'But2false prophets4also3arose1among5the6people,7just9as8there will be12false teachers13among10you,11who14will secretly bring in15destructive17heresies,16even18denying23the19Master22who bought20them,21bringing24upon themselves25swift26destruction.27 And1many2will follow3their4sensuality,6andbecause of7them8the9way10of truth12will be blasphemed.13 And1in2theirgreed3they will exploit7you6with false4words.5Their8condemnation10from long ago11is13not12idle,13and14their17destruction16is19not18asleep.19 For2if1God4didnot7spare8angels5when they sinned,6but9cast [them] into hell12andcommitted13themto chains10of gloomy darkness11to be kept16until14the judgment;15 ifhe did5not4spare5theancient2world,3but6preserved11Noah,8a herald10of righteousness,9[with seven others],7when he brought15a flood12upon the world13of the ungodly;14 ifby turning6the cities2of Sodom3and4Gomorrah5to ashes6he condemned8themto extinction,7making12theman example9of what is going to [happen]10to [the] ungodly;11 and1ifhe rescued12righteous2Lot,3greatly distressed4by9the6sensual10conduct11of5the7wicked8 (for2asthat5righteous6man lived7among8them9day10after11day,12he was tormenting17hisrighteous14soul13over [their] lawless15deeds16that he saw1and3heard );4 thenthe Lord2knows1howto rescue6thegodly3from4trials,5and8to keep13the unrighteous7under punishment12until9the day10of judgment,11 and2especially1those3who indulge9in6the lust7of defiling8passion5and10despise12authority.11Bold13andwillful,14they do17not16tremble17as they blaspheme18the glorious ones,15 whereas1angels,2thoughgreater6in might3and4power,5donot8pronounce9a blasphemous14judgment15against10them11before12the Lord.13 But2these,1like3irrational4animals, creatures5of instinct,7born6to8be caught9and10destroyed,11blaspheming15about12matters of which13they are ignorant,14will21also20be destroyed21in16their19destruction,18 suffering wrong1as the wage2for theirwrongdoing.3They count5itpleasure4to revel9in7the daytime.8They areblots10and11blemishes,12reveling13in14their17deceptions,16while they feast18with you.19 They have2eyes1full3of adultery,4insatiable for6sin.7They entice8unsteady10souls.9They have14hearts11trained12in greed.13Accursed15children!16 Forsaking1theright2way,3they have gone astray.4They have followed5the6way7of Balaam,89the [son] of10Beor,11who12loved15gain13from wrong-doing,14 but2was rebuked for13his own4transgression;5a speechless7donkey6spoke11with8human9voice10andrestrained12the13prophet’s15madness.16 These1are2waterless4springs3and5mists6driven9by7a storm.8For them10the11gloom12of [utter] darkness14has been reserved.15 For,2speaking4loud boasts1of folly,3they entice5by6sensual7passions9of the flesh8those10who are12barely11escaping from12those13who live16in14error.15 They promise3them2freedom,1butthey themselves4are6slaves5of corruption.8For10whatever11overcomes12a person,9to that13he is enslaved.14 For2if,1after they have escaped3the4defilements5of the6world7through8the knowledge9of11our12Lord11and13Savior14Jesus15Christ,16they are21again19entangled20in them17andovercome,21the24last state25has become22worse26for them23than26the27first.28 For2it would have been3better1for them4never5to have known6the7way8of righteousness10than11[after] knowing12itto turn back13from14the15holy18commandment19delivered16to them.17 What3the4true5proverb6sayshas happened1to them:2The dog7returns8to9its own11vomit,12and13the sow,14after washing herself,15[returns]16to wallow17in the mire.18