2 Peter 2:1-22.
2 Peter 2:1-22 (Good News Translation)
1 "False prophets appeared in the past among the people, and in the
same way false teachers will appear among you. They will bring in
destructive, untrue doctrines, and will deny the Master who redeemed
them, and so they will bring upon themselves sudden destruction. 2
Even so, many will follow their immoral ways; and because of what they
do, others will speak evil of the Way of truth. 3 In their greed these
false teachers will make a profit out of telling you made-up stories.
For a long time now their Judge has been ready, and their Destroyer
has been wide awake! 4 God did not spare the angels who sinned, but
threw them into hell, where they are kept chained in darkness, waiting
for the Day of Judgment. 5 God did not spare the ancient world, but
brought the flood on the world of godless people; the only ones he
saved were Noah, who preached righteousness, and seven other people. 6
God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying them with
fire, and made them an example of what will happen to the godless. 7
He rescued Lot, a good man, who was distressed by the immoral conduct
of lawless people. 8 That good man lived among them, and day after day
he suffered agony as he saw and heard their evil actions. 9 And so the
Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials and how to
keep the wicked under punishment for the Day of Judgment, 10
especially those who follow their filthy bodily lusts and despise
God's authority. These false teachers are bold and arrogant, and show
no respect for the glorious beings above; instead, they insult them.
11 Even the angels, who are so much stronger and mightier than these
false teachers, do not accuse them with insults in the presence of the
Lord. 12 But these people act by instinct, like wild animals born to
be captured and killed; they attack with insults anything they do not
understand. They will be destroyed like wild animals, 13 and they will
be paid with suffering for the suffering they have caused. Pleasure
for them is to do anything in broad daylight that will satisfy their
bodily appetites; they are a shame and a disgrace as they join you in
your meals, all the while enjoying their deceitful ways! 14 They want
to look for nothing but the chance to commit adultery; their appetite
for sin is never satisfied. They lead weak people into a trap. Their
hearts are trained to be greedy. They are under God's curse! 15 They
have left the straight path and have lost their way; they have
followed the path taken by Balaam son of Beor, who loved the money he
would get for doing wrong 16 and was rebuked for his sin. His donkey
spoke with a human voice and stopped the prophet's insane action. 17
These people are like dried-up springs, like clouds blown along by a
storm; God has reserved a place for them in the deepest darkness. 18
They make proud and stupid statements, and use immoral bodily lusts to
trap those who are just beginning to escape from among people who live
in error. 19 They promise them freedom while they themselves are
slaves of destructive habits—for we are slaves of anything that has
conquered us. 20 If people have escaped from the corrupting forces of
the world through their knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
and then are again caught and conquered by them, such people are in
worse condition at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It
would have been much better for them never to have known the way of
righteousness than to know it and then turn away from the sacred
command that was given them. 22 What happened to them shows that the
proverbs are true: "A dog goes back to what it has vomited" and "A pig
that has been washed goes back to roll in the mud."
Father God, forgive my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ down
to die on the cross and for shedding his blood for me. Three days late
you resurrected him. I accept that. I invite Jesus Christ into my
heart as my Lord and savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
God bless you.
1 "False prophets appeared in the past among the people, and in the
same way false teachers will appear among you. They will bring in
destructive, untrue doctrines, and will deny the Master who redeemed
them, and so they will bring upon themselves sudden destruction. 2
Even so, many will follow their immoral ways; and because of what they
do, others will speak evil of the Way of truth. 3 In their greed these
false teachers will make a profit out of telling you made-up stories.
For a long time now their Judge has been ready, and their Destroyer
has been wide awake! 4 God did not spare the angels who sinned, but
threw them into hell, where they are kept chained in darkness, waiting
for the Day of Judgment. 5 God did not spare the ancient world, but
brought the flood on the world of godless people; the only ones he
saved were Noah, who preached righteousness, and seven other people. 6
God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying them with
fire, and made them an example of what will happen to the godless. 7
He rescued Lot, a good man, who was distressed by the immoral conduct
of lawless people. 8 That good man lived among them, and day after day
he suffered agony as he saw and heard their evil actions. 9 And so the
Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials and how to
keep the wicked under punishment for the Day of Judgment, 10
especially those who follow their filthy bodily lusts and despise
God's authority. These false teachers are bold and arrogant, and show
no respect for the glorious beings above; instead, they insult them.
11 Even the angels, who are so much stronger and mightier than these
false teachers, do not accuse them with insults in the presence of the
Lord. 12 But these people act by instinct, like wild animals born to
be captured and killed; they attack with insults anything they do not
understand. They will be destroyed like wild animals, 13 and they will
be paid with suffering for the suffering they have caused. Pleasure
for them is to do anything in broad daylight that will satisfy their
bodily appetites; they are a shame and a disgrace as they join you in
your meals, all the while enjoying their deceitful ways! 14 They want
to look for nothing but the chance to commit adultery; their appetite
for sin is never satisfied. They lead weak people into a trap. Their
hearts are trained to be greedy. They are under God's curse! 15 They
have left the straight path and have lost their way; they have
followed the path taken by Balaam son of Beor, who loved the money he
would get for doing wrong 16 and was rebuked for his sin. His donkey
spoke with a human voice and stopped the prophet's insane action. 17
These people are like dried-up springs, like clouds blown along by a
storm; God has reserved a place for them in the deepest darkness. 18
They make proud and stupid statements, and use immoral bodily lusts to
trap those who are just beginning to escape from among people who live
in error. 19 They promise them freedom while they themselves are
slaves of destructive habits—for we are slaves of anything that has
conquered us. 20 If people have escaped from the corrupting forces of
the world through their knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
and then are again caught and conquered by them, such people are in
worse condition at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It
would have been much better for them never to have known the way of
righteousness than to know it and then turn away from the sacred
command that was given them. 22 What happened to them shows that the
proverbs are true: "A dog goes back to what it has vomited" and "A pig
that has been washed goes back to roll in the mud."
Father God, forgive my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ down
to die on the cross and for shedding his blood for me. Three days late
you resurrected him. I accept that. I invite Jesus Christ into my
heart as my Lord and savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
God bless you.
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