2 Peter 2

2 Peter · Chapter 2

2 Peter 2:18

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
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.With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

They speak "great swelling words of vanity" and allure "through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness." Their targets are "those that were clean escaped from them who live in error." 2 Peter 2:172 Peter 2:18

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, and those "that were clean escaped" from error. 2 Peter 2:18

Peter explains how the false teachers work (2:18-19). 2 Peter 2:182 Peter 2:19

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 eventsThe verse gives no date of its own. Peter writes near the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

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 warns that these men allure those who have escaped from error, as they beguile "unstable souls" (2:14). 2 Peter 2:182 Peter 2:14

In the whole of ScriptureJude says their "mouth speaketh great swelling words" (Jude 1:16). Paul urges, "not in chambering and wantonness" (Romans 13:13). Peter uses the same word "escaped" for believers in 1:4. Jude 1:16Romans 13:132 Peter 1:4

For readersImpressive talk that appeals to fleshly desire is a lure, not a message from God. 2 Peter 2:18Jude 1:16

  • great swellingὑπέρογκος
    Greek · huperogkos · G5246

    The word means boastful, swelling. The lexicon lists this verse among its few uses. Strong's G5246

  • vanityματαιότης
    Greek · mataiotēs · G3153

    The word means emptiness, futility. The lexicon lists Romans 8:20 and Ephesians 4:17 as its other uses. Strong's G3153

  • allureδελεάζω
    Greek · deleazō · G1185

    The word means to bait, to entice. The same word is "beguiling" in 2:14. Strong's G11852 Peter 2:14

  • escapedἀποφεύγω
    Greek · apopheugō · G0668

    The word means to escape. The same word is in 1:4. Strong's G06682 Peter 1:4

  • errorπλάνη
    Greek · planē · G4106

    The word means error, wandering. Strong's G4106

Takeaway

With great swelling words and appeals to lust, false teachers allure those who had escaped from them who live in error. 2 Peter 2:18Jude 1:16

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
ArrogantὙπέρογκαHuperogkaG5246
boastful

ὑπέρογκος (huperogkos) ὑπέρ-ογκος, -ον [in LXX: Deu.30:11 (פָּלָא), etc. ;] of excessive weight or size; metaphorically, excessive, immoderate, in late writers, of arrogant speech (see Mayor on Ju, l.with): n. pl., 2Pe.2:18, Ju 16.† (AS)

forγὰρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

of vanityματαιότητοςmataiotētosG3153
futility

ματαιότης (mataiotēs) ματαιότης, -ητος, ἡ (μάταιος), [in LXX for הֶבֶל, Psa.31:6 39:5 62:9, al., and nearly 40 times in Ec; for שָׁוְא, Psa.25:4, al.; רִיק, etc. ;] vanity, emptiness, frailty, folly: Rom.8:20, 2Pe.2:18; τ. νοός, Eph.4:17 (elsewhere only in Pollux, 6, 134, and Eccl.).† (AS)

speaking wordsφθεγγόμενοιphthengomenoiG5350
to speak

φθέγγομαι (phthengomai) φθέγγομαι [in LXX for עָנָה, נָבַע hi., etc. ;] of men or animals, to utter a sound or voice: absol., Act.4:18; before ἐν φωνῇ, 2Pe.2:16; with accusative, ὑπέρογκα, 2Pe.2:18.† (AS)

they enticeδελεάζουσινdeleazousinG1185
to entice

δελεάζω (deleazō) δελεάζω (δέλεαρ, a bait), to allure by a bait: metaphorically, to allure, entice: with accusative, 2Pe.2:14, 18; pass., Jas.1:14.† (AS)

withἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

[the] passionsἐπιθυμίαιςepithumiaisG1939
desire

ἐπιθυμία (epithumia) ἐπιθυμία, -ας, ἡ (έπιθυμέω), [in LXX chiefly for תַּאֲוָה, אָוָה; also for חֶמֶד, etc. ;] desire, longing: Luk.22:15 (see: ἐπιθυμέω), Php.1:23, 1Th.2:17, Rev.18:14; p1., Mrk.4:19; esp. with ref. to forbidden things, desire, lust (Vg., concupiscentia): Rom.7:7-8, Jas.1:14-15, 2Pe.1:4; pl., Gal.5:24, 1Ti.6:9, 2Ti.2:22 4:3, 1Pe.1:14 4:2; πάθος ἐπιθυμίας, 1Th.4:5; ἐ. κακή, Col.3:5; with genitive, μιασμοῦ, 2Pe.2:10 (see Mayor, in l); τ. καρδιῶν, Rom.1:24; τ. κόσμου (aroused by the world), 1Jn.2:17; τ. σώματος, Rom.6:12; τ. ἀπάτης, Eph.4:22 (see ICC, in l); τ. σαρκός, 1Jn.2:16, 2Pe.2:18 (without ar …

of [the] fleshσαρκὸςsarkosG4561
flesh

σάρξ (sarx) σάρξ, σαρκός, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for בָּשָׂר ;] flesh; 1. as in cl. generally, (a) prop., of the soft substance of the animal body: 1Co.15:39, 2Co.12:7, Gal.6:13, al.; σ. καὶ αἷμα, 1Co.5:50; σ. καὶ ὀστέα, Luk.24:39; pl., of the flesh of many or parts of the flesh of one (cl.), Rev.17:16 19:18; φαγεῖν, Re, ll. with (cf. κατεσθίειν, 4Ki.9:36, al., and βιβρώσκειν, frequently in l.); metaphorically, Jas.5:3; mystically, φ. (τρώγειν) τὴν σ. τοῦ υἱοῦ τ. ἀνθρώπου, Jhn.6:52-56; …

to sensualityἀσελγείαιςaselgeiaisG0766
debauchery

ἀσέλγεια (aselgeia) ἀσέλγεια, -ας, ἡ (ἀσελγής, licentious; see MM, see word), [in LXX: Wis.14:26, 3Ma.2:26 * ;] licentiousness, wantonness, excess: Mrk.7:22, Rom.13:13, 2Co.12:21, Gal.5:19 (Lft., in l), Eph.4:19, 1Pe.4:3, 2Pe.2:2 2:7 2:18, Ju 4.† SYN.: ἀσωτία, profligacy, prodigality (see Tr., Syn., § xvi; DB, iii, 46). (AS)

scarcelyὀλίγωςoligōsG6067
scarcely

ὀλίγως (oligōs) scarcely, barely Some manuscripts list ὀλίγος (G3641) in place of G6067 at 2Pe.2.18

escapingἀποφεύγονταςapopheugontasG0668
to escape

ἀποφεύγω (apopheugō) ἀπο-φεύγω [in LXX: Sir.22:22 * ;] to flee from, escape: with accusative, 2Pe.2:18 2:20; with genitive, 2Pe.1:4.† (AS)

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

errorπλάνῃplanēG4106
error

πλάνη (planē) πλάνη, -ης, ἡ [in LXX: Pro.14:8 (מִרְמָה), Wis.1:12, al ;] a wandering. Metaphorical, a going astray, an error (in NT always with respect to morals or religion): Mat.27:64, Rom.1:27, Eph.4:14, 1Th.2:3, 2Th.2:11, Jas.5:20, 2Pe.2:18 3:17 3:1-18; 1Jn.4:6, Ju 11.† (AS)

living,ἀναστρεφομένους,anastrephomenousG0390
to live/return

ἀναστρέφω (anastrephō) ἀνα-στρέφω [in LXX chiefly for שׁוּב ;] 1. to overturn: Jhn.2:15. 2. to turn back, return: Act.5:22 15:16. 3. to turn hither and thither; pass., to turn oneself about, sojourn, dwell: Mat.17:22 Rec.; metaphorically (like Heb. הָלַךְ, in κοινή writers and in π.; see Deiss., LAE, 315; BS, 88, 194; MM, VGT, see word), to conduct oneself, behave, live: 2Co.1:12, Eph.2:3, 1Ti.3:15, Heb.10:33 13:18, 1Pe.1:17, 2Pe.2:18. † SYN.: περιπατέω (Hellenistic), πολιτεύω (AS)

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