for he to whom these things are lacking is blind, seeing dimly, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

But these, as irrational creatures, born naturally for capture and destruction, railing in matters of which they are ignorant, shall in their destruction be also destroyed,

These are fountains without water, and mists driven by a storm, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved.

promising them liberty, while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what one is overcome by this he has become enslaved.

For if, after having escaped the defilements of the world in a full knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but, having again become entangled with these, they are overcome, the last state has become worse with them than the first.

Seeing, therefore, that all these things are thus to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conduct and godliness,

Wherefore, beloved, since ye are looking for these things, give diligence that ye be found in peace, without spot and blameless in His sight.

as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.