1 In|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" past there|strong="G1510" were|strong="G1510" false|strong="G5578" prophets|strong="G5578" among|strong="G1722" God’s|strong="G0846" people|strong="G2992". It|strong="G0846" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G0846" now|strong="G1161". You|strong="G5210" will|strong="G1510" have|strong="G1510" some|strong="G3588" false|strong="G5578" teachers|strong="G5572" in|strong="G1722" your|strong="G2532" group. They|strong="G0846" will|strong="G1510" teach things|strong="G0846" that|strong="G3748" are|strong="G1510" wrong—ideas that|strong="G3748" will|strong="G1510" cause people|strong="G2992" to|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1510" lost. And|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" will|strong="G1510" teach in|strong="G1722" a|strong="G5613" way|strong="G1722" that|strong="G3748" will|strong="G1510" be|strong="G1510" hard for|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G2532" see that|strong="G3748" they|strong="G0846" are|strong="G1510" wrong. They|strong="G0846" will|strong="G1510" even|strong="G2532" refuse to|strong="G2532" follow the|strong="G3588" Master|strong="G1203" who|strong="G3588" bought|strong="G0059" their|strong="G0846" freedom. And|strong="G2532" so|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" will|strong="G1510" quickly|strong="G1722" destroy themselves|strong="G1438".
2 Many|strong="G4183" people|strong="G0846" will|strong="G3739" follow|strong="G1811" them|strong="G0846" in|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" morally wrong things|strong="G4183" they|strong="G0846" do|strong="G2532". And|strong="G2532" because|strong="G1223" of|strong="G1223" them|strong="G0846", others|strong="G3588" will|strong="G3739" say|strong="G1223" bad things|strong="G4183" about|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" way|strong="G3598" of|strong="G1223" truth|strong="G0225" we|strong="G3739" follow|strong="G1811".
3 These|strong="G3739" false|strong="G4112" teachers only|strong="G3756" want your|strong="G2532" money|strong="G0846". So|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" will|strong="G3739" use you|strong="G5210" by|strong="G1722" telling you|strong="G5210" things|strong="G3739" that|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3739" not|strong="G3756" true. But|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" judgment|strong="G2917" against|strong="G1722" these|strong="G3739" false|strong="G4112" teachers has|strong="G3739" been|strong="G2532" ready for|strong="G1722" a|strong="G3739" long|strong="G1597" time. And|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" will|strong="G3739" not|strong="G3756" escape God|strong="G0846" who|strong="G3739" will|strong="G3739" destroy them|strong="G0846".
4 When|strong="G0032" angels|strong="G0032" sinned|strong="G0264", God|strong="G2316" did|strong="G5339" not|strong="G3756" let them|strong="G3860" go free without|strong="G3756" punishment. He|strong="G1487" sent them|strong="G3860" to|strong="G1519" hell|strong="G5020". He|strong="G1487" put|strong="G3860" those|strong="G3588" angels|strong="G0032" in|strong="G1519" caves of|strong="G2316" darkness|strong="G2217", where|strong="G1519" they|strong="G1487" are|strong="G3588" being held|strong="G5083" until|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" time when|strong="G0032" God|strong="G2316" will|strong="G2316" judge them|strong="G3860".
5 And|strong="G2532" God|strong="G1863" punished the|strong="G2532" evil people who|strong="G2532" lived long|strong="G0744" ago|strong="G0744". He|strong="G2532" brought|strong="G1863" a|strong="G2532" flood|strong="G2627" to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" world|strong="G2889" that was|strong="G2532" full of|strong="G1343" people who|strong="G2532" were|strong="G2532" against|strong="G3756" God|strong="G1863". But|strong="G0235" he|strong="G2532" saved Noah|strong="G3575" and|strong="G2532" seven|strong="G3590" other people with|strong="G2532" him|strong="G2532". Noah|strong="G3575" was|strong="G2532" a|strong="G2532" man|strong="G0765" who|strong="G2532" told people about|strong="G2532" living right|strong="G1343".
6 God also|strong="G2532" punished the|strong="G2532" evil cities|strong="G4172" of|strong="G4172" Sodom|strong="G4670" and|strong="G2532" Gomorrah|strong="G1116". He|strong="G2532" burned them until|strong="G2532" there was|strong="G4172" nothing left but|strong="G2532" ashes|strong="G5077". He|strong="G2532" used those|strong="G3195" cities|strong="G4172" as|strong="G2532" an|strong="G2532" example|strong="G5262" of|strong="G4172" what|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3195" happen to|strong="G3195" people who|strong="G2532" are|strong="G2532" against God.
7 But|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" saved Lot|strong="G3091", a|strong="G5259" good man|strong="G1342" who|strong="G3588" lived there|strong="G1722". Lot|strong="G3091" was|strong="G3588" greatly troubled by|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" morally bad lives|strong="G0391" of|strong="G1722" those|strong="G3588" evil people|strong="G3588".
8 This|strong="G3588" good man|strong="G1342" lived with|strong="G1722" those|strong="G3588" evil people|strong="G0846" every day|strong="G2250", and|strong="G2532" his|strong="G0846" good heart|strong="G5590" was|strong="G3588" hurt by|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" evil things|strong="G0846" he|strong="G2532" saw|strong="G0990" and|strong="G2532" heard|strong="G0189".
9 So|strong="G1161" you|strong="G1492" see|strong="G1492" that|strong="G2250" the|strong="G1161" Lord|strong="G2962" God knows|strong="G1492" how to|strong="G1519" save those|strong="G1161" who are|strong="G2250" devoted to|strong="G1519" him|strong="G5083". He|strong="G1161" will|strong="G2962" save them|strong="G5083" when|strong="G1161" troubles come|strong="G1537". And|strong="G1161" the|strong="G1161" Lord|strong="G2962" will|strong="G2962" hold evil people|strong="G1492" to|strong="G1519" punish|strong="G2849" them|strong="G5083" on|strong="G1519" the|strong="G1161" day|strong="G2250" of|strong="G1537" judgment|strong="G2920".
10 That|strong="G1161" punishment is|strong="G3588" for|strong="G1722" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" always doing the|strong="G3588" evil|strong="G0987" that|strong="G1161" their|strong="G2532" sinful selves want to|strong="G2532" do|strong="G2532". It|strong="G1161" is|strong="G3588" for|strong="G1722" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" hate the|strong="G3588" Lord’s authority|strong="G2963".
11 The|strong="G2532" angels|strong="G0032" are|strong="G1510" much|strong="G3173" stronger and|strong="G2532" more|strong="G3173" powerful|strong="G1411" than|strong="G3844" these|strong="G0846" beings. But|strong="G2532" even|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" angels|strong="G0032" don’t|strong="G3756" accuse them|strong="G0846" and|strong="G2532" say bad things|strong="G0846" about|strong="G2596" them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G2596" the|strong="G2532" Lord|strong="G2962".
12 But|strong="G1161" these|strong="G3778" false teachers speak evil|strong="G0987" against|strong="G1519" what|strong="G3739" they|strong="G0846" don’t understand|strong="G0050". They|strong="G0846" are|strong="G3778" like|strong="G5613" animals|strong="G2226" that|strong="G3739" do|strong="G2532" things|strong="G3778" without|strong="G2532" really thinking—like|strong="G5613" wild animals|strong="G2226" that|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3778" born|strong="G1080" to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G2532" caught and|strong="G2532" killed|strong="G5356". And|strong="G2532", like|strong="G5613" wild animals|strong="G2226", they|strong="G0846" will|strong="G3739" be|strong="G2532" destroyed|strong="G5351".
13 They|strong="G0846" have|strong="G2532" made many people|strong="G0846" suffer. So|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" themselves|strong="G0846" will|strong="G2250" suffer. That|strong="G0846" is|strong="G3588" their|strong="G0846" pay|strong="G3408" for|strong="G1722" what|strong="G3588" they|strong="G0846" have|strong="G2532" done|strong="G0091".
14 Every time they|strong="G2532" look at a|strong="G2192" woman, they|strong="G2532" want her|strong="G2192". They|strong="G2532" are|strong="G2532" always sinning this|strong="G2532" way. And|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" lead weaker people|strong="G5590" into the|strong="G2532" trap of|strong="G5043" sin|strong="G0266". They|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2192" taught themselves well|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" greedy. They|strong="G2532" are|strong="G2532" under|strong="G2192" a|strong="G2192" curse|strong="G2671".
15 These|strong="G3739" false teachers left|strong="G2641" the|strong="G3588" right|strong="G2117" way|strong="G3598" and|strong="G3598" went the|strong="G3588" wrong|strong="G0093" way|strong="G3598". They|strong="G3739" followed|strong="G1811" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G3739" way|strong="G3598" that|strong="G3739" the|strong="G3588" prophet Balaam|strong="G0903" went. He|strong="G3739" was|strong="G3739" the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3598" Beor, who|strong="G3739" loved|strong="G0025" being paid for|strong="G2641" doing|strong="G0093" wrong|strong="G0093".
16 But|strong="G1161" a|strong="G2192" donkey|strong="G5268" told him|strong="G1722" that|strong="G1161" he|strong="G1161" was|strong="G3588" doing wrong. A|strong="G2192" donkey|strong="G5268" cannot talk, of|strong="G5456" course, but|strong="G1161" that|strong="G1161" donkey|strong="G5268" spoke with|strong="G1722" a|strong="G2192" man’s|strong="G0444" voice|strong="G5456" and|strong="G1161" stopped the|strong="G3588" prophet|strong="G4396" from|strong="G5456" acting so|strong="G1161" crazy.
17 These|strong="G3778" false teachers are|strong="G1510" like springs|strong="G4077" that|strong="G3739" have|strong="G1510" no water|strong="G0504". They|strong="G3739" are|strong="G1510" like clouds that|strong="G3739" are|strong="G1510" blown by|strong="G5259" a|strong="G1510" storm|strong="G2978". A|strong="G1510" place in|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" deepest darkness|strong="G4655" has|strong="G3739" been|strong="G1510" kept|strong="G5083" for|strong="G5083" them|strong="G3739".
18 They|strong="G1722" boast with|strong="G1722" words that|strong="G1722" mean nothing. They|strong="G1722" lead people|strong="G4561" into|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" trap of|strong="G1722" sin. They|strong="G1722" find people|strong="G4561" who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G3588" just escaped|strong="G0668" from|strong="G1722" a|strong="G1722" wrong way|strong="G1722" of|strong="G1722" life|strong="G4561" and|strong="G4561" lead them|strong="G1722" back into|strong="G1722" sin. They|strong="G1722" do this|strong="G3588" by|strong="G1722" using the|strong="G3588" evil things|strong="G3641" people|strong="G4561" want to|strong="G1722" do in|strong="G1722" their|strong="G1722" human|strong="G4561" weakness.
19 These|strong="G3778" false teachers promise|strong="G1861" those|strong="G3588" people|strong="G0846" freedom|strong="G1657", but|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" themselves|strong="G0846" are|strong="G3778" not|strong="G3739" free. They|strong="G0846" are|strong="G3778" slaves|strong="G1401" to|strong="G2532" a|strong="G3739" mind|strong="G2532" that|strong="G3739" has|strong="G3739" been|strong="G2532" ruined by|strong="G2532" sin. Yes|strong="G1063", people|strong="G0846" are|strong="G3778" slaves|strong="G1401" to|strong="G2532" anything|strong="G5100" that|strong="G3739" controls them|strong="G0846".
20 People|strong="G0846" can be|strong="G1096" made|strong="G1096" free from|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" evil in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889". They|strong="G0846" can be|strong="G1096" made|strong="G1096" free by|strong="G1722" knowing|strong="G1922" our|strong="G2424" Lord|strong="G2962" and|strong="G2532" Savior|strong="G4990" Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547". But|strong="G1161" if|strong="G1487" they|strong="G0846" go back|strong="G3825" into|strong="G1096" those|strong="G3588" evil things|strong="G3778" and|strong="G2532" are|strong="G3778" controlled by|strong="G1722" them|strong="G0846", then|strong="G2532" it|strong="G0846" is|strong="G3778" worse|strong="G5501" for|strong="G1063" them|strong="G0846" than|strong="G2532" it|strong="G0846" was|strong="G2424" before|strong="G1722".
21 Yes|strong="G1063", it|strong="G0846" would|strong="G0846" be|strong="G1510" better|strong="G2909" for|strong="G1063" them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G2228" have|strong="G1510" never|strong="G3361" known|strong="G1921" the|strong="G3588" right|strong="G1343" way|strong="G3598". That|strong="G0846" would|strong="G0846" be|strong="G1510" better|strong="G2909" than|strong="G2228" to|strong="G2228" know|strong="G1921" the|strong="G3588" right|strong="G1343" way|strong="G3598" and|strong="G0040" then|strong="G1063" to|strong="G2228" turn|strong="G3860" away|strong="G5290" from|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3588" holy|strong="G0040" teaching that|strong="G0846" was|strong="G1510" given|strong="G3860" to|strong="G2228" them|strong="G0846".
22 What|strong="G3588" they|strong="G0846" did is|strong="G3588" like|strong="G0846" these|strong="G3588" true|strong="G0227" sayings: “A|strong="G2532" dog|strong="G2965" vomits and|strong="G2532" goes back|strong="G1994" to|strong="G1519" what|strong="G3588" it|strong="G0846" threw up|strong="G1519".” And|strong="G2532", “After|strong="G2532" a|strong="G2532" pig is|strong="G3588" washed|strong="G3068", it|strong="G0846" goes back|strong="G1994" and|strong="G2532" rolls in|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" mud again|strong="G1994".”