2 Peter 2

2 Peter · Chapter 2

2 Peter 2:17

1But 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.2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.3And 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.4For 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;5And 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;6And 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;7And 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;)9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:10But 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.11Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.12But 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;13And 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;14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:15Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;16But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.18For 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.19While 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.20For 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.21For 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.22But 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

The false teachers are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. They promise refreshment but give nothing. The deepest darkness is reserved for them. 2 Peter 2:17

SpeakingSimon Peter, "a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ," who saw Christ's majesty on the holy mount. 2 Peter overview

To"Them that have obtained like precious faith"; traditionally the same believers as 1 Peter, in Asia Minor. 2 Peter overview

Also involvedThe false teachers. 2 Peter 2:12 Peter 2:17

Peter describes the false teachers with pictures from nature: wells without water and clouds carried by a tempest (2:17). 2 Peter 2:17

The letter names no place. If the readers are those of 1 Peter, they were in Asia Minor; tradition places Peter in Rome at the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

The eventsTheir darkness is "reserved for ever," a future judgment. 2 Peter 2:17

WrittenTraditional: about AD 64-68, shortly before Peter's death. Scholarly: many hold a follower wrote it in Peter's name, perhaps AD 100-150; others accept that Peter wrote it near the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

HerePeter shows that false teachers look promising but leave people empty. 2 Peter 2:17

In the whole of ScriptureJude uses parallel pictures: "clouds they are without water, carried about of winds" and "wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever" (Jude 1:12-13). Jesus spoke of "outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12). Jude 1:12Jude 1:13Matthew 8:12

For readersTeaching that promises much but gives nothing is a warning sign. 2 Peter 2:17Jude 1:12

  • wellsπηγή
    Greek · pēgē · G4077

    The word means a spring, a fountain. Strong's G4077

  • without waterἄνυδρος
    Greek · anudros · G0504

    The word means waterless, dry. The lexicon lists Matthew 12:43 and Luke 11:24 among its uses. Strong's G0504

  • tempestλαῖλαψ
    Greek · lailaps · G2978

    The word means a storm, a squall. The lexicon lists Mark 4:37 among its uses. Strong's G2978

  • mistζόφος
    Greek · zophos · G2217

    The word means gloom, deep darkness. The same word is in 2:4. Strong's G22172 Peter 2:4

  • reservedτηρέω
    Greek · tēreō · G5083H

    The word means to keep, to guard. Strong's G5083H

Takeaway

False teachers are dry springs and storm-driven mists; deep darkness is reserved for them. 2 Peter 2:17Jude 1:13

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
TheseοὗτοίhoutoiG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

areεἰσινeisinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

springsπηγαὶpēgaiG4077
flow

πηγή (pēgē) πηγή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for עַיִן, also for מָקוֹר, etc. ;] a spring, fountain : Jas.3:11, 2Pe.2:17; τ. δάτων, Rev.8:10 14:7 16:4; of a well fed by a spring, Jhn.4:6; π. τοῦ αἵματος, of a flow of blood, Mrk.5:29; metaphorically, Jhn.4:14, Rev.7:17 21:6.† (AS)

without waterἄνυδροιanudroiG0504
waterless

ἄνυδρος (anudros) ἄνυδρος, -ον (ἀ- neg., ὕδωρ) [in LXX for צִיָּה, יְשִׁימוֹן (γῆ ἄ), etc. ;] waterless: τόποι, Mat.12:43, Luk.11:24; πηγαί, 2Pe.2:17; νεφέλαι, Ju 12 (MM, VGT, see word).† (AS)

mistsὁμίχλαιhomichlaiG6068
fog

ὀμίχλη (omichlē) 1. a mist, fog , (not so thick as νέφος or νεφέλη); (Iliad by Homer); κονίης ὀμίχλη a cloud of dust, (Iliad by Homer) 2. metaphorically a mist over the eyes, (Aeschulus Tragicus): darkness, gloom , [variant datesAnthology Palantina (ML)

byὑπὸhupoG5259G
by/under: by

ὑπό (hupo) ὑπό (before smooth breathing ὑπ᾽, Mat.8:9b, Luk.7:8b; before rough breathing ὑφ᾽, Rom.3:9; on the neglect of elision in Mt, Lk, ll. witha, Gal.3:22, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., iv), prep. with genitive, dative (not in NT), accusative …

stormλαίλαποςlailaposG2978
storm

λαῖλαψ (lailaps) λαῖλαψ, -απος, ἡ [in LXX: Job.21:18 27:20 א (סוּפָה) Job.38:1, Jer.25:32 (סַעַר), Wis.5:14, 23, Sir.48:9, 12 * ;] a hurricane, whirlwind: Mrk.4:37, Luk.8:23, 2Pe.2:17.† SYN.: θύελλα, which see, and cf. ἄνεμος (AS)

being driven,ἐλαυνόμεναι,elaunomenaiG1643
to drive

ἐλαύνω (elaunō) ἐλαύνω [in LXX: Isa.41:7 (הָלַם) Isa.33:21 (שַׁיִט), etc. ;] to drive: of the wind, Jas.3:4, 2Pe.2:17; of sailors rowing or sailing a boat, Mrk.6:48, Jhn.6:19; of demons, Luk.8:29 (cf. ἀπ-, συν-ελαύνω).† (AS)

for whomοἷςhoisG3739
which

ὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. …

gloomζόφοςzophosG2217
darkness

ζόφος (zophos) ζόφος, -ου, ὁ (akin to γνόφος, which see), [in Sm.: Exo.10:22, Job.28:3, Psa.11:2 91:6, Isa.59:9 * ;] in Hom, the gloom of the under-world; hence, darkness, deep gloom (poët. and late prose writers): Heb.12:18, 2Pe.2:4 2:17, Ju 6 13.† ὁμίχλη, -ης, ἡ, [in LXX for עֲרָפֶל, etc. ;] a mist: 2Pe.2:17 SYN.: νέφος, νεφέλη, both thicker than ὁ (AS)

of darknessσκότουςskotousG4655
darkness

σκότος (skotos) σκότος, -ου, ὁ the more usual cl. form (cf.σ., τό), darkness: Heb.12:18, Rec.† (AS)

intoεἰςeisG1519
toward

εἰς (eis) εἰς, prep. with accusative, expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, with accusative). I. Of place. 1. After verbs of motion; (a) of entrance into: Mat.8:23, 9:7, Mrk.1:45, Luk.2:15, 8:31, al.; (b) of approach, to or towards: Mrk.11:1, Luk.6:8, 19:28, Jhn.11:31, 21:6, al.; (with) before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mrk.4:7, 8:19, 20, Luk.11:49, Jhn.21:23, al.; …

ageαἰῶναaiōnaG0165H
an age: age

αἰών (aiōn) αἰών, -ῶνος, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for עַד ,עוֹלָם ;] 1. in cl., like Lat. aevum (LS, MM, VGT, see word), a space of time, as, a lifetime, generation, period of history, an indefinitely long period; in NT of an indefinitely long period, an age, eternity, usually with prep. (MM, VGT); (a) of the past: ἀπ᾽ αἰ. (cf. Heb. מֵעוֹלָם), Luk.1:70; …

has been reserved.τετήρηται.¶tetērētaiG5083H
to keep: observe

τηρέω (tēreō) τηρέω, -ῶ [in LXX for שָׁמַר, נָצַר, etc. ;] 1. to watch over, guard, keep, preserve: Mat.27:36, Act.16:23, al.; ἑαυτόν, 2Co.11:9, 1Ti.5:22, Jas.1:27, Ju 21; before εἰς, Jhn.12:7, Act.25:21, 1Pe.1:4, 2Pe.2:4 2:9 3:7, Ju 6; ἐν, Jhn.17:11-12, Ju 21; ἐκ, Jhn.17:15, Rev.3:10; τ. πίστιν, 2Ti.4:7, Rev.14:12; τ. ἑνότητα τ. πνεύματος, Eph.4:3. …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.