| 1 | But there were false prophets also among the people , even as there shall be false teachers among you , who privily shall bring in damnable heresies , even denying the Lord that bought them , and bring upon themselves swift destruction . |
| 2 | And many shall follow their pernicious ways ; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of . |
| 3 | And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you : whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not , and their damnation slumbereth not . |
| 4 | For if God spared not the angels that sinned , but cast [them] down to hell , and delivered [them] into chains of darkness , to be reserved unto judgment ; |
| 5 | And spared not the old world , but saved Noah the eighth [person], a preacher of righteousness , bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly ; |
| 6 | And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned [them] with an overthrow , making [them] an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly ; |
| 7 | And delivered just Lot , vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked : |
| 8 | (For that righteous man dwelling among them , in seeing and hearing , vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds ;) |
| 9 | The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations , and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished : |
| 10 | But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness , and despise government . Presumptuous [are they], selfwilled , they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities . |
| 11 | Whereas angels , which are greater in power and might , bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord . |
| 12 | But these , as natural brute beasts , made to be taken and destroyed , speak evil of the things that they understand not ; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption ; |
| 13 | And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness , [as] they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time . Spots [they are] and blemishes , sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you ; |
| 14 | Having eyes full of adultery , and that cannot cease from sin ; beguiling unstable souls : an heart they have exercised with covetous practices ; cursed children : |
| 15 | Which have forsaken the right way , and are gone astray , following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor , who loved the wages of unrighteousness ; |
| 16 | But was rebuked for his iniquity : the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet . |
| 17 | These are wells without water , clouds that are carried with a tempest ; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever . |
| 18 | For when they speak great swelling [words] of vanity , they allure through the lusts of the flesh , [through much] wantonness , those that were clean escaped from them who live in error . |
| 19 | While they promise them liberty , they themselves are the servants of corruption : for of whom a man is overcome , of the same is he brought in bondage . |
| 20 | For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ , they are again entangled therein , and overcome , the latter end is worse with them than the beginning . |
| 21 | 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 . |
| 22 | But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb , The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again ; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire . |
