2 Peter 2:21

Good News Translation

It would have been much better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and then turn away from the sacred command that was given them.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command delivered to them.

King James Version (1611)
For it had bin better for them not to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse, then after they haue knowen it, to turne from the holy commandement deliuered vnto them.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

New American Standard Bible
For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.

New Century Version
Yes, it would be better for them to have never known the right way than to know it and to turn away from the holy teaching that was given to them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.

Berean Standard Bible
It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.

Contemporary English Version
They would have been better off if they had never known about the right way. Even after they knew what was right, they turned their backs on the holy commandments that they were given.

Complete Jewish Bible
It would have been better for them not to have known the Way of righteousness than, fully knowing, to turn from the holy command delivered to them.

Darby Translation
For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known [it] to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Easy-to-Read Version
Yes, it would be better for them to have never known the right way. That would be better than to know the right way and then to turn away from the holy teaching that was given to them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For it had bene better for them, not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnes, then after they haue acknowledged it, to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto them.

George Lamsa Translation
Verily it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment that was delivered to them.

Lexham English Bible
For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them.

Literal Translation
For it was better for them not to have recognized the way of righteousness than having recognized it to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Amplified Bible
For it would have been better for them not to have [personally] known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to have turned back from the holy commandment [verbally] handed on to them.

American Standard Version
For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Bible in Basic English
For it would have been better for them to have had no knowledge of the way of righteousness, than to go back again from the holy law which was given to them, after having knowledge of it.

Hebrew Names Version
For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy mitzvah delivered to them.

International Standard Version
It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn their backs on the holy commandment that was committed to them.Luke 12:47-48; John 9:41; 15:22;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For it had been more tolerable for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, when they knew, to turn backward from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Murdock Translation
21 For it would have been better for them, not to have known the way of righteousness, than after having known [fn] , to turn back from the holy commandment that was delivered to them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For it had ben better for them not to haue knowen the way of righteousnes, then after they haue knowen it, to turne from the holy commaundement that was geuen vnto them.

English Revised Version
For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

World English Bible
For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For it had been better for them, not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Weymouth's New Testament
For it would have been better for them not to have fully known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandments in which they were instructed.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For it was betere to hem to not knowe the weie of riytwisnesse, than to turne ayen aftir the knowyng, fro that hooli maundement that was bitakun to hem.

Update Bible Version
For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 to them.

New English Translation
For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them.

New King James Version
For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

New Living Translation
It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.

New Life Bible
After knowing the holy Law that was given to them, they turned from it. It would have been better for them if they had not known how to be right with God.

New Revised Standard
For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was passed on to them.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, better, had it been for them - not to have obtained a personal knowledge of the way of righteousness, than, having obtained such knowledge, to turn back out of the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of justice than, after they have known it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was delivered to them.

Revised Standard Version
For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For it had bene better for the not to have knowne ye waye of righteousnes then after they have knowe it to turne fro the holy comaundmet geve vnto them.

Young's Literal Translation
for it were better to them not to have acknowledged the way of the righteousness, than having acknowledged [it], to turn back from the holy command delivered to them,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For it had bene better for them, not to haue knowne the waye of righteousnes, then after they haue knowne it, to turne from the holy commaundemet, that was geuen vnto them.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for it had been better for them, not to have made any profession of the gospel, than after they have embraced it, to abandon the holy injunction, that was delivered to them.

Simplified Cowboy Version
It would have been better to have never seen righteousness than to experience it and throw it in the dirt. We are commanded to live holy lives, and it's worth it.

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ especially those who follow their filthy bodily lusts and despise God's authority. These false teachers are bold and arrogant, and show no respect for the glorious beings above; instead, they insult them. ¹¹ Even the angels, who are so much stronger and mightier than these false teachers, do not accuse them with insults in the presence of the Lord. ¹² But these people act by instinct, like wild animals born to be captured and killed; they attack with insults anything they do not understand. They will be destroyed like wild animals, ¹³ and they will be paid with suffering for the suffering they have caused. Pleasure for them is to do anything in broad daylight that will satisfy their bodily appetites; they are a shame and a disgrace as they join you in your meals, all the while enjoying their deceitful ways! ¹⁴ They want to look for nothing but the chance to commit adultery; their appetite for sin is never satisfied. They lead weak people into a trap. Their hearts are trained to be greedy. They are under God's curse! ¹⁵ They have left the straight path and have lost their way; they have followed the path taken by Balaam son of Beor, who loved the money he would get for doing wrong ¹⁶ and was rebuked for his sin. His donkey spoke with a human voice and stopped the prophet's insane action. ¹⁷ These people are like dried-up springs, like clouds blown along by a storm; God has reserved a place for them in the deepest darkness. ¹⁸ They make proud and stupid statements, and use immoral bodily lusts to trap those who are just beginning to escape from among people who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of destructive habits—for we are slaves of anything that has conquered us.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

it had: Matthew 11:23, Matthew 11:24, Luke 12:47, John 9:41, John 15:22

the way: Proverbs 12:28, Proverbs 16:31, Matthew 21:32

to turn: Psalms 36:3, Psalms 36:4, Psalms 125:5, Ezekiel 3:20, Ezekiel 18:24, Ezekiel 23:13, Zephaniah 1:6

holy: Romans 7:12, 1 Thessalonians 4:2

Reciprocal: Numbers 14:4 - General Numbers 15:31 - his iniquity Deuteronomy 5:32 - ye shall not Ezra 9:14 - we again Psalms 78:41 - Yea Psalms 101:3 - them Psalms 107:7 - he led Proverbs 21:16 - wandereth Ezekiel 46:9 - he that entereth in Matthew 5:13 - if John 15:10 - ye keep Acts 1:16 - which the 1 Timothy 1:13 - because 1 Timothy 5:24 - General 2 Peter 2:2 - ways 2 Peter 3:2 - and of 1 John 2:19 - went out

Cross-References

Genesis 15:12
When the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and fear and terror came over him.

1 Samuel 26:12
So David took the spear and the water jar from right beside Saul's head, and he and Abishai left. No one saw it or knew what had happened or even woke up—they were all sound asleep, because the Lord had sent a heavy sleep on them all.

Job 4:13
Like a nightmare it disturbed my sleep.

Job 33:15
At night when people are asleep, God speaks in dreams and visions.

Proverbs 19:15
Go ahead and be lazy; sleep on, but you will go hungry.

Daniel 8:18
While he was talking, I fell to the ground unconscious. But he took hold of me, raised me to my feet,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For it had been better for them,.... Not that ignorance is good, or to be excused; but it would have been a lesser evil, and not so much aggravated:

not to have known the way of righteousness; the same with "the way of truth", 2 Peter 2:2, and "the right way", 2 Peter 2:15, the Gospel, which points out the way and method of a sinner's justification before God, which is not by the works of the law, but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, and received by faith; and which teaches men to live soberly, righteously, and godly; and a large, notional, though not an experimental knowledge, these apostates had of the word and doctrine of righteousness, and indeed of the whole of the Christian religion, which may truly go by this name:

than after they have known [it]; owned, embraced, and professed it:

to turn: the Vulgate Latin version, and some copies, as the Alexandrian and others, add, to that which is behind; to their former lusts, or errors, or worse, which they had turned their backs upon externally:

from the holy commandment delivered unto them; by the commandment is meant the Gospel also, see 2 Peter 3:2; called holy, because of its nature and influence, and in opposition to the pollutions of the world; and which is the faith once delivered, Judges 1:3, and which they received, as delivered to them; and, particularly, the ordinances of it, which they once submitted to, kept, and observed, as they were delivered to them, but now relinquished, or corrupted: wherefore, it would have been better for them to have been in their former ignorance, either in Judaism, or in Gentilism, since proportionate to a man's light is his guilt, and so his punishment, see Romans 2:12.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For it had been better for them ... - Compare the notes at Matthew 26:24. It would have been better for them, for:

(1)Then they would not have dishonored the cause of religion as they have now done;

(2)They would not have sunk so deep in profligacy as they now have; and,

(3)They would not have incurred so aggravated a condemnation in the world of woe. If people are resolved on being wicked, they had better never pretend to be good. If they are to be cast off at last, it had better not be as apostates from the cause of virtue and religion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 21. For it had been better for them not to have known — For the reasons assigned above; because they have sinned against more mercy, are capable of more sin, and are liable to greater punishment.

The holy commandment — The whole religion of Christ is contained in this one commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; and thy neighbour as thyself." He who obeys this great commandment, and this by the grace of Christ is possible to every man, is saved from sinning either against his God or against his neighbour. Nothing less than this does the religion of Christ require.