2 Peter 2 · Verse 10

2 Peter 2:10

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

2 Peter 2:10, King James Version

2 Peter 2:10 in other translations

BSB	Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
WEB	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,
ASV	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:
YLT	and chiefly those going behind the flesh in desire of uncleanness, and lordship despising; presumptuous, self-complacent, dignities they are not afraid to speak evil of,
DARBY	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:
BBE	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:
Webster	But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

What does 2 Peter 2:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

10. chiefly--They especially will be punished (Jude 8). after--following after. lust of uncleanness--defilement: "hankering after polluting and unlawful use of the flesh" [Alford]. government--Greek, "lordship," "dominion" (Jude 8). Presumptuous--Greek, "Darers." Self-will begets presumption. Presumptuously daring. are not afraid--though they are so insignificant in might; Greek, "tremble not" (Jude 8, end). speak evil of--Greek, "blaspheme." dignities--Greek, "glories."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 10. But chiefly. That is, it may be presumed that the principles just laid down would be applicable in an eminent degree to such persons as he proceeds to designate.

That walk after the flesh. That live for the indulgence of their carnal appetites. Rom 8:1.

In the lust of uncleanness. In polluted pleasures. Comp. 2Pet 2:2.

And despise government. Marg., dominion. That is, they regard all government in the state, the church, and the family, as an evil. Advocates for unbridled freedom of all sorts; declaimers on liberty and on the evils of oppression; defenders of what they regard as the rights of injured man, and yet secretly themselves lusting for the exercise of the very power which they would deny to others--they make no just distinctions about what constitutes true freedom, and in their zeal array themselves against government in all forms. No topic of declamation would be more popular than this, and from none would they hope to secure more followers; for if they could succeed in removing all respect for the just restraints of law, the way would be open for the accomplishment of their own purposes, in setting up a dominion over the minds of others. It is a common result of such views, that men of this description become impatient of the government of God himself, and seek to throw off all authority, and to live in the unrestrained indulgence of their vicious propensities.

Presumptuous are they. τολμηται--daring, bold, audacious, presumptuous men.

Self-willed--αυθαδεις. Tit 1:7.

They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. The word rendered dignities here, (δοξας,) means properly honour, glory, splendour; then that which is fitted to inspire respect; that which is dignified or exalted. It is applied here to men of exalted rank; and the meaning is, that they did not regard rank, or station, or office--thus violating the plainest rules of propriety and of religion. Acts 23:4, Acts 23:5. Jude, between whose language and that of Peter in this chapter there is a remarkable resemblance, has expressed this more fully. He says, (Jude 1:8,) "These filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." It is one of the effects of religion to produce respect for superiors; but when men are self-willed, and when they purpose to give indulgence to corrupt propensities, it is natural for them to dislike all government. Accordingly, it is by no means an unfrequent effect of certain forms of error to lead men to speak disrespectfully of those in authority, and to attempt to throw off all the restraints of law. It is a very certain indication that men hold wrong opinions when they show disrespect to those in authority, and despise the restraints of law.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 10 But chiefly them that walk - That is, God will in the most signal manner punish them that walk after the flesh - addict themselves to sodomitical practices, and the lust of pollution; probably alluding to those most abominable practices where men abuse themselves and abuse one another. Despise government - They brave the power and authority of the civil magistrate, practising their abominations so as to keep out of the reach of the letter of the law; and they speak evil of dignities - they blaspheme civil government, they abhor the restraints laid upon men by the laws, and would wish all governments destroyed that they might live as they list. Presumptuous are they - Τολμηται· They are bold and daring, headstrong, regardless of fear. Self-willed - Αυθαδεις· Self-sufficient; presuming on themselves; following their own opinions, which no authority can induce them to relinquish. Are not afraid to speak evil of dignities - They are lawless and disobedient, spurn all human authority, and speak contemptuously of all legal and civil jurisdiction. Those in general despise governments, and speak evil of dignities, who wish to be under no control, that they may act as freebooters in the community.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Peter 2:10-16

Impure seducers and their abandoned followers, give themselves up to their own fleshly minds. Refusing to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ, they act against God's righteous precepts. They walk after the flesh, they go on in sinful courses, and increase to greater degrees of impurity and wickedness. They also despise those whom God has set in authority over them, and requires them to honour. Outward temporal good things are the wages sinners expect and promise themselves. And none have more cause to tremble, than those who are bold to gratify their sinful lusts, by presuming on the Divine grace and mercy. Many such there have been, and are, who speak lightly of the restraints of God's law, and deem themselves freed from obligations to obey it. Let Christians stand at a distance from such.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Peter 2:10 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μάλισταmalistaespeciallyG3122

δὲdethenG1161

τοὺςtousthoseG3588

ὀπίσωopisōafterG3694

σαρκὸςsarkos[the] fleshG4561

ἐνeninG1722

ἐπιθυμίᾳepithumia[the] passionG1939

μιασμοῦmiasmouof defilementG3394

πορευομένουςporeuomenouswalkingG4198

καὶkaiandG2532

κυριότητοςkuriotētosauthorityG2963

καταφρονοῦντας.kataphronountasdespising.G2706

τολμηταί,tolmētaiBold,G5113

αὐθάδεις,authadeisself-willed,G829

δόξαςdoxasglorious onesG1391

οὐounotG3756

τρέμουσινtremousinthey trembleG5141

βλασφημοῦντες·blasphēmountesblaspheming;G987

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Peter 2:10

Jude 1:16
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
Jude 1:10
But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Exodus 22:28
Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
Jude 1:18
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
2 Peter 3:3
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
Romans 1:24-27
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Jude 1:4
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:12-13
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Ephesians 5:5
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
1 Corinthians 6:9
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Titus 1:7
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

that.
Ro 8:1,4,5,12,13; 2Co 10:3; Heb 13:4
in the.
Ro 1:24-27; 1Co 6:9; Eph 4:19; 5:5; Col 3:5; 1Th 4:7
Jude 1:4,6-8,10,16
despise.
Nu 16:12-15; De 17:12,13; 21:20,21; 1Sa 10:27; 2Sa 20:1; 1Ki 12:16
Ps 2:1-5; 12:4; Jer 2:31; Lu 19:14; Ro 13:1-5; 1Pe 2:13,14
government. or, dominion. Presumptuous.
Nu 15:30; Jude 1:8
selfwilled.
Ge 49:6; Tit 1:7
to speak.
Ex 22:28; Ec 10:6,7,20; Ac 23:5; Jude 1:8,10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Peter 2:9
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2 Peter 2:10
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2 Peter 2:11
Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

Read all of 2 Peter 2

2 Peter 2:10 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y principalmente á aquellos que, siguiendo la carne, andan en concupiscencia é inmundicia, y desprecian la potestad; atrevidos, contumaces, que no temen decir mal de las potestades superiores:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	mais spécialement ceux qui suivent la chair dans la convoitise de l’impureté et qui méprisent la domination. Gens audacieux, adonnés à leur sens, ils ne tremblent pas en injuriant les dignités,
German Elberfelder 1871	besonders aber die, welche in der Lust der Befleckung dem Fleische nachwandeln und die Herrschaft verachten, Verwegene, Eigenmächtige; sie erzittern nicht, Herrlichkeiten zu lästern,
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Magis autem eos, qui post carnem in concupiscentia immunditiæ ambulant, dominationemque contemnunt, audaces, sibi placentes, sectas non metuunt introducere blasphemantes: