But there
were false prophets also among the people, even
as there shall be false teachers among you, who
privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even
denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction.
02 And many shall follow their pernicious ways;
by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil
spoken of.
03 And through covetousness shall they with
feigned words make merchandise of you: whose
judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and
their damnation slumbereth not.
04 For if God spared not the angels that sinned,
but cast them down to hell, and delivered them
into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto
judgment;
05 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah
the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness,
bringing in the flood upon the world of the
ungodly;
06 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha
into ashes condemned them with an overthrow,
making them an ensample unto those that after
should live ungodly;
07 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy
conversation of the wicked:
08 (For that righteous man dwelling among them,
in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul
from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
09 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out
of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto
the day of judgment to be punished:
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in
the lust of uncleanness, and despise government.
Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not
afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and
might, bring not railing accusation against them
before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be
taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things
that they understand not; and shall utterly
perish in their own corruption;
__________________________________ |
13 And shall receive the reward of
unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure
to riot in the day time. Spots they are and
blemishes, sporting themselves with their own
deceivings while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot
cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an
heart they have exercised with covetous
practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are
gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son
of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass
speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of
the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are
carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of
darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of
vanity, they allure through the lusts of the
flesh, through much wantonness, those that were
clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they
themselves are the servants of corruption: for of
whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought
in bondage.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions
of the world through the knowledge of the Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end
is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than, after they
have known it, to turn from the holy commandment
delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the
true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit
again; and the sow that was washed to her
wallowing in the mire.
__________________________________ |
