Parallel Verses

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first. 21 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. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to its own vomit, and, “a sow, after washing itself, wallows in the mud.”


Cross References

Ezekiel 18:24

But when a righteous person turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same detestable acts that the wicked do, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. He will die because of the treachery he has engaged in and the sin he has committed.

Luke 12:47

And that slave who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten.

Romans 7:12

So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.

Hebrews 6:4-6

For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit,

Psalm 36:3-4

The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive;
he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.

Psalm 125:5

But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,
the Lord will banish them with the evildoers.


Peace be with Israel.

Proverbs 12:28

There is life in the path of righteousness,
but another path leads to death.


>

Proverbs 16:31

Gray hair is a glorious crown;
it is found in the way of righteousness.

Ezekiel 3:20

Now if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, and I put a stumbling block in front of him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die because of his sin and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood.

Ezekiel 23:13

And I saw that she had defiled herself; both of them had taken the same path.

Zephaniah 1:6

and those who turn back from following the Lord,
who do not seek the Lord or inquire of Him.

Matthew 11:23-24

And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today.

Matthew 21:32

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.

John 9:41

“If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see’—your sin remains.

John 15:22

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin.

1 Thessalonians 4:2

For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

James 4:17

So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.

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