happier in the New Testament, than it was in the Old] who shall covertly [or, from beside. Or moreover. Namely, besides and contrary to the sound doctrine] bring in [namely, into the Church or amongst Christians] destructive [Gr. Heresies of destruction. Hebr.] heresies, [of this word see the note on Acts 5:17. And it appears from what followeth that he here speaketh of heresies which concern not only the faith but also the doctrine of a Christian life] even denying [namely, really, and by their false doctrine and evil life, although they might profess him with the mouth. See tit. 1. 16. Jude ver. 4.] the Lord [Gr. Despoten. Of which word see Acts 4:24. And Jude ver. 4.] who bought them, [these are here said to be bought by the Lord, in regard that they give themselves out for such, and were according to charity so accounted by others as long as they were in the communion of the Church. See the like phrase, John 15:2. Revel. 22. 19. For Christ truly and really bought only his Church by his blood, Acts 20:28. Ephes. 5. 25. i.e. only true believers, who always continue with Christ and deny him not. See 1 John 2, 19. Revel. 14. 3, 4.] (and) bringing upon themselves a speedy destruction.

2. And many shall follow their destructions, [Gr. Apoleiais, i.e. their destructive doctrines and seducing. Others read, aselgeiais, i.e. their lusciousness to wantonness’s] by whom the way of truth [that is, the true Christian doctrine and Religion, which showeth the way to eternal salvation. See of this appellation, Acts 9:2. And 19. 9. And 22. 4.] shall be reproached. [namely, as well by themselves, by speaking against and accusing the truth: as by others, who from their evil doctrine and ungodly life shall take occasion to reproach Christian Religion.]

3. And they [Namely the false Teachers] shall by covetousness [namely, being carried on, i.e. for filthy lucre’s sake, Titus 1:11.] with fained words [that is, fained, sweet, and flattering words: as Romans 16:18.] make merchandize of you, [Gr. Merchandise you, i.e. thereby as it were sell you, to draw gain from you: seeking not your salvation but your goods. See Revelation 18:13.] upon whom of a long time [that is, decreed against them for a great while ago, and shall certainly come upon them] judgement [that is, punishment, as 1 Cor. 11. 29. Namely, temporal and eternal: as the following words declare] is not idle, and their destruction slumbreth not.

4. For [These five following verses are concluded at the ninth ver.] if God spared not the Angels which sinned, but having cast them into hell, gave them up to the chains of darkness, [namely, even as imprisoned malefactors are kept with chains in the dark prisons until they are drawn forth of them to be punished] to be kept unto judgement, [Namely, unto the last judgement, or unto eternal judgement.]

5. And spared not the old world, [That is, the men of the first world before the flood. See Gen. chapter 6. 7.] but kept Noah the Preacher of righteousness, the eighth (person) when he bought the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

6. And burning to ashes the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, condemned them] with overthrowing, [that is, with a total destruction both of men and of Cities] and set them for an example [namely, of his righteous wrath and punishment upon ungodliness] to them who should live ungodly. [Namely, in future times even as they lived: that the like punishment shall come upon them also.]

7. And delivered just Lot (out of it) That is, upright and godly Lot] who was wearied [or oppressed, weary] by the lascivious conversation [Gr. The conversations in lasciviousness] of abominable men. [The Greek word signifieth men who care neither for right nor reason, and leave according to no Laws.]

8. (For this just (man) dwelling among them, day by day, vexed (his) righteous soul, by seeing and hearing of (their) unrighteous works) [Gr. Tormented by the sight and hearing in unrighteous works.]

9. The Lord knoweth to deliver the godly, [That is, will and can, as he hath also showed oftentimes] out of temptation, [that is, affliction, whereby they are tempted and tried by God. See James 1:2. 1 Pet. 1. 6.] and to keep the unrighteous [namely, who are and continue so without turning from their unrighteousness. See Ezekiel 18:21.] unto the day of Judgement, in which they shall be given up to be eternally punished both in soul and body] to be punished. [or being punished both in soul and body] to be punished. [or being punished, namely, now already according to the soul.]

10. But most of all [That is, chiefly, or most grievously] they that walk according to the flesh, [Gr. After the flesh, i.e. fleshly impurities] in unclean lust, [Gr. In lust of defilement, pollution, whereby not only the soul, but also the body is defiled. See 1 Cor. 6. 18.] and despise dominion: [that is, those that are in authority] who are bold, please themselves, [or self-conceited. See of this word Titus 1:7.] and who tremble not to reproach dignities. [that is, dominion, which are placed in glory amongst men.]

11. Whereas the Angels [That is, the good Angels, among whom Michael is brought forth for an example, Jude vers. 9.] being greater [namely, then any men are] in strength and power, bring not forth a reviling judgement against them [that is, that which they have to say against them who are in authority, they set not forth with reviling words] before the Lord.

12. But those [Namely, false Teachers] as unreasonable beasts, which follow nature, [Greek natural, i.e. following the instinct and the lusts of their nature: to whom the false Teachers are like, because they also follow the lusts of their corrupt nature] and are brought forth [Gr. Begotten, or born, i.e. as the unreasonable beasts have no thing else to expect, but to be taken and killed by men; even so also these false Teachers have nothing else to expect, but to be punished by God with eternal destruction, as is declared in that followeth] to be taken and killed, [Gr. For taking and destruction] seeing they reproach that which they understand not, shall be destroyed in their own corruption. [That is, perish, or perish in their destruction.]

13. And shall obtain the reward of unrighteousness, [Namely, eternal death and damnation; which unrighteousness deserves according to God’s just judgement; as on the contrary eternal life is called a crown of righteousness which is given of grace, 2 Tim. 4. 8.] as who esteem daily voluptuousness [that is, living daintily, feasting and making good cheer, as the rich miser did, Luke 16:19.] (their) delight; [Gr. Pleasure] being spots and blemishes [namely, of the Christian name, which they use, and defile by their evil life] and are luxuriant in their deceiving, [Gr. Apatais, i.e. deceitful seductions] while they are at feasts with you. [Or when they make good cheer with you, i.e. are invited to eat with you, or keep common feasts with you.]

14. Having eyes full of adultery, [That is, which clearly show forth their inclination to uncleanness, and which they cast upon other women to lust after them. See Matth. 5. 28.] and which cease not from sinning, [Gr. Incessant from sin, i.e. which continually by unchaste beholding and desiring of other women, move the heart to adultery, and commit the same also with their heart] alluring [namely, with fair speaking as with a bait] unstable souls, [namely, in the truth, or godliness] having the heart exercised in covetousness, children of cursing. [that is, cursed men, as John 17:12. Ephes. 2. 2. Colos. 3. 6. 2 Thess. 2. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 14.]

15. Who having forsaken the right way, [Namely, of Salvation, or of godliness which leadeth to salvation] are gone astray, and follow the way of Balaam, [that is, his manner of doing. See 1 Cor. 4. 17. Jude ver. 11.] the (son) of Bosor, [he is called Beor, or Bechor, Numbers 22:5.] who loved [that is, out of covetousness to obtain the reward, contrary to God’s will and his own conscience] the reward of unrighteousness. [that is, which Balak had promised him to do an unrighteous thing, namely, to curse the people of God.]

16. But he had the reproof of his unrighteousness: [Or transgression] (for) the yoak-bearing dumb (beast) [that is, the she ass on which he rode] speaking [Gr. Giving-sound] with man’s voice, hindered the folly of the Prophet. [namely, of Balaam, who is called a Prophet, as also Joshua 13:22. A foreteller or soothsayer, because he was accounted with the people of God, although he also by the inspiration of God prophesied the truth concerning the Messiah, Numb. 24. 17. See the like John 11:14.]

17. These are waterless Fountains, [That is, seem indeed to be Fountains, but yield no water: by which similitude their seeming holiness and hypocrisy is described, as in the following their unsteadfastness] clouds driven a whirl-wind, to which [namely, false Teachers] the mist of darkness, Matthew 8:12. And chapter 22. 13. And 25. 30. Whereby is signified Hell] is kept forever.

18. For they speaking very great swelling vanity [Gr. Very great swelling things vanity, i.e. bodly propounding their false and vain doctrine with great puffing up] allure by [Gr. In, as also in that which followeth] the lusts of flesh, (and) by lasciviousness’s [or, wantonness’s, lustfulness’s] those that had truly escaped [that is, who now had indeed the knowledge of the right truth. Others for Ontos, i.e. truly, read oligon, i.e. a little] from them that walk in error:

19. Promising them liberty, [Namely, a carnal liberty, under pretext of the Gospel] whereas they themselves are servants of corruption. [namely, which is and reigneth in them, or of eternal destruction: For both are true in a diverse respect] For by whom any one is overcome, to him he is also made a servant.

20. For if they, after that by knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, [Namely, which they have obtained by the preaching of the Gospel, which the unregenerate also oftentimes have indeed. See Matth. 13. 19. 20, & c.] they have escaped [namely, from these errors, sins, and idolatries, betaking themselves unto the Church of God, which the hypocrites and unregenerate also oftentimes do] the pollutions of the world, that is, the errors, idolatries, and gross sins, wherein they stuck before, and which are in the world] and being again entangled in the same are overcome (by them) [namely so, that they again fall thereunto, and remain therein, without turning from them, letting the same sins reign over them] the last [that is, this their first estate in which they were before they knew the truth. See Luke 12:7.]

21. For it were better for them, that they had not known the way of righteousness, [That is, the doctrine of the Gospel, which before is called the way of truth, v. 2.] than that they having known (it) should (again) turn away from the holy commandment [that is, the holy doctrine of the Gospel, which consists not only in promises, but also in precepts: and the Apostle speaketh thus, because the false teachers seduced men, not only from the truth, but also of all manner of ungodliness] that was delivered over unto them.

22. But that is come upon them which (is spoken) by a true proverb, the Dog is returned to his own vomit: and the washed Sow to wallowing in the mire.