2 Peter 2:21

Contextual Overview

¹⁰Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, these men are unafraid to slander angelic majesties. ¹⁰ The Lord is especially hard on people who disobey him and don't think of anything except their own filthy desires. They are reckless and proud and are not afraid of cursing the glorious beings in heaven. ¹⁰ especially those who follow their old natures in lust for filth and who despise authority. Presumptuous and self-willed, these false teachers do not tremble at insulting angelic beings; ¹⁰ and specially those who walk after the flesh in [the] lust of uncleanness, and despise lordship. Bold [are they], self-willed; they do not fear speaking injuriously of dignities: ¹⁰ That punishment is for those who are always doing the evil that their sinful selves want to do. It is for those who hate the Lord's authority. These false teachers do whatever they want, and they are so proud of themselves. They are not afraid even to say bad things against the glorious ones. ¹⁰ but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities: ¹⁰ But specially those who go after the unclean desires of the flesh, and make sport of authority. Ready to take chances, uncontrolled, they have no fear of saying evil of those in high places: ¹⁰ And chiefly them that walke after the flesh, in the lust of vncleannesse, and despise gouernement, which are bolde, and stand in their owne conceite, and feare not to speake euill of them that are in dignitie. ¹⁰ And especially will he punish those who follow after filthy lusts of the flesh, and have no respect for authority. Arrogant and selfwilled are they who do not tremble when they blaspheme against the glory; ¹⁰ but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;

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
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and everything became dark and frightening.

Genesis 15:12
As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell on Avram; horror and great darkness came over him.

Genesis 15:12
And as the sun was just going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, a horror, a great darkness, fell upon him.

Genesis 15:12
The sun began to go down and Abram got very sleepy. While he was asleep, a very terrible darkness came over him.

Genesis 15:12
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.

Genesis 15:12
Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep came on Abram, and a dark cloud of fear.

Genesis 15:12
And whe the sunne was downe, there fell a deepe sleepe vpon Abram: and lo, an horrour of great darknesse fell vpon hym.

Genesis 15:12
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram; and, lo, fear and a great darkness fell upon him.

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

Genesis 15:12
And it came to pass, that, when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a dread, even a great darkness, fell upon him.

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.