2But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.G1161G1096G5578G2532G1722G2992G2532G5613G2071G5572G1722G5213G3748G3919G684G139G2532G720G1203G59G846G1863G1438G5031G6842Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.G2532G4183G1811G846G684G1223G3739G3598G225G9873In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.G2532G1722G4124G4112G3056G1710G5209G3739G2917G1597G691G3756G2532G846G684G3573G37564For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;G1063G1487G2316G5339G3756G32G264G235G5020G3860G4577G2217G5083G1519G29205if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;G2532G5339G3756G744G2889G235G5442G3575G3590G2783G1343G1863G2627G2889G7656if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;G2532G5077G4172G4670G2532G1116G5077G2632G2692G5087G5262G3195G7647and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless menG2532G4506G1342G3091G2669G5259G766G391G1722G1138(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--G1063G1342G1460G1722G846G990G2532G189G928G1342G5590G2250G1537G2250G459G20419if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.G2962G1492G4506G2152G1537G3986G1161G5083G94G1519G2250G2920G284910This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings;G1161G3122G4198G3694G4561G1722G1939G3394G2532G2706G2963G5113G829G3756G5141G987G139111yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.G3699G32G5607G3187G2479G2532G1411G5342G3756G989G2920G2596G846G3844G296212But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.G1161G3778G5613G5446G249G2226G1080G1519G259G2532G5356G987G1722G3739G50G2704G1722G846G535613They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.G2865G3408G93G2233G2237G5172G1722G2250G4696G2532G3470G1792G1722G846G539G4910G521314With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed--an accursed brood!G2192G3788G3324G3428G2532G180G266G1185G793G5590G2588G2192G1128G4124G2671G504315They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.G2641G2117G3598G4105G1811G3598G903G1007G3739G25G3408G9316But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey--a beast without speech--who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness.G1161G2192G1649G2398G3892G880G5268G5350G1722G444G5456G2967G3913G439617These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.G3778G1526G4077G504G3507G1643G5259G2978G3739G2217G4655G5083G1519G16518For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.G1063G5350G5246G3153G1185G1722G1939G4561G766G3689G668G390G1722G410619They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.G1861G846G1657G846G5225G1401G5356G1063G3739G5100G2274G2532G5129G140220If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.G1063G1487G668G3393G2889G1722G1922G2962G2532G4990G2424G5547G1707G3825G1707G5125G1161G1096G2274G2078G5501G846G441321It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.G1063G2258G2909G846G3361G1921G3598G1343G2228G1921G1994G1537G40G1785G3860G84622Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."G1161G4819G846G3588G227G3942G2965G1994G1909G2398G1829G1994G2532G5300G3068G1519G2946G1004