15 Which have forsaken G2641 the right G2117 way, G3598 and are gone astray, G4105 following G1811 the way G3598 of Balaam G903 the son of Bosor, G1007 who G3739 loved G25 the wages G3408 of unrighteousness; G93
Woe G3759 unto them! G846 for G3754 they have gone G4198 in the way G3598 of Cain, G2535 and G2532 ran greedily after G1632 the error G4106 of Balaam G903 for reward, G3408 and G2532 perished G622 in the gainsaying G485 of Core. G2879
But G235 I have G2192 a few things G3641 against G2596 thee, G4675 because G3754 thou hast G2192 there G1563 them that hold G2902 the doctrine G1322 of Balaam, G903 who G3739 taught G1722 G1321 Balac G904 to cast G906 a stumblingblock G4625 before G1799 the children G5207 of Israel, G2474 to eat G5315 things sacrificed unto idols, G1494 and G2532 to commit fornication. G4203
He sent H7971 messengers H4397 therefore unto Balaam H1109 the son H1121 of Beor H1160 to Pethor, H6604 which is by the river H5104 of the land H776 of the children H1121 of his people, H5971 to call H7121 him, saying, H559 Behold, there is a people H5971 come out H3318 from Egypt: H4714 behold, they cover H3680 the face H5869 of the earth, H776 and they abide H3427 over against H4136 me: Come H3212 now therefore, I pray thee, curse H779 me this people; H5971 for they are too mighty H6099 for me: peradventure I shall prevail, H3201 that we may smite H5221 them, and that I may drive them out H1644 of the land: H776 for I wot H3045 that he whom thou blessest H1288 is blessed, H1288 and he whom thou cursest H779 is cursed. H779 And the elders H2205 of Moab H4124 and the elders H2205 of Midian H4080 departed H3212 with the rewards of divination H7081 in their hand; H3027 and they came H935 unto Balaam, H1109 and spake H1696 unto him the words H1697 of Balak. H1111
And shall receive G2865 the reward G3408 of unrighteousness, G93 as they that count G2233 it pleasure G2237 to riot G5172 in G1722 the day time. G2250 Spots G4696 they are and G2532 blemishes, G3470 sporting themselves G1792 with G1722 their own G846 deceivings G539 while they feast G4910 with you; G5213
And said, G2036 O G5599 full G4134 of all G3956 subtilty G1388 and G2532 all G3956 mischief, G4468 thou child G5207 of the devil, G1228 thou enemy G2190 of all G3956 righteousness, G1343 wilt thou G3973 not G3756 cease G3973 to pervert G1294 the right G2117 ways G3598 of the Lord? G2962
They that forsake H5800 the law H8451 praise H1984 the wicked: H7563 but such as keep H8104 the law H8451 contend H1624 with them.
Because H1697 they met H6923 you not with bread H3899 and with water H4325 in the way, H1870 when ye came forth H3318 out of Egypt; H4714 and because they hired H7936 against thee Balaam H1109 the son H1121 of Beor H1160 of Pethor H6604 of Mesopotamia, H763 to curse H7043 thee. Nevertheless the LORD H3068 thy God H430 would H14 not hearken H8085 unto Balaam; H1109 but the LORD H3068 thy God H430 turned H2015 the curse H7045 into a blessing H1293 unto thee, because the LORD H3068 thy God H430 loved H157 thee.
Now G3303 G3767 this man G3778 purchased G2932 a field G5564 with G1537 the reward G3408 of iniquity; G93 and G2532 falling G1096 headlong, G4248 he burst asunder G2997 in the midst, G3319 and G2532 all G3956 his G846 bowels G4698 gushed out. G1632
And Balaam H1109 answered H6030 and said H559 unto the servants H5650 of Balak, H1111 If Balak H1111 would give H5414 me his house H1004 full H4393 of silver H3701 and gold, H2091 I cannot H3201 go beyond H5674 the word H6310 of the LORD H3068 my God, H430 to do H6213 less H6996 or more. H1419 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry H3427 ye also here this night, H3915 that I may know H3045 what the LORD H3068 will say H1696 unto me more. H3254 And God H430 came H935 unto Balaam H1109 at night, H3915 and said H559 unto him, If the men H582 come H935 to call H7121 thee, rise up, H6965 and go H3212 with them; but yet H389 the word H1697 which I shall say H1696 unto thee, that shalt thou do. H6213 And Balaam H1109 rose up H6965 in the morning, H1242 and saddled H2280 his ass, H860 and went H3212 with the princes H8269 of Moab. H4124
And as for me also, mine eye H5869 shall not spare, H2347 neither will I have pity, H2550 but I will recompense H5414 their way H1870 upon their head. H7218
Because they met H6923 not the children H1121 of Israel H3478 with bread H3899 and with water, H4325 but hired H7936 Balaam H1109 against them, that he should curse H7043 them: howbeit our God H430 turned H2015 the curse H7045 into a blessing. H1293
And he said, H559 I have been very H7065 jealous H7065 for the LORD H3068 God H430 of hosts: H6635 for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 have forsaken H5800 thy covenant, H1285 thrown down H2040 thine altars, H4196 and slain H2026 thy prophets H5030 with the sword; H2719 and I, even I only, am left; H3498 and they seek H1245 my life, H5315 to take it away. H3947
And he answered, H559 I have not troubled H5916 Israel; H3478 but thou, and thy father's H1 house, H1004 in that ye have forsaken H5800 the commandments H4687 of the LORD, H3068 and thou hast followed H3212 H310 Baalim. H1168
And the ass H860 saw H7200 the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 standing H5324 in the way, H1870 and his sword H2719 drawn H8025 in his hand: H3027 and the ass H860 turned aside H5186 out of the way, H1870 and went H3212 into the field: H7704 and Balaam H1109 smote H5221 the ass, H860 to turn H5186 her into the way. H1870
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Peter 2
Commentary on 2 Peter 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
The apostle, having in the foregoing chapter exhorted them to proceed and advance in the Christian race, now comes to remove, as much as in him lay, what he could not but apprehend would hinder their complying with his exhortation. He therefore gives them fair warning of false teachers, by whom they might be in danger of being seduced. To prevent this,
2Pe 2:1-3
2Pe 2:3-6
Men are apt to think that a reprieve is the forerunner of a pardon, and that if judgment be not speedily executed it is, or will be, certainly reversed. But the apostle tells us that how successful and prosperous soever false teachers may be, and that for a time, yet their judgment lingereth not. God has determined long ago how he will deal with them. Such unbelievers, who endeavour to turn others from the faith, are condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on them. The righteous Judge will speedily take vengeance; the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. To prove this assertion, here are several examples of the righteous judgment of God, in taking vengeance on sinners, proposed to our serious consideration.
2Pe 2:7-9
When God sends destruction on the ungodly, he commands deliverance for the righteous; and, if he rain fire and brimstone on the wicked, he will cover the head of the just, and they shall be hid in the day of his anger. This we have an instance of in his preserving Lot. Here observe,
2Pe 2:10-22
The apostle's design being to warn us of, and arm us against, seducers, he now returns to discourse more particularly of them, and give us an account of their character and conduct, which abundantly justifies the righteous Judge of the world in reserving them in an especial manner for the most severe and heavy doom, as Cain is taken under special protection that he might be kept for uncommon vengeance. But why will God thus deal with these false teachers? This he shows in what follows.