1 But FALSE prophets also developed among the people, as FALSE teachers will also be among you, who will sneak in pernicious denominations, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many will follow their wantonness, because of whom the way of the truth will be blasphemed.
3 And they will exploit you in greed with fabricated words, whose judgment is not idle for long, and their destruction will not slumber.
4 For if God did not spare heavenly agents who sinned, but delivered them up to chains of darkness, having been cast into hell being reserved for judgment,
5 and he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, the eighth, a herald of righteousness, when he brought on a flood upon the world of the irreverent,
6 and he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, being reduced to ashes, having made an example of men who were going to be irreverent,
7 and he rescued righteous Lot, being distressed by the conduct of the lawless in their licentiousness
8 (for that righteous man dwelling among them day after day, in the sight and hearing of their lawless deeds, it anguished his righteous soul),
9 the Lord knows how to rescue the pious out of temptation, and to hold in reserve unrighteous men being cut off for a day of judgment.
10 And especially those going rear of flesh in a degenerate lust, and who despise lordship. Reckless, self-willed men, they do not tremble when speaking evil of dignities.
11 Whereas heavenly agents, being greater in might and power, do not bring a railing judgment against them before Lord.
12 But these men, like irrational beasts of nature, having been born for capture and destruction, speaking evil at which things they do not understand, will be destroyed in their corruption,
13 getting back a wage of unrighteousness. Men who consider soft living in the daytime to be pleasure, spots and blemishes reveling in their deceitfulness, feasting together with you,
14 having eyes full of adultery, and unceasing sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, children of a curse,
15 having forsaked a straight path, they were led astray, men who followed the way of Balaam, son of Beor, who loved the wage of unrighteousness.
16 But he had a rebuke of his own lawbreaking. A mute donkey, uttering in a man's voice, restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These men are waterless wells, and clouds driven by a fierce wind, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved into an age.
18 For, uttering swollen things of vanity, they entice (to sensuality by lusts of flesh) those who actually escaped from those who live in error,
19 promising them freedom, while they themselves are bondmen of corruption, for by what any man has been overcome, of this he has also been enslaved.
20 For if, having escaped the defilements of the world by knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and, having been again entangled in these, they are overcome, the last things have become worse for them than the first.
21 For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 But that of the TRUE proverb has happened to them, The dog returning to his own vomit, and the sow that washed to wallowing in mire.
1 Ther were falce prophetes amonge the people even as ther shalbe falce teachers amonge you: wich prevely shall brynge in damnable sectes even denyinge the Lorde that hath bought them and brynge vpon them selves swyft damnacion
2 and many shall folowe their damnable wayes by which the waye of trueth shalbe evyll spoken of
3 and thorow coveteousnes shall they with fayned wordes make marchandyse of you whose iudgement is not farre of and their dampnacion slepeth not.
4 For yf god spared not the angels that synned but cast them doune into hell and delyuered them in chaynes of darknes to be kept vnto iudgement.
5 Nether spared the olde worlde but saved Noe the ryghte preacher of rightewesnes and brought in the flud vpon the worlde of the vngodly
6 and turned the cities of zodom and Gomor into asshes: overthrewe them damned the and made on them an ensample vnto all yt after shuld live vngodly.
7 And iust Lot vexed with the vnclenly conversacio of the wicked delivered he.
8 For he beynge ryghteous and dwellynge amonge them in seynge and hearynge vexed his righteous soule from daye to daye with their vnlawfull dedes.
9 The lorde knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptacion and how to reserve the vniuste vnto the daye of iudgement for to be punisshed:
10 namely them that walke after the flesshe in the lust of vnclennes and despyse the rulars. Presumpteous are they and stubborne and feare not to speake evyll of them that are in auctorite.
11 When ye angels which are greater bothe in power and myght receave not of ye lorde raylynge iudgement agaynst them.
12 But these as brute beastes naturally made to betaken and destroyed speake evyll of that they knowe not and shall perisshe through their awne destruccion
13 and receave the rewarde of vnrightewesnes.They count it pleasure to live deliciously for a season. Spottes they are and filthines livinge at pleasure and in disceaveable wayes feastynge with you:
14 havinge eyes full of advoutrie and that canot cease to synne begylynge vnstable soules. Hertes they have exercised wt coveteousnes. They are cursed chyldren
15 and have forsaken the right waye and are gone astraye folowinge ye waye of Balam the sonne of Bosor which loved the rewarde of vnrightewesnes:
16 but was rebuked of his iniquitie. The tame and dome beast speakinge with manes voyce forbade the folisshnes of the Prophete.
17 These are welles without water and cloudes caried about of a tepest to whome the myst of darcknes is reserved for ever.
18 For when they have spoke the swellinge wordes of vanytie they begyle wt wantanes thorowe yt lustes of the flesshe them that were clene escaped: but now are wrapped in errours.
19 They promys them libertye and are them selves ye bonde servauntes of corrupcion. For of whom soever a man is over come vnto ye same is he in bondage.
20 For yf they after they have escaped from the filthynes of the worlde thorowe ye knowledge of ye Lorde and of ye saviour Iesus Christ they are yet tagled agayne therin and overcome: then is ye latter ende worsse with them then the beginninge.
21 For it had bene better for the not to have knowne ye waye of righteousnes then after they have knowe it to turne fro the holy comaundmet geve vnto them.
22 It is happened vnto them accordinge to the true proverbe: The dogge is turned to his vomet agayne and the sow that was wesshed to her wallowynge in the myre.