Fathers

2 Peter 2

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But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber. For if God didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness to be reserved for judgment; and didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live in an ungodly way; and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked (for that righteous man dwelling among them was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds): the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 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; whereas angels, though greater in might and power, don’t bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord. But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed, receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing; but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him. For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 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. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” and “the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire.”

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What the Fathers say

2 Peter 2:10

Eastern Fathers

Theophylact of Ohrid

Now from the above-cited examples the apostle skillfully transitioned to the main subject. He speaks of the accursed Nicolaitans, Naassenes, and Cerdonians; for their wickedness has many names and is considered together, as similar in foul deeds and designations. They represented the first principles of the world's existence as the Abyss and Silence, and some of these principles they strangely called mothers and ages (αἰώνας); from these same sources Marcion also took his evil seeds. …

Commentary on 2 Peter ↗

Oecumenius

The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, but to keep the unjust for the day of judgment, especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of pollution and despise authority: bold, brave, who do not fear to speak evil of dignitaries: whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. "especially those who walk according to the flesh." Therefore, it cleverly comes from the aforementioned examples to the present argument. …

Commentary on 2 Peter ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Man did not fall away from the supreme Being as to be absolutely nothing, but insofar as he turned himself toward himself he became less than he was when he was adhering to him who is the supreme Being. To be no longer in God but in oneself is not to be nothing, but rather to be heading in that direction. For this reason, Holy Scripture gives another name to the proud, calling them "rash" and "self-willed."

City of God 14.13 ↗

Bede

Giving an example of those who are going to act impiously. For even the fire which once punished the Sodomites plainly shows that the impious are to suffer without end. And that their land remains scorched with smoke, that its most beautiful fruits have ashes within and stench, clearly signifies to all ages that carnal delight, although it may seem pleasing to the minds of fools for the present, reserves nothing for itself in the unseen but burning, so that the smoke of its torments ascends forever and ever.

Commentary on the Catholic Epistles ↗