November 28 2 Pet 2:1-22
But false prophets also
arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will
secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought
them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. Many will follow their
immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. In
covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now
from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber. For if
God didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus,
and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and
didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a
preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the
ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned
them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live
ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful
life of the wicked (for that righteous man dwelling among them, was
tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing
lawless deeds): the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation
and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment; but
chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and
despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of
dignitaries; whereas angels, though greater in might and power, don’t bring
a railing judgment against them before the Lord. But these, as unreasoning
creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in
matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be
destroyed, receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it
pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their
deceit while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and who
can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in
greed; children of cursing; forsaking the right way, they went astray,
having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of
wrongdoing; but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke
with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet. These are wells
without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness
has been reserved forever. For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness,
they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are
indeed escaping from those who live in error; promising them liberty, while
they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into
bondage by whoever overcomes him.
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