2 Peter 2:18

18 And they speak in pride of vanity, and deceive in desires of flesh of lechery them, that escape a little. Which live in error,

2 Peter 2:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Peter 2:18

For when they speak great swelling [words] of vanity
Marvellous things against the God of gods, great things and blasphemies against God, his name, his tabernacle, and his saints; see ( Daniel 11:36 ) ( Revelation 13:5 Revelation 13:6 ) ; or against men, dominions, and dignities, ( 2 Peter 2:10 ) ; or it may design their self-applauses and vain glorying in themselves, and their empty boast of knowledge and learning; and also express the windiness of their doctrines, and the bombast style, and high flown strains of rhetoric in which they were delivered; as likewise the flattering titles they bestowed on men for the sake of their own worldly interest and advantage; see ( Jude 1:16 ) and hereby

they allure, through the lusts of the flesh, [through much]
wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error:
that is, from those who lived in the error of Heathenism or Judaism, from whom, and which, they were clean escaped; or truly, really, and entirely delivered, being fully convinced of the falsity thereof, and of the truth of the Christian religion; though some copies, as the Alexandrian, and two of Beza's, and two of Stephens's, read, not (ontwv) , "truly", but (oligwv) , "a little"; and the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "a very little"; to which agrees the Complutensian edition; and the Syriac version renders it "in a few words", or "almost"; and according to the Ethiopic version, "a few persons" are designed; but be they more or less, and truly, or but a little, and for a little while, or almost, escaped from their former errors, in which they were brought up, and lived; yet by the carnal lusts and liberties, lasciviousness and wantonness, which these false teachers indulged, they were allured, ensnared, and drawn by them into their wicked principles and practices.

2 Peter 2:18 In-Context

16 But he had reproving of his madness; a dumb beast under yoke, that spake with voice of man, that forbade the unwisdom of the prophet. [Soothly he had correction, or reproving, of his madness; a dumb beast under yoke, speaking with voice of a man, forbade the unwisdom of the prophet.]

17 These be wells without water, and mists driven with whirlwinds [and clouds driven with whirling winds], to whom the thick mist of darknesses is reserved.

18 And they speak in pride of vanity, and deceive in desires of flesh of lechery them, that escape a little. Which live in error,

19 and promise freedom to them [promising liberty, or freedom, to them], when they be servants of corruption. For of whom any man is overcome, of him also he is servant.

20 For if men forsake the uncleannesses of the world, by the knowing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and again be wrapped in these [again enwrapped in these], and be overcome, the latter things be made to them worse than the former.