Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible







And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day





And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day



And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day




Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the pit and a huge chain in his hand. Verse ConceptsAbyssHeaven And AngelsChainsIron ChainsKeysAngelsOthers Going DownBreaking Chains

But just as there were false prophets among the people before, there will also be false teachers among you [Christians]. They will privately teach harmful doctrines that destroy people [spiritually], by even denying [that Jesus is] the Master, [and thereby] destroying themselves quickly. And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against. And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them. read more.
For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it); and if God also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes, thereby condemning them to catastrophic destruction, and making them an example to other ungodly people in the future; and if He rescued the righteous man Lot, who had become very disturbed by unrestrained wickedness [of the people there in Sodom]. (For, being a righteous man living among them, Lot's righteous spirit was very disturbed every day by the wickedness he heard and saw), then the Lord [surely] knows how to rescue godly people from trying situations, and to keep unrighteous people under [a sentence of] punishment [to be received] on the judgment day. [This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels], while [those] angels, who are greater in strength and power than they, refuse to speak against such authorities, in condemnation, before the Lord. However, these people are like unreasonable, ignorant creatures of instinct, born as animals which are [to be] caught and destroyed. They speak out against things about which they are ignorant. In [the process of] destroying others, they will certainly be destroyed themselves. They suffer wrong themselves for doing wrong to other people. They consider it [especially] pleasurable to carry on their drunken revellings, [even] during the daytime. They become blots and blemishes [i.e., like spoiled food] in your fellowship meal, as they revel in their deceitful behavior. Their eyes are filled with sexual lust, and they are never satisfied when it comes to sinning. They entice unstable people and have hearts trained to be greedy [i.e., they continually desire the possessions of others]. [In this condition] they are under God's curse. They strayed away [from God] by taking the wrong road like Balaam, the son of Bosor did, who loved the reward for doing wrong. 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. Such people are like springs that give no water and clouds driven by the winds. [Only] the blackest darkness awaits them. [Although] their talk is big, what they say is worthless, and by [offering people] fleshly desires [i.e., sexual gratification], they lead people astray, who are barely escaping from the error of the world. [Although] these people promise "liberty," they themselves are slaves to corrupting influences, for people are slaves to whatever controls them.






And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day

Suddenly they shouted out, "What do you want with us, you Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before it is time to?" [i.e., before our punishment is due. See II Pet. 2:4; Jude 6]. Verse ConceptsExorcismsHell, As An ExperienceMillenniumDemons, Punishment OfTortureUntimelinessNot The TimeWhat Have We In Common?God TroublingDemonsResolving ConflictDemonic Influence

And when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet [i.e., in worship. See Mark 5:6] and shouted out with a loud voice saying, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Highest God? I beg you, do not torture me." Verse ConceptsExorcismsBeggarsShoutingTortureJesus Christ, Son Of GodIndividuals ShoutingThe First Sight Of ChristWhat Have We In Common?Bowing Before MessiahGod Troubling

Then there was a war in heaven. Michael [See Dan. 10:13; 12:1; Jude 9] and his angels waged war against the dragon [See verse 9]; and the dragon and his angels fought back. But they did not win and so lost their place in heaven. Then the great dragon was thrown out [of heaven]; he is the snake from ancient times who is [also] called "the Devil," and "Satan," the deceiver of the entire world. He was thrown down to earth along with his angels.


And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day

Suddenly they shouted out, "What do you want with us, you Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before it is time to?" [i.e., before our punishment is due. See II Pet. 2:4; Jude 6]. Verse ConceptsExorcismsHell, As An ExperienceMillenniumDemons, Punishment OfTortureUntimelinessNot The TimeWhat Have We In Common?God TroublingDemonsResolving ConflictDemonic Influence


He threw him into the pit, and closed it and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that time, he must be released for a short while. Verse ConceptsSatan, As DeceiverSatan, Kingdom OfSatan, Resistance ToSealsSpiritual Warfare, Enemies InAbyssA Short TimeSealing ThingsEvil And FreedomShort Time Till The EndSeasons Changing



And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day

But the beast was captured, along with the false prophet [See 16:13], who performed [supernatural] signs in his presence. [He had performed these signs] to deceive those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his statue. [See 13:15-16]. The beast and the false prophet were both thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. Verse ConceptsArmageddonevil, victory overLake Of FireBrimstoneHell, Punishment OfHell, As An ExperienceMineralsMiracles, Nature OfFalse Prophets, Examples OfSatan, Agents OfSatan, As DeceiverSpiritual Warfare, Enemies InFalse Miracles, Nature OfAntichrist, Described AsLying WondersDisfigurement Of SinDamnationCosmic CreaturesFire Of HellSulphurSigns Of EvilMarks On PeopleIdol WorshipThose Who DeceivedThe False ProphetHellMark Of The BeastSigns Of The TimesThe World RulerExclusion From God's PresenceMiracles Counterfeited

Suddenly they shouted out, "What do you want with us, you Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before it is time to?" [i.e., before our punishment is due. See II Pet. 2:4; Jude 6]. Verse ConceptsExorcismsHell, As An ExperienceMillenniumDemons, Punishment OfTortureUntimelinessNot The TimeWhat Have We In Common?God TroublingDemonsResolving ConflictDemonic Influence




He threw him into the pit, and closed it and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that time, he must be released for a short while. Verse ConceptsSatan, As DeceiverSatan, Kingdom OfSatan, Resistance ToSealsSpiritual Warfare, Enemies InAbyssA Short TimeSealing ThingsEvil And FreedomShort Time Till The EndSeasons Changing



And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day

But the beast was captured, along with the false prophet [See 16:13], who performed [supernatural] signs in his presence. [He had performed these signs] to deceive those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his statue. [See 13:15-16]. The beast and the false prophet were both thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. Verse ConceptsArmageddonevil, victory overLake Of FireBrimstoneHell, Punishment OfHell, As An ExperienceMineralsMiracles, Nature OfFalse Prophets, Examples OfSatan, Agents OfSatan, As DeceiverSpiritual Warfare, Enemies InFalse Miracles, Nature OfAntichrist, Described AsLying WondersDisfigurement Of SinDamnationCosmic CreaturesFire Of HellSulphurSigns Of EvilMarks On PeopleIdol WorshipThose Who DeceivedThe False ProphetHellMark Of The BeastSigns Of The TimesThe World RulerExclusion From God's PresenceMiracles Counterfeited

Suddenly they shouted out, "What do you want with us, you Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before it is time to?" [i.e., before our punishment is due. See II Pet. 2:4; Jude 6]. Verse ConceptsExorcismsHell, As An ExperienceMillenniumDemons, Punishment OfTortureUntimelinessNot The TimeWhat Have We In Common?God TroublingDemonsResolving ConflictDemonic Influence

So also, in a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah, and their surrounding towns, which had abandoned themselves to sexual immorality and [sexually] perverted behavior, serve as an example [of people] who [will] suffer the punishment of never ending fire. Verse ConceptsDeath, Of UnbelieversBestialityCivilizationHomosexualityEternal JudgementTwo CitiesSexual Immorality Brings PunishmentgayssexSexual ImmoralityBeing Gay

For I want you to be [fully] aware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and all of them passed [safely] through the [Red] Sea. [Note: This refers to God guiding the Israelites through the desert during the daytime by a cloud moving along above them . See Ex. 13:21-22]. [In doing this] they were all [actually] immersed into [fellowship with] Moses in the cloud and in the sea. And they all ate the same spiritual food [i.e., the supernatural manna. See Ex. 16:4-5], read more.
and drank the same spiritual drink [i.e., water coming from a rock supernaturally. See Ex. 17:6]. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. [Note: Besides actual water, they were refreshed from the spiritual presence of Christ]. However, God was not pleased with the vast majority of them, for their bodies were scattered over the desert [See Num. 14:29ff]. Now these events were examples for us, so that we should not have strong desires for evil things like they did. [So], do not worship idols as some of them did, as it is written [Ex. 32:6], "The people sat down to feast and drink, then got up and played." [Note: This refers to the Israelites engaging in an orgy of dancing and sex. See Ex. 32:17-19]. Neither should we commit sexual immorality as some of them did, [with] 23,000 people falling dead in one day. [Note: Num. 25:9 mentions 24,000 people slain, but that number could have included the additional people slain by the judges. See Num. 25:5]. Neither should we put the Lord to a test as some of them did, and were killed by snake bites [See Num. 21:5ff]. Neither should you people complain as some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel [See Ex. 12:23?]. Now these events happened to those people as examples [to us], and they were written as warnings to us, to whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. [Note: This refers to past ages concluding with the coming of Christ in that day]. So, the person who thinks he is standing firm [in the faith] should pay attention [to his life], so that he does not fall [away from God].

But just as there were false prophets among the people before, there will also be false teachers among you [Christians]. They will privately teach harmful doctrines that destroy people [spiritually], by even denying [that Jesus is] the Master, [and thereby] destroying themselves quickly. And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against. And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them. read more.
For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it); and if God also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes, thereby condemning them to catastrophic destruction, and making them an example to other ungodly people in the future;


But just as there were false prophets among the people before, there will also be false teachers among you [Christians]. They will privately teach harmful doctrines that destroy people [spiritually], by even denying [that Jesus is] the Master, [and thereby] destroying themselves quickly. And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against. And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them. read more.
For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it); and if God also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes, thereby condemning them to catastrophic destruction, and making them an example to other ungodly people in the future; and if He rescued the righteous man Lot, who had become very disturbed by unrestrained wickedness [of the people there in Sodom]. (For, being a righteous man living among them, Lot's righteous spirit was very disturbed every day by the wickedness he heard and saw), then the Lord [surely] knows how to rescue godly people from trying situations, and to keep unrighteous people under [a sentence of] punishment [to be received] on the judgment day. [This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels], while [those] angels, who are greater in strength and power than they, refuse to speak against such authorities, in condemnation, before the Lord. However, these people are like unreasonable, ignorant creatures of instinct, born as animals which are [to be] caught and destroyed. They speak out against things about which they are ignorant. In [the process of] destroying others, they will certainly be destroyed themselves. They suffer wrong themselves for doing wrong to other people. They consider it [especially] pleasurable to carry on their drunken revellings, [even] during the daytime. They become blots and blemishes [i.e., like spoiled food] in your fellowship meal, as they revel in their deceitful behavior. Their eyes are filled with sexual lust, and they are never satisfied when it comes to sinning. They entice unstable people and have hearts trained to be greedy [i.e., they continually desire the possessions of others]. [In this condition] they are under God's curse. They strayed away [from God] by taking the wrong road like Balaam, the son of Bosor did, who loved the reward for doing wrong. 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. Such people are like springs that give no water and clouds driven by the winds. [Only] the blackest darkness awaits them. [Although] their talk is big, what they say is worthless, and by [offering people] fleshly desires [i.e., sexual gratification], they lead people astray, who are barely escaping from the error of the world. [Although] these people promise "liberty," they themselves are slaves to corrupting influences, for people are slaves to whatever controls them. For if people who have escaped from the defiling practices of the world by coming to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, become tangled up in them again, and are overcome by them, these people are worse off than before they were converted. 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. It has happened to them like the true proverb [says], "The dog [throws up, and then] goes back and eats its own vomit," and "The hog that was all cleaned up [goes back] to wallowing in the mud."

But just as there were false prophets among the people before, there will also be false teachers among you [Christians]. They will privately teach harmful doctrines that destroy people [spiritually], by even denying [that Jesus is] the Master, [and thereby] destroying themselves quickly. And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against. And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them. read more.
For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it); and if God also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes, thereby condemning them to catastrophic destruction, and making them an example to other ungodly people in the future; and if He rescued the righteous man Lot, who had become very disturbed by unrestrained wickedness [of the people there in Sodom]. (For, being a righteous man living among them, Lot's righteous spirit was very disturbed every day by the wickedness he heard and saw), then the Lord [surely] knows how to rescue godly people from trying situations, and to keep unrighteous people under [a sentence of] punishment [to be received] on the judgment day. [This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels], while [those] angels, who are greater in strength and power than they, refuse to speak against such authorities, in condemnation, before the Lord. However, these people are like unreasonable, ignorant creatures of instinct, born as animals which are [to be] caught and destroyed. They speak out against things about which they are ignorant. In [the process of] destroying others, they will certainly be destroyed themselves. They suffer wrong themselves for doing wrong to other people. They consider it [especially] pleasurable to carry on their drunken revellings, [even] during the daytime. They become blots and blemishes [i.e., like spoiled food] in your fellowship meal, as they revel in their deceitful behavior. Their eyes are filled with sexual lust, and they are never satisfied when it comes to sinning. They entice unstable people and have hearts trained to be greedy [i.e., they continually desire the possessions of others]. [In this condition] they are under God's curse. They strayed away [from God] by taking the wrong road like Balaam, the son of Bosor did, who loved the reward for doing wrong.



And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day



And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day




For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it);

First of all, you should understand that, in the final days, mockers with evil desires will come [to you] saying, mockingly, "Why has the promise of a coming Messiah [not been fulfilled yet]? After all, since the time our ancestors died, everything has continued the same, even since the beginning of creation!" But, these people intentionally forget that the heavens, which existed long ago, and the earth, which was formed out of water and by water, [were created] by the word of God. read more.
[And] it was by water that the world, which existed at that time, perished in a great flood [of Noah's day]!


But just as there were false prophets among the people before, there will also be false teachers among you [Christians]. They will privately teach harmful doctrines that destroy people [spiritually], by even denying [that Jesus is] the Master, [and thereby] destroying themselves quickly. And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against. And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them. read more.
For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it); and if God also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes, thereby condemning them to catastrophic destruction, and making them an example to other ungodly people in the future; and if He rescued the righteous man Lot, who had become very disturbed by unrestrained wickedness [of the people there in Sodom]. (For, being a righteous man living among them, Lot's righteous spirit was very disturbed every day by the wickedness he heard and saw), then the Lord [surely] knows how to rescue godly people from trying situations, and to keep unrighteous people under [a sentence of] punishment [to be received] on the judgment day. [This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels], while [those] angels, who are greater in strength and power than they, refuse to speak against such authorities, in condemnation, before the Lord. However, these people are like unreasonable, ignorant creatures of instinct, born as animals which are [to be] caught and destroyed. They speak out against things about which they are ignorant. In [the process of] destroying others, they will certainly be destroyed themselves. They suffer wrong themselves for doing wrong to other people. They consider it [especially] pleasurable to carry on their drunken revellings, [even] during the daytime. They become blots and blemishes [i.e., like spoiled food] in your fellowship meal, as they revel in their deceitful behavior. Their eyes are filled with sexual lust, and they are never satisfied when it comes to sinning. They entice unstable people and have hearts trained to be greedy [i.e., they continually desire the possessions of others]. [In this condition] they are under God's curse. They strayed away [from God] by taking the wrong road like Balaam, the son of Bosor did, who loved the reward for doing wrong. 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. Such people are like springs that give no water and clouds driven by the winds. [Only] the blackest darkness awaits them. [Although] their talk is big, what they say is worthless, and by [offering people] fleshly desires [i.e., sexual gratification], they lead people astray, who are barely escaping from the error of the world. [Although] these people promise "liberty," they themselves are slaves to corrupting influences, for people are slaves to whatever controls them.




But just as there were false prophets among the people before, there will also be false teachers among you [Christians]. They will privately teach harmful doctrines that destroy people [spiritually], by even denying [that Jesus is] the Master, [and thereby] destroying themselves quickly. And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against. And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them. read more.
For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it); and if God also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes, thereby condemning them to catastrophic destruction, and making them an example to other ungodly people in the future; and if He rescued the righteous man Lot, who had become very disturbed by unrestrained wickedness [of the people there in Sodom]. (For, being a righteous man living among them, Lot's righteous spirit was very disturbed every day by the wickedness he heard and saw), then the Lord [surely] knows how to rescue godly people from trying situations, and to keep unrighteous people under [a sentence of] punishment [to be received] on the judgment day. [This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels], while [those] angels, who are greater in strength and power than they, refuse to speak against such authorities, in condemnation, before the Lord. However, these people are like unreasonable, ignorant creatures of instinct, born as animals which are [to be] caught and destroyed. They speak out against things about which they are ignorant. In [the process of] destroying others, they will certainly be destroyed themselves. They suffer wrong themselves for doing wrong to other people. They consider it [especially] pleasurable to carry on their drunken revellings, [even] during the daytime. They become blots and blemishes [i.e., like spoiled food] in your fellowship meal, as they revel in their deceitful behavior. Their eyes are filled with sexual lust, and they are never satisfied when it comes to sinning. They entice unstable people and have hearts trained to be greedy [i.e., they continually desire the possessions of others]. [In this condition] they are under God's curse. They strayed away [from God] by taking the wrong road like Balaam, the son of Bosor did, who loved the reward for doing wrong. 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. Such people are like springs that give no water and clouds driven by the winds. [Only] the blackest darkness awaits them. [Although] their talk is big, what they say is worthless, and by [offering people] fleshly desires [i.e., sexual gratification], they lead people astray, who are barely escaping from the error of the world.

So also, in a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah, and their surrounding towns, which had abandoned themselves to sexual immorality and [sexually] perverted behavior, serve as an example [of people] who [will] suffer the punishment of never ending fire. In the same way, these people have dreams of committing physically corruptive practices; they reject authority over them [i.e., by both God and men], and speak against glorious [i.e., heavenly] beings. But, when the ruling angel Michael disputed with the devil over [the final disposal of] the body of Moses, [even] he did not dare to bring derogatory charges against him [i.e., the devil], but said, "May the Lord rebuke you." [Note: Some suggest that this account appeared in an apocryphal book, possibly "The Assumption of Moses"]. read more.
But these people [i.e., the "certain men" of verse 4] speak against whatever they do not understand, and what they do understand naturally, the way animals do, proves to be their ruination.



But just as there were false prophets among the people before, there will also be false teachers among you [Christians]. They will privately teach harmful doctrines that destroy people [spiritually], by even denying [that Jesus is] the Master, [and thereby] destroying themselves quickly. And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against. And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them. read more.
For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it); and if God also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes, thereby condemning them to catastrophic destruction, and making them an example to other ungodly people in the future; and if He rescued the righteous man Lot, who had become very disturbed by unrestrained wickedness [of the people there in Sodom]. (For, being a righteous man living among them, Lot's righteous spirit was very disturbed every day by the wickedness he heard and saw), then the Lord [surely] knows how to rescue godly people from trying situations, and to keep unrighteous people under [a sentence of] punishment [to be received] on the judgment day. [This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels], while [those] angels, who are greater in strength and power than they, refuse to speak against such authorities, in condemnation, before the Lord. However, these people are like unreasonable, ignorant creatures of instinct, born as animals which are [to be] caught and destroyed. They speak out against things about which they are ignorant. In [the process of] destroying others, they will certainly be destroyed themselves.

But just as there were false prophets among the people before, there will also be false teachers among you [Christians]. They will privately teach harmful doctrines that destroy people [spiritually], by even denying [that Jesus is] the Master, [and thereby] destroying themselves quickly. And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against. And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them. read more.
For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it); and if God also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes, thereby condemning them to catastrophic destruction, and making them an example to other ungodly people in the future; and if He rescued the righteous man Lot, who had become very disturbed by unrestrained wickedness [of the people there in Sodom]. (For, being a righteous man living among them, Lot's righteous spirit was very disturbed every day by the wickedness he heard and saw), then the Lord [surely] knows how to rescue godly people from trying situations, and to keep unrighteous people under [a sentence of] punishment [to be received] on the judgment day. [This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels], while [those] angels, who are greater in strength and power than they, refuse to speak against such authorities, in condemnation, before the Lord. However, these people are like unreasonable, ignorant creatures of instinct, born as animals which are [to be] caught and destroyed. They speak out against things about which they are ignorant. In [the process of] destroying others, they will certainly be destroyed themselves. They suffer wrong themselves for doing wrong to other people. They consider it [especially] pleasurable to carry on their drunken revellings, [even] during the daytime. They become blots and blemishes [i.e., like spoiled food] in your fellowship meal, as they revel in their deceitful behavior. Their eyes are filled with sexual lust, and they are never satisfied when it comes to sinning. They entice unstable people and have hearts trained to be greedy [i.e., they continually desire the possessions of others]. [In this condition] they are under God's curse. They strayed away [from God] by taking the wrong road like Balaam, the son of Bosor did, who loved the reward for doing wrong. 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. Such people are like springs that give no water and clouds driven by the winds. [Only] the blackest darkness awaits them. [Although] their talk is big, what they say is worthless, and by [offering people] fleshly desires [i.e., sexual gratification], they lead people astray, who are barely escaping from the error of the world. [Although] these people promise "liberty," they themselves are slaves to corrupting influences, for people are slaves to whatever controls them.




But just as there were false prophets among the people before, there will also be false teachers among you [Christians]. They will privately teach harmful doctrines that destroy people [spiritually], by even denying [that Jesus is] the Master, [and thereby] destroying themselves quickly. And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against. And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them. read more.
For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it); and if God also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes, thereby condemning them to catastrophic destruction, and making them an example to other ungodly people in the future; and if He rescued the righteous man Lot, who had become very disturbed by unrestrained wickedness [of the people there in Sodom]. (For, being a righteous man living among them, Lot's righteous spirit was very disturbed every day by the wickedness he heard and saw), then the Lord [surely] knows how to rescue godly people from trying situations, and to keep unrighteous people under [a sentence of] punishment [to be received] on the judgment day. [This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels], while [those] angels, who are greater in strength and power than they, refuse to speak against such authorities, in condemnation, before the Lord. However, these people are like unreasonable, ignorant creatures of instinct, born as animals which are [to be] caught and destroyed. They speak out against things about which they are ignorant. In [the process of] destroying others, they will certainly be destroyed themselves. They suffer wrong themselves for doing wrong to other people. They consider it [especially] pleasurable to carry on their drunken revellings, [even] during the daytime. They become blots and blemishes [i.e., like spoiled food] in your fellowship meal, as they revel in their deceitful behavior. Their eyes are filled with sexual lust, and they are never satisfied when it comes to sinning. They entice unstable people and have hearts trained to be greedy [i.e., they continually desire the possessions of others]. [In this condition] they are under God's curse. They strayed away [from God] by taking the wrong road like Balaam, the son of Bosor did, who loved the reward for doing wrong. 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. Such people are like springs that give no water and clouds driven by the winds. [Only] the blackest darkness awaits them. [Although] their talk is big, what they say is worthless, and by [offering people] fleshly desires [i.e., sexual gratification], they lead people astray, who are barely escaping from the error of the world. [Although] these people promise "liberty," they themselves are slaves to corrupting influences, for people are slaves to whatever controls them. For if people who have escaped from the defiling practices of the world by coming to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, become tangled up in them again, and are overcome by them, these people are worse off than before they were converted. 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. It has happened to them like the true proverb [says], "The dog [throws up, and then] goes back and eats its own vomit," and "The hog that was all cleaned up [goes back] to wallowing in the mud."

[But] the person who continues to live a sinful life belongs to the devil, because the devil has continued to sin since the beginning [See Gen. 3]. For this is the reason that the Son of God came [into the world]; it was to destroy the works [i.e., the influence of] the devil [in people's lives]. Verse Conceptsevil, victory overevil, origins ofdefeatDivine PurposesBeginningMission, Of Jesus ChristSatan, Defeat OfSin, Causes OfSpiritual Warfare, Causes OfVictory, Over Spiritual ForcesPower Of Christ, ShownOrigins Of SinDestruction Of Satan's WorksFrom The BeginningRight Time For The DevilAll Have SinnedWhy God Did ThingsRebellion of Satan and Angelsrelaxing



And angels, who did not remain within [the bounds of] their proper authority, but left their own realm, God has kept in perpetual bondage, under [thick] darkness, awaiting judgment on the Great Day [when they will be punished]. Verse ConceptsDemons, Punishment OfThe Judgement Is CalledEternal JudgmentEternal JudgementInhabitationEvil AngelsOuter DarknessTying UpAssignmentRebellion of Satan and AngelsHaving A Good DayJudgement Day





For if God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them in chains, into deep, dark dungeons to await judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world of Noah's day, when He brought a flood on those ungodly people (though Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven other people, were saved from it);

First of all, you should understand that, in the final days, mockers with evil desires will come [to you] saying, mockingly, "Why has the promise of a coming Messiah [not been fulfilled yet]? After all, since the time our ancestors died, everything has continued the same, even since the beginning of creation!" But, these people intentionally forget that the heavens, which existed long ago, and the earth, which was formed out of water and by water, [were created] by the word of God. read more.
[And] it was by water that the world, which existed at that time, perished in a great flood [of Noah's day]!