2 Peter 2 · Verse 20

2 Peter 2:20

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

2 Peter 2:20, King James Version

2 Peter 2:20 in other translations

BSB	If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.
WEB	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.
ASV	For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.
YLT	for, if having escaped from the pollutions of the world, in the acknowledging of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and by these again being entangled, they have been overcome, become to them hath the last things worse than the first,
DARBY	For if after having escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, again entangled, they are subdued by these, their last state is worse than the first.
BBE	For if, after they have got free from the unclean things of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again taken in the net and overcome, their last condition is worse than their first.
Webster	For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

What does 2 Peter 2:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

20. after they--the seducers "themselves" have escaped (2Pe 2:19; see on He 6:4-6). pollutions--which bring "corruption" (2Pe 2:19). through--Greek, "in." knowledge--Greek, "full and accurate knowledge." the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ--solemnly expressing in full the great and gracious One from whom they fall. latter end is worse ... than the beginning--Peter remembers Christ's words. "Worse" stands opposed to "better" (2Pe 2:21).

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world. This does not necessarily mean that they had been true Christians, and had fallen from grace. Men may outwardly reform, and escape from the open corruptions which prevail around them, or which they had themselves practised, and still have no true grace at heart.

Through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Neither does this imply that they were true Christians, or that they had ever had any saving knowledge of the Redeemer. There is a knowledge of the doctrines and duties of religion which may lead sinners to abandon their outward vices, which has no connexion with saving grace. They may profess religion, and may know enough of religion to understand that it requires them to abandon their vicious habits, and still never be true Christians.

They are again entangled therein and overcome. The word rendered entangled, (εμπλεκω,) from which is derived our word implicate, means to braid in, to interweave; then to involve in, to entangle. It means here that they become implicated in those vices like an animal that is entangled in a net.

The latter end is worse with them than the beginning. This is usually the case. Apostates become worse than they were before their professed conversion. Reformed drunkards, if they go back to their "cups" again, become more abandoned than ever. Thus it is with those who have been addicted to any habits of vice, and who profess to become religious, and then fall away. The reasons of this may be,

(1.) that they are willing now to show to others that they are no longer under the restraints by which they had professedly bound themselves;

(2.) that God gives them up to indulgence with fewer restraints than formerly; and

(3.) their old companions in sin may be at special pains to court their society, and to lead them into temptation, in order to obtain a triumph over virtue and religion.

(b) "again entangled" Lk 11:26, Heb 6:4, 10:26

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 20 The pollutions of the world - Sin in general, and particularly superstition, idolatry, and lasciviousness. These are called μιασματα, miasmata, things that infect, pollute, and defile. The word was anciently used, and is in use at the present day, to express those noxious particles of effluvia proceeding from persons infected with contagious and dangerous diseases; or from dead and corrupt bodies, stagnant and putrid waters, marshes etc., by which the sound and healthy may be infected and destroyed. The world is here represented as one large, putrid marsh, or corrupt body, sending off its destructive miasmata everywhere and in every direction, so that none can escape its contagion, and none can be healed of the great epidemic disease of sin, but by the mighty power and skill of God. St. Augustine has improved on this image: "The whole world," says he, "is one great diseased man, lying extended from east to west, and from north to south; and to heal this great sick man, the almighty Physician descended from heaven." Now, it is by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as says St. Peter, that we escape the destructive influence of these contagious miasmata. But if, after having been healed, and escaped the death to which we were exposed, we get again entangled, εμπλακεντες, enfolded, enveloped with them; then the latter end will be worse than the beginning: forasmuch as we shall have sinned against more light, and the soul, by its conversion to God, having had all its powers and faculties greatly improved, is now, being repolluted, more capable of iniquity than before, and can bear more expressively the image of the earthly.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Peter 2:17-22

The word of truth is the water of life, which refreshes the souls that receive it; but deceivers spread and promote error, and are set forth as empty, because there is no truth in them. As clouds hinder the light of the sun, so do these darken counsel by words wherein there is no truth. Seeing that these men increase darkness in this world, it is very just that the mist of darkness should be their portion in the…

Read the full comment on 2 Peter 2:17-22 →

2 Peter 2:20 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.

εἰeiIfG1487

γὰρgarforG1063

ἀποφυγόντεςapophugonteshaving escapedG668

τὰtatheG3588

μιάσματαmiasmatapollutionsG3393

τοῦtouof theG3588

κόσμουkosmouworldG2889

ἐνenthroughG1722

ἐπιγνώσειepignōsei[the] knowledgeG1922

τοῦtouof theG3588

κυρίουkuriouLordG2962

ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165

καὶkaiandG2532

σωτῆροςsōtērosSaviorG4990

ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424

Χριστοῦ,ChristouChrist,G5547

τούτοιςtoutoisin theseG3778

δὲdenowG1161

πάλινpalinagainG3825

ἐμπλακέντεςemplakenteshaving been entangledG1707

ἡττῶνται,hēttōntaithey are subdued,G2274

γέγονενgegonenhas becomeG1096

αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846

τὰtatheG3588

ἔσχαταeschatalast [state]G2078

χείροναcheironaworseG5501

τῶνtōnthan theG3588

πρώτων.prōtōnfirst.G4413

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

Cross references for 2 Peter 2:20

Hebrews 10:26-27
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Hebrews 6:4-8
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: …
Philippians 3:19
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Luke 11:24-26
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Deuteronomy 32:29
O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
Matthew 12:43-45
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
2 Peter 1:4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Numbers 24:20
And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
2 Peter 2:18
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

after.
Mt 12:43-45; Lu 11:24-26; Heb 6:4-8; 10:26,27
escaped.
18; 1:4
through.
1:2
the latter.
Nu 24:20; De 32:29; Php 3:19

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

Context

2 Peter 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2 Peter 2:20
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2 Peter 2:21
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Read all of 2 Peter 2

2 Peter 2:20 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Ciertamente, si habiéndose ellos apartado de las contaminaciones del mundo, por el conocimiento del Señor y Salvador Jesucristo, y otra vez envolviéndose en ellas, son vencidos, sus postrimerías les son hechas peores que los principios.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Car, si, après avoir échappé aux souillures du monde par la connaissance du Seigneur et Sauveur Jésus Christ, étant de nouveau enlacés, ils sont vaincus par elles, leur dernière condition est pire que la première;
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn wenn sie, entflohen den Befleckungen der Welt durch die Erkenntnis des Herrn und Heilandes Jesu Christi, aber wiederum in diese verwickelt, überwältigt werden, so ist ihr Letztes ärger geworden als das Erste.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Si enim refugientes coinquinationes mundi in cognitione Domini nostri, et Salvatoris Jesu Christi, his rursus implicati superantur: facta sunt eis posteriora deteriora prioribus.