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Friday, December 19th, 2025
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the Third Week of Advent
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THE MESSAGE
2 Peter 2:21
This verse is not available in the MSG!
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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
10God is especially incensed against these "teachers" who live by lust, addicted to a filthy existence. They despise interference from true authority, preferring to indulge in self-rule. Insolent egotists, they don't hesitate to speak evil against the most splendid of creatures. Even angels, their superiors in every way, wouldn't think of throwing their weight around like that, trying to slander others before God. 12These people are nothing but brute beasts, born in the wild, predators on the prowl. In the very act of bringing down others with their ignorant blasphemies, they themselves will be brought down, losers in the end. Their evil will boomerang on them. They're so despicable and addicted to pleasure that they indulge in wild parties, carousing in broad daylight. They're obsessed with adultery, compulsive in sin, seducing every vulnerable soul they come upon. Their specialty is greed, and they're experts at it. Dead souls! 15They've left the main road and are directionless, having taken the way of Balaam, son of Beor, the prophet who turned profiteer, a connoisseur of evil. But Balaam was stopped in his wayward tracks: A dumb animal spoke in a human voice and prevented the prophet's craziness. 17There's nothing to these people—they're dried-up fountains, storm-scattered clouds, headed for a black hole in hell. They are loudmouths, full of hot air, but still they're dangerous. Men and women who have recently escaped from a deviant life are most susceptible to their brand of seduction. They promise these newcomers freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, for if they're addicted to corruption—and they are—they're enslaved. 20If they've escaped from the slum of sin by experiencing our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ, and then slid back into that same old life again, they're worse than if they had never left. Better not to have started out on the straight road to God than to start out and then turn back, repudiating the experience and the holy command. They prove the point of the proverbs, "A dog goes back to its own vomit" and "A scrubbed-up pig heads for the mud."
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
1 Samuel 26:12
David took the spear and water jug that were right beside Saul's head, and they slipped away. Not a soul saw. Not a soul knew. No one woke up! They all slept through the whole thing. A blanket of deep sleep from God had fallen on them.
David took the spear and water jug that were right beside Saul's head, and they slipped away. Not a soul saw. Not a soul knew. No one woke up! They all slept through the whole thing. A blanket of deep sleep from God had fallen on them.
Job 33:15
"In a dream, for instance, a vision at night, when men and women are deep in sleep, fast asleep in their beds— God opens their ears and impresses them with warnings To turn them back from something bad they're planning, from some reckless choice, And keep them from an early grave, from the river of no return.
"In a dream, for instance, a vision at night, when men and women are deep in sleep, fast asleep in their beds— God opens their ears and impresses them with warnings To turn them back from something bad they're planning, from some reckless choice, And keep them from an early grave, from the river of no return.
Proverbs 19:15
Life collapses on loafers; lazybones go hungry.
Life collapses on loafers; lazybones go hungry.
Daniel 8:18
A Vision of a Ram and a Billy Goat "In King Belshazzar's third year as king, another vision came to me, Daniel. This was now the second vision. "In the vision, I saw myself in Susa, the capital city of the province Elam, standing at the Ulai Canal. Looking around, I was surprised to see a ram also standing at the gate. The ram had two huge horns, one bigger than the other, but the bigger horn was the last to appear. I watched as the ram charged: first west, then north, then south. No beast could stand up to him. He did just as he pleased, strutting as if he were king of the beasts. "While I was watching this, wondering what it all meant, I saw a billy goat with an immense horn in the middle of its forehead come up out of the west and fly across the whole country, not once touching the ground. The billy goat approached the double-horned ram that I had earlier seen standing at the gate and, enraged, charged it viciously. I watched as, mad with rage, it charged the ram and hit it so hard that it broke off its two horns. The ram didn't stand a chance against it. The billy goat knocked the ram to the ground and stomped all over it. Nothing could have saved the ram from the goat. "Then the billy goat swelled to an enormous size. At the height of its power its immense horn broke off and four other big horns sprouted in its place, pointing to the four points of the compass. And then from one of these big horns another horn sprouted. It started small, but then grew to an enormous size, facing south and east—toward lovely Palestine. The horn grew tall, reaching to the stars, the heavenly army, and threw some of the stars to the earth and stomped on them. It even dared to challenge the power of God, Prince of the Celestial Army! And then it threw out daily worship and desecrated the Sanctuary. As judgment against their sin, the holy people of God got the same treatment as the daily worship. The horn cast God's Truth aside. High-handed, it took over everything and everyone. "Then I overheard two holy angels talking. One asked, ‘How long is what we see here going to last—the abolishing of daily worship, this devastating judgment against sin, the kicking around of God's holy people and the Sanctuary?' "The other answered, ‘Over the course of 2,300 sacrifices, evening and morning. Then the Sanctuary will be set right again.' "While I, Daniel, was trying to make sense of what I was seeing, suddenly there was a humanlike figure standing before me. "Then I heard a man's voice from over by the Ulai Canal calling out, ‘Gabriel, tell this man what is going on. Explain the vision to him.' He came up to me, but when he got close I became terrified and fell facedown on the ground. "He said, ‘Understand that this vision has to do with the time of the end.' As soon as he spoke, I fainted, my face in the dirt. But he picked me up and put me on my feet.
A Vision of a Ram and a Billy Goat "In King Belshazzar's third year as king, another vision came to me, Daniel. This was now the second vision. "In the vision, I saw myself in Susa, the capital city of the province Elam, standing at the Ulai Canal. Looking around, I was surprised to see a ram also standing at the gate. The ram had two huge horns, one bigger than the other, but the bigger horn was the last to appear. I watched as the ram charged: first west, then north, then south. No beast could stand up to him. He did just as he pleased, strutting as if he were king of the beasts. "While I was watching this, wondering what it all meant, I saw a billy goat with an immense horn in the middle of its forehead come up out of the west and fly across the whole country, not once touching the ground. The billy goat approached the double-horned ram that I had earlier seen standing at the gate and, enraged, charged it viciously. I watched as, mad with rage, it charged the ram and hit it so hard that it broke off its two horns. The ram didn't stand a chance against it. The billy goat knocked the ram to the ground and stomped all over it. Nothing could have saved the ram from the goat. "Then the billy goat swelled to an enormous size. At the height of its power its immense horn broke off and four other big horns sprouted in its place, pointing to the four points of the compass. And then from one of these big horns another horn sprouted. It started small, but then grew to an enormous size, facing south and east—toward lovely Palestine. The horn grew tall, reaching to the stars, the heavenly army, and threw some of the stars to the earth and stomped on them. It even dared to challenge the power of God, Prince of the Celestial Army! And then it threw out daily worship and desecrated the Sanctuary. As judgment against their sin, the holy people of God got the same treatment as the daily worship. The horn cast God's Truth aside. High-handed, it took over everything and everyone. "Then I overheard two holy angels talking. One asked, ‘How long is what we see here going to last—the abolishing of daily worship, this devastating judgment against sin, the kicking around of God's holy people and the Sanctuary?' "The other answered, ‘Over the course of 2,300 sacrifices, evening and morning. Then the Sanctuary will be set right again.' "While I, Daniel, was trying to make sense of what I was seeing, suddenly there was a humanlike figure standing before me. "Then I heard a man's voice from over by the Ulai Canal calling out, ‘Gabriel, tell this man what is going on. Explain the vision to him.' He came up to me, but when he got close I became terrified and fell facedown on the ground. "He said, ‘Understand that this vision has to do with the time of the end.' As soon as he spoke, I fainted, my face in the dirt. But he picked me up and put me on 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.
