Parallel Verses

Bible in Basic English

For it would have been better for them to have had no knowledge of the way of righteousness, than to go back again from the holy law which was given to them, after having knowledge of it.

New American Standard Bible

For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.

King James Version

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.

Holman Bible

For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command delivered to them.

International Standard Version

It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn their backs on the holy commandment that was committed to them.

A Conservative Version

For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

American Standard Version

For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Amplified

For it would have been better for them not to have [personally] known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to have turned back from the holy commandment [verbally] handed on to them.

An Understandable Version

It would have been better for them if they had not known the right way [to God] than, after knowing it, to turn back from the sacred message that had been presented to them.

Anderson New Testament

For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Common New Testament

For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.

Daniel Mace New Testament

for it had been better for them, not to have made any profession of the gospel, than after they have embraced it, to abandon the holy injunction, that was delivered to them.

Darby Translation

For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Emphatic Diaglott Bible

Therefore, it has been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Godbey New Testament

For it was better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment which has been delivered unto them.

Goodspeed New Testament

For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of uprightness than after knowing it to have turned their backs upon the sacred command with which they had been intrusted.

John Wesley New Testament

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.

Julia Smith Translation

For it was better for them not to have known the way of justice, than, having known, to turn back from the holy command delivererd to them.

King James 2000

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.

Lexham Expanded Bible

For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having known [it], to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them.

Modern King James verseion

For it would have been better for them not to have fully known the way of righteousness, than fully knowing it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

For it had been better for them, not to have known the way of righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment given unto them.

Moffatt New Testament

Better had they never known the Way of righteousness, than to know it and then turn back from the holy command which was committed to them.

Montgomery New Testament

Indeed it would have been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command delivered to them.

NET Bible

For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them.

New Heart English Bible

For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Noyes New Testament

For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Sawyer New Testament

For it is better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, having known, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

The Emphasized Bible

For, better, had it been for them - not to have obtained a personal knowledge of the way of righteousness, than, having obtained such knowledge, to turn back out of the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Thomas Haweis New Testament

For it had been better for them never to have been acquainted with the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to have turned aside from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Twentieth Century New Testament

It would, indeed, have been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn away from the holy Command delivered to them.

Webster

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 to them.

Weymouth New Testament

For it would have been better for them not to have fully known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandments in which they were instructed.

Williams New Testament

For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of uprightness than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command committed to their trust.

World English Bible

For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Worrell New Testament

For it were better for them not to have fully known the way of righteousness, than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Worsley New Testament

for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than when they knew it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Youngs Literal Translation

for it were better to them not to have acknowledged the way of the righteousness, than having acknowledged it, to turn back from the holy command delivered to them,

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
For
γάρ 
Gar 
for, , not tr
Usage: 825

it had been
ἦν 
En 
was, were, had been, had, taught , stood , , vr was
Usage: 410

κρείττων 
Kreitton 
Usage: 19


Usage: 0

not
μή 
me 
not, no, that not, God forbid 9, lest, neither, no man , but, none, not translated,
Usage: 493

to have known
ἐπιγινώσκω 
Epiginosko 
Usage: 37

the way
ὁδός 
Hodos 
Usage: 75

δικαιοσύνη 
Dikaiosune 
Usage: 83

ἤ 
or, than, either, or else, nor, not tr,
Usage: 199

ἐπιγινώσκω 
Epiginosko 
Usage: 37

it, to turn
ἐπιστρέφω 
Epistrepho 
Usage: 29

ἐκ ἐξ 
Ek 
of, from, out of, by, on, with,
Usage: 709

the
ἐντολή 
Entole 
Usage: 47

G40
ἅγιος 
Hagios 
Usage: 209

ἐντολή 
Entole 
Usage: 47

παραδίδωμι 
Paradidomi 
Usage: 75

Images 2 Peter 2:21

Context Readings

The Rise And Fall Of The False Teachers

20 For if, after they have got free from the unclean things of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again taken in the net and overcome, their last condition is worse than their first. 21 For it would have been better for them to have had no knowledge of the way of righteousness, than to go back again from the holy law which was given to them, after having knowledge of it. 22 They are an example of that true saying, The dog has gone back to the food it had put out, and the pig which had been washed to its rolling in the dirty earth.

Cross References

Ezekiel 18:24

But when the upright man, turning away from his righteousness, does evil, like all the disgusting things which the evil man does, will he have life? Not one of his upright acts will be kept in memory: in the wrong which he has done and in his sin death will overtake him.

Luke 12:47

And the servant who had knowledge of his lord's desires and was not ready for him and did not do as he was ordered, will be given a great number of blows;

Romans 7:12

But the law is holy, and its orders are holy, upright, and good.

Hebrews 6:4-6

As for those who at one time saw the light, tasting the good things from heaven, and having their part in the Holy Spirit,

Psalm 36:3-4

In the words of his mouth are evil and deceit; he has given up being wise and doing good.

Proverbs 12:28

In the road of righteousness is life, but the way of the evil-doer goes to death.

Proverbs 16:31

The grey head is a crown of glory, if it is seen in the way of righteousness.

Ezekiel 3:20

Again, when an upright man, turning away from his righteousness, does evil, and I put a cause of falling in his way, death will overtake him: because you have given him no word of his danger, death will overtake him in his evil-doing, and there will be no memory of the upright acts which he has done; but I will make you responsible for his blood.

Ezekiel 23:13

And I saw that she had become unclean; the two of them went the same way.

Zephaniah 1:6

And those who are turned back from going after the Lord, and those who have not made prayer to the Lord or got directions from him.

Matthew 11:23-24

And you, Capernaum, were you not to be lifted up to heaven? you will go down into hell: for if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been here to this day.

Matthew 21:32

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you had no faith in him, but the tax-farmers and the loose women had faith in him: and you, when you saw it, did not even have regret for your sins, so as to have faith in him.

John 9:41

Jesus said to them, If you were blind you would have no sin: but now that you say, We see; your sin is there still.

John 15:22

If I had not come and been their teacher they would have had no sin: but now they have no reason to give for their sin.

1 Thessalonians 4:2

Because you have in mind the orders we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

James 4:17

The man who has knowledge of how to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain