1 But|strong="G1161" there|strong="G2532" were|strong="G1510" false|strong="G5578" prophets|strong="G5578" also|strong="G2532" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" nation, just|strong="G5613" as|strong="G5613" there|strong="G2532" will|strong="G1510" be|strong="G1096" false|strong="G5578" teachers|strong="G5572" among|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210", people|strong="G2992" who|strong="G3588" will|strong="G1510" secretly|strong="G3919" introduce|strong="G3919" ruinous divisions, disowning even|strong="G2532" the|strong="G1722" Lord|strong="G1203" who|strong="G3588" bought them|strong="G3588", and|strong="G2532" bringing|strong="G1863" speedy ruin on|strong="G1722" themselves|strong="G1438".
2 There|strong="G2532" will|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" many|strong="G4183", too|strong="G2532", who|strong="G3739" will|strong="G2532" follow|strong="G1811" their|strong="G2532" licentious courses, and|strong="G2532" cause|strong="G1223" the|strong="G2532" way|strong="G3598" of|strong="G1223" the|strong="G2532" truth to|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" maligned.
3 In|strong="G1722" their|strong="G2532" covetousness|strong="G4124" they|strong="G2532" will|strong="G2532" try to|strong="G2532" make|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210" a|strong="G2532" source of|strong="G3056" profit by|strong="G1722" their|strong="G2532" fabrications; but|strong="G2532" for|strong="G1722" a|strong="G2532" long|strong="G1597" time|strong="G1597" past their|strong="G2532" sentence|strong="G2917" has|strong="G3739" not|strong="G3756" been|strong="G2532" standing idle, nor|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" ruin slumbering.
4 Remember, God|strong="G2316" did|strong="G2316" not|strong="G3756" spare|strong="G5339" angels when|strong="G3588" they|strong="G3588" sinned, but|strong="G1487" sent|strong="G2316" them|strong="G3588" down|strong="G3860" to|strong="G1519" Tartarus, and|strong="G2316" consigned them|strong="G3588" to|strong="G1519" caverns of|strong="G2316" darkness|strong="G2217", to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G3756" kept|strong="G5083" under|strong="G3756" guard|strong="G5083" for|strong="G1063" judgment|strong="G2920".
5 Nor|strong="G2532" did|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" spare|strong="G5339" the|strong="G2532" world|strong="G2889" of|strong="G2532" old|strong="G2532"; though|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" preserved|strong="G5442" Noah|strong="G3575", the|strong="G2532" preacher|strong="G2783" of|strong="G2532" righteousness|strong="G1343", and|strong="G2532" seven|strong="G3590" others|strong="G3590", when|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" brought|strong="G1863" a|strong="G2532" flood|strong="G2627" on|strong="G3756" the|strong="G2532" godless world|strong="G2889".
6 He|strong="G2532" condemned|strong="G2632" the|strong="G2532" cities|strong="G4172" of|strong="G2532" Sodom|strong="G4670" and|strong="G2532" Gomorrah|strong="G1116" and|strong="G2532" reduced them|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" ashes|strong="G5077", holding them|strong="G2532" up|strong="G2532" as|strong="G2532" a|strong="G2532" warning to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" godless of|strong="G2532" what|strong="G2532" was|strong="G2532" in|strong="G2532" store for|strong="G2532" them|strong="G2532";
7 but|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" rescued|strong="G4506" righteous|strong="G1342" Lot|strong="G3091", whose|strong="G3588" heart was|strong="G3588" vexed|strong="G2669" by|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" wanton licentiousness of|strong="G5259" his|strong="G1722" neighbours;
8 for|strong="G1063", seeing and|strong="G2532" hearing what|strong="G3588" he|strong="G2532" did|strong="G2532", as|strong="G1722" he|strong="G2532" lived|strong="G2532" his|strong="G1722" righteous|strong="G1342" life|strong="G5590" among|strong="G1722" them|strong="G3588", day|strong="G2250" after|strong="G2532" day|strong="G2250", Lot’s righteous|strong="G1342" soul|strong="G5590" was|strong="G3588" tortured by|strong="G1722" their|strong="G2532" wicked|strong="G3588" doings.
9 The|strong="G1519" Lord|strong="G2962", therefore|strong="G1161", knows|strong="G1492" how|strong="G1492" to|strong="G1519" deliver|strong="G4506" the|strong="G1519" pious from|strong="G1537" temptation|strong="G3986", and|strong="G1161" to|strong="G1519" keep|strong="G5083" the|strong="G1519" wicked, who are|strong="G2250" even|strong="G1161" now|strong="G1161" suffering punishment|strong="G2849", in|strong="G1519" readiness for|strong="G1519" “the|strong="G1519" day|strong="G2250" of|strong="G1537" judgment|strong="G2920"” –
10 especially|strong="G3122" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588", following|strong="G4198" the|strong="G1722" promptings of|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" lower nature, indulge|strong="G4198" their|strong="G2532" polluting passions|strong="G1939" and|strong="G2532" despise|strong="G2706" all|strong="G2532" control. Audacious and|strong="G2532" self-willed, they|strong="G2532" feel no|strong="G3756" awe of|strong="G2532" the|strong="G1722" celestial beings, maligning them|strong="G3588",
11 even|strong="G2532" where|strong="G3699" angels, though|strong="G2532" excelling them|strong="G5342" in|strong="G2596" strength|strong="G2479" and|strong="G2532" power|strong="G1411", do|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3756" bring|strong="G5342" against|strong="G2596" them|strong="G5342" a|strong="G2532" malignant charge before|strong="G3844" the|strong="G2532" Lord|strong="G2962".
12 These|strong="G3778" people|strong="G3588", however|strong="G1161", like|strong="G5613" animals|strong="G2226" without|strong="G2532" reason, intended by|strong="G1722" nature to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G2532" caught and|strong="G2532" killed|strong="G5356" – these|strong="G3778" people|strong="G3588", I|strong="G3739" say|strong="G2532", malign those|strong="G3588" of|strong="G2532" whom|strong="G3739" they|strong="G2532" know|strong="G1722" nothing, and|strong="G2532" will|strong="G2532" assuredly perish|strong="G5356" through|strong="G1722" their|strong="G2532" own corruption|strong="G5356",
13 suffering|strong="G1722" themselves|strong="G1792", as|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" penalty for|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" suffering|strong="G1722" that|strong="G3588" they|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2532" inflicted. They|strong="G2532" think|strong="G2233" that|strong="G3588" pleasure|strong="G2237" consists in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" self-indulgence of|strong="G2250" the|strong="G1722" moment. They|strong="G2532" are|strong="G3588" a|strong="G2532" stain and|strong="G2532" a|strong="G2532" disgrace, indulging|strong="G1792", as|strong="G1722" they|strong="G2532" do|strong="G2532", in|strong="G1722" their|strong="G2532" wanton revelry, even|strong="G2532" while|strong="G1722" joining you|strong="G5210" at|strong="G1722" your|strong="G2532" feasts.
14 They|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2192" eyes|strong="G3788" only|strong="G2532" for|strong="G2532" adulteresses|strong="G3428", eyes|strong="G3788" never tired of|strong="G2532" sin; they|strong="G2532" entice|strong="G1185" weak souls|strong="G5590"; their|strong="G2532" minds|strong="G2588" are|strong="G2532" trained|strong="G1128" to|strong="G2532" covet; they|strong="G2532" live|strong="G2532" under|strong="G2192" a|strong="G2192" curse|strong="G2671".
15 Leaving|strong="G2641" the|strong="G3588" straight|strong="G2117" road|strong="G3598", they|strong="G3588" have|strong="G3588" gone|strong="G4105" astray|strong="G4105" and|strong="G3588" followed|strong="G1811" in|strong="G3408" the|strong="G3588" steps of|strong="G3598" Balaam, the|strong="G3588" son of|strong="G3598" Beor, who|strong="G3739" set his|strong="G3739" heart on|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" reward|strong="G3408" for|strong="G2641" wrongdoing,
16 but|strong="G1161" was|strong="G3588" rebuked|strong="G1649" for|strong="G1161" his|strong="G1722" offence. A|strong="G2192" dumb animal spoke with|strong="G1722" a|strong="G2192" human voice|strong="G5456", and|strong="G1161" checked the|strong="G1722" prophet|strong="G4396"’s|strong="G2192" madness|strong="G3913".
17 These|strong="G3778" people|strong="G1510" are|strong="G1510" like springs|strong="G4077" without|strong="G2532" water, or|strong="G2532" mists driven|strong="G1643" before|strong="G3588" a|strong="G2532" gale|strong="G2978"; and|strong="G2532" for|strong="G2532" them|strong="G3588" the|strong="G2532" blackest darkness|strong="G4655" has|strong="G3739" been|strong="G1510" reserved|strong="G5083".
18 With|strong="G1722" boastful and|strong="G4561" foolish talk, they|strong="G3588" appeal to|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" passions|strong="G1939" of|strong="G1722" people|strong="G4561"’s lower nature, and|strong="G4561", by|strong="G1722" their|strong="G1722" profligacy, entice|strong="G1185" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" just|strong="G3588" escaping from|strong="G3588" the|strong="G1722" people|strong="G4561" who|strong="G3588" live such|strong="G3588" misguided lives.
19 They|strong="G2532" promise|strong="G1861" them|strong="G3588" freedom|strong="G1657", while|strong="G3739" they|strong="G2532" themselves|strong="G3778" are|strong="G3588" slaves|strong="G1401" to|strong="G2532" corrupt habits; for|strong="G1063" a|strong="G2532" person|strong="G3739" is|strong="G3588" the|strong="G2532" slave|strong="G1401" of|strong="G2532" anything|strong="G5100" to|strong="G2532" which|strong="G3739" they|strong="G2532" give way|strong="G3739".
20 If|strong="G1487", after|strong="G1161" having|strong="G2532" escaped the|strong="G1722" polluting influences of|strong="G2532" the|strong="G1722" world|strong="G2889", through|strong="G1722" knowing|strong="G1922" our|strong="G2424" Lord|strong="G2962" and|strong="G2532" Saviour|strong="G4990", Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547", people|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" again|strong="G3825" entangled|strong="G1707" in|strong="G1722" them|strong="G3588", and|strong="G2532" give|strong="G1096" way|strong="G1722" to|strong="G2532" them|strong="G3588", their|strong="G2532" last|strong="G2078" state has|strong="G2962" become|strong="G1096" worse|strong="G5501" than|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" first|strong="G4413".
21 It|strong="G1063" would|strong="G1510", indeed|strong="G1063", have|strong="G1510" been|strong="G1510" better|strong="G2909" for|strong="G1063" them|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3361" to|strong="G3361" have|strong="G1510" known|strong="G1921" the|strong="G1537" way|strong="G3598" of|strong="G1537" righteousness|strong="G1343", than|strong="G2228", after|strong="G1063" knowing|strong="G1921" it|strong="G1063", to|strong="G3361" turn|strong="G3860" away|strong="G5290" from|strong="G1537" the|strong="G1537" holy command|strong="G1785" delivered|strong="G3860" to|strong="G3361" them|strong="G3588".
22 In|strong="G1519" their|strong="G2532" case|strong="G3588" is|strong="G3588" seen the|strong="G2532" truth of|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" proverb|strong="G3942" – “A|strong="G2532" dog|strong="G2965" returns|strong="G1994" to|strong="G1519" what|strong="G3588" it|strong="G2532" has|strong="G2532" vomited” and|strong="G2532" “A|strong="G2532" sow|strong="G5300" after|strong="G1909" washing|strong="G3068" to|strong="G1519" her|strong="G1519" wallowing-place in|strong="G1519" the|strong="G2532" mud.”