Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech: 2 Peter | Page 2

any prophecy come by human will, but men sent
by God spoke as they were impelled by the Holy Spirit. 002:001 But
there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be
teachers of falsehood among you also, who will cunningly introduce
fatal divisions, disowning even the Sovereign Lord who has redeemed
them, and bringing on themselves swift destruction. 002:002 And in
their immoral ways they will have many eager disciples, through whom
religion will be brought into disrepute. 002:003 Thirsting for riches,
they will trade on you with their canting talk. From of old their
judgement has been working itself out, and their destruction has not
been slumbering. 002:004 For God did not spare angels when they had
sinned, but hurling them down to Tartarus consigned them to caves of
darkness, keeping them in readiness for judgement. 002:005 And He
did not spare the ancient world, although He preserved Noah, a herald
of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a deluge on the
world of the ungodly. 002:006 He reduced to ashes the cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah, and condemned them to overthrow, making them an

example to people who might in future be living godless lives. 002:007
But when righteous Lot was sore distressed by the gross misconduct of
immoral men He rescued him. 002:008 (For their lawless deeds were
torture, day after day, to the pure soul of that righteous man--all that he
saw and heard whilst living in their midst.) 002:009 Since all this is so,
the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from temptation, and on the
other hand how to keep the unrighteous under punishment in readiness
for the Day of Judgement, 002:010 and especially those who are
abandoned to sensuality-- craving, as they do, for polluted things, and
scorning control. Fool-hardy and self-willed, they do not tremble when
speaking evil of glorious beings; 002:011 while angels, though greater
than they in might and power, do not bring any insulting accusation
against such in the presence of the Lord. 002:012 But these men, like
brute beasts, created (with their natural instincts) only to be captured or
destroyed, are abusive in matters of which they are ignorant, and in
their corruption will perish, 002:013 being doomed to receive a requital
for their guilt. They reckon it pleasure to feast daintily in broad
daylight. They are spots and blemishes, while feeding luxuriously at
their love-feasts, and banqueting with you. 002:014 Their very eyes are
full of adultery--being eyes which never cease from sin. These men set
traps to catch unstedfast souls, their own hearts being well trained in
greed. They are fore-doomed to God's curse! 002:015 Forsaking the
straight road, they have gone astray, having eagerly followed in the
steps of Balaam, the son of Beor, who was bent on securing the wages
of unrighteousness. 002:016 But he was rebuked for his transgression:
a dumb ass spoke with a human voice and checked the madness of the
Prophet. 002:017 These people are wells without water, mists driven
along by a storm, men for whom the dense darkness has been reserved.
002:018 For, while they pour out their frivolous and arrogant talk, they
use earthly cravings--every kind of immorality-- as a bait to entrap men
who are just escaping from the influence of those who live in error.
002:019 And they promise them freedom, although they are themselves
the slaves of what is corrupt. For a man is the slave of any one by
whom he has been worsted in fight. 002:020 For if, after escaping from
the pollutions of the world through a full knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, people are once more entangled in these
pollutions and are overcome, their last state has become worse than

their first. 002:021 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.
002:022 Their case is that described in the true proverb, "A dog returns
to what he has vomited," and also in the other proverb, "The sow has
washed itself and now goes back to roll in its filth." 003:001 This letter
which I am now writing to you, dear friends, is my second letter. In
both my letters I seek to revive in your honest minds the memory of
certain things, 003:002 so that you may recall the words spoken long
ago by the holy Prophets, and the commandments of our Lord and
Saviour given you through your Apostles. 003:003 But, above all,
remember that, in the last days, men will come who make a mock at
everything--men governed only by their own passions, 003:004 and,
asking, "What has become of His promised Return? For from the time