Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue;

For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

For we revealed to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, not men who followed in cunningly devised myths, but men who became eyewitnesses of the majesty of that man.

For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

That voice borne from heaven we heard, we who were beside him on the sacred hill,

for no prophecy has ever yet originated in man's will, but men who were led by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

And many will go out of the way after their fatal errors; by means of whom the way of truth will be injuriously reviled.

And, in greed, with forged words, will they, of you, make merchandise: for whom, the sentence from of old, is not idle, and, their destruction, doth not slumber.

For if God did not have pity for the angels who did evil, but sent them down into hell, to be kept in chains of eternal night till they were judged;

and if he spared not the old world, but brought a flood on the world of the ungodly, and saved Noah, the eighth person, who was a preacher of righteousness;

and reducing the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, condemned them to final destruction, making them an example for all who in future should live ungodly;

and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked

then be sure that the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the wicked (who are even now enduring punishment) for the "Day of Judgment";

but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;

against whom even angels far superior to these beings in strength and power bring no abusive charge before the Lord.

But as for these, they have no more reason than brute beasts that are naturally made for hunting, and slaughter: so these who calumniate what they do not understand, shall receive the reward of their iniquity by perishing in their own corruption.

suffering the penalty as the wages of evil; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you;

having eyes full of adultery, and who cannot cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing;

forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;

But Balaam was rebuked for his own wrongdoing by a speechless donkey, who spoke out in a man's voice and prevented the prophet from continuing his foolishness.

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

For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who barely escape from those who live in error;

promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage.

As for those who have renounc'd the pollutions of the world, by their owning Jesus Christ for their Lord and saviour, if they are prevail'd upon to be entangled therein again, their last state is worse than the first.

Having first of all the knowledge that in the last days there will be men who, ruled by their evil desires, will make sport of holy things,

you who expect and hasten the advent of the Day of God, which dissolves the heavens in fire and makes the stars blaze and melt!

And as he said in all his letters, which had to do with these things; in which are some hard sayings, so that, like the rest of the holy Writings, they are twisted by those who are uncertain and without knowledge, to the destruction of their souls.

but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord, and saviour Jesus Christ. To whom be glory both now and forever. Amen. {Here ends the Second General Epistle of Peter}