2 Peter 2:15
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2 Peter 2:15 in other translations
| BSB | They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. |
|---|---|
| WEB | Forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing; |
| ASV | forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing; |
| YLT | having forsaken a right way, they did go astray, having followed in the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who a reward of unrighteousness did love, |
| DARBY | having left the straight way they have gone astray, having followed in the path of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the reward of unrighteousness; |
| BBE | Turning out of the true way, they have gone wandering in error, after the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who was pleased to take payment for wrongdoing; |
| Webster | Who have forsaken the right way, and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; |
What does 2 Peter 2:15 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor. See Nu 22:5, seq. In the Book of Numbers, Balaam is called the son of Beor. Perhaps the name Beor was corrupted into Bosor; or, as Rosenmuller suggests, the father of Balaam may have had two names. Schleusner (Lex.) supposes that it was changed by the Greeks because it was more easily pronounced. The Seventy, however, read it βεωρ--Beor. The meaning here is, that they imitated Balaam. The particular point to which Peter refers in which they imitated him, seems to have been the love of gain, or covetousness. Possibly, however, he might have designed to refer to a more general resemblance, for in fact they imitated him in the following things:
(1.) in being professed religious teachers, or the servants of God;
(2.) in their covetousness;
(3.) in inducing others to sin, referring to the same kind of sins in both cases. Balaam counselled the Moabites to entice the children of Israel to illicit connexion with their women, thus introducing licentiousness into the camp of the Hebrews, Nu 31:16; comp. Nu 25:1-9 and in like manner these teachers led others into licentiousnes, thus corrupting the church.
Who loved the wages of unrighteousness. Who was supremely influenced by the love of gain, and was capable of being employed, for a price, in a wicked design; thus prostituting his high office, as a professed prophet of the Most High, to base and ignoble ends. That Balaam, though he professed to be influenced by a supreme regard to the will of God, (Nu 22:18,38,) was really influenced by the desire of reward, and was willing to prostitute his great office to secure such a reward, there can be no doubt.
(1.) The elders of Moab and of Midian came to Balaam with "the rewards of divination in their hand," (Nu 22:7,) and with promises from Balak of promoting him to great honour, if he would curse the children of Israel, Nu 22:17.
(2.) Balaam was disposed to go with them, and was restrained from going at once only by a direct and solemn prohibition from the Lord, Nu 22:11.
(3.) Notwithstanding this solemn prohibition, and notwithstanding he said to the ambassadors from Balak that he would do only as God directed, though Balak should give him his house full of silver and gold, (Nu 22:18,) yet he did not regard the matter as settled, but proposed to them that they should wait another night, with the hope that the Lord would give a more favourable direction in reference to their request, thus showing that his heart was in the service which they required, and that his inclination was to avail himself of their offer, Nu 22:19.
(4.) When he did obtain permission to go, it was only to say that which the Lord should direct him to say, (Nu 22:20;) but he went with a "perverse" heart, with a secret wish to comply with the desire of Balak, and with a knowledge that he was doing wrong, (Nu 22:34,) and was restrained from uttering the curse which Balak desired only by an influence from above which he could not control. Balaam was undoubtedly a wicked man, and was constrained by a power from on high to utter sentiments which God meant should be uttered, but which Balaam would never have expressed of his own accord.
(a) "way of Balaam"
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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…
2 Peter 2:15 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for 2 Peter 2:15
- Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
- Jude 1:11
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
- Deuteronomy 23:4-5
Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee.
- Numbers 31:16
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.
- Numbers 22:5-7
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
- Nehemiah 13:2
Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
- Micah 6:5
O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord.
- Acts 13:10
And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
- 2 Peter 2:13
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
- Acts 1:18
Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
- Proverbs 28:4
They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
- Hosea 14:8
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- 2 Peter 2:14
Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
- 2 Peter 2:15
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
- 2 Peter 2:16
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
2 Peter 2:15 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Que han dejado el camino derecho, y se han extraviado, siguiendo el camino de Balaam, hijo de Bosor, el cual amó el premio de la maldad. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Ayant laissé le droit chemin, ils se sont égarés, ayant suivi le chemin de Balaam, fils de Bosor, qui aima le salaire d’iniquité; |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | da sie den geraden Weg verlassen haben, abgeirrt sind, indem sie dem Wege des Balaam nachfolgten, des Sohnes Bosors, der den Lohn der Ungerechtigkeit liebte, |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | derelinquentes rectam viam erraverunt, secuti viam Balaam ex Bosor, qui mercedem iniquitatis amavit: |