1 But there were false prophets also among the people, as there shall likewise be false teachers among you, who will privily bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many will follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth will be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness will they with feigned speeches make merchandize of you, whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, delivered them to chains of darkness,
5 to be reserved to judgment, And spared not the old world, (but he saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness) bringing a flood on the world of the ungodly;
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example to them that should afterwards live ungodly:
7 And delivered righteous Lot, vexed with the filthy behaviour of the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds).
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unrighteous to 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, self-willed; they are not afraid to rail at dignities:
11 Whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, bring not a railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, born to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not, and shall perish in their own corruption,
13 Receiving the reward of unrighteousness. They count it pleasure to riot in the day time; spots and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings, while they feast with you,
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cease not from sin; beguiling unstable souls, having hearts exercised with covetousness, accursed children:
15 Who have forsaken the right way and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Boser, who loved the reward of unrighteousness.
16 But he had a rebuke for his iniquity: the dumb ass, speaking with man's voice, forbad the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds driven by a tempest, to whom the blackness of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For by speaking swelling words of vanity, they allure thro' the desire of the flesh, thro' wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them that live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, themselves are the slaves of corruption; for by whom a man is overcome, by him he is also brought into slavery.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, thro the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again intangled therein and overcome, their last state is worse then the first.
21 For it had been better for them, not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 But it has befallen them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.