2 Peter 2:18 With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.

◄ 2 Peter 2:18 ►

New International Version
For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.

New Living Translation
They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception.

English Standard Version
For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.

Berean Standard Bible
With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.

Berean Literal Bible
For speaking arrogant words of vanity, they entice to sensuality with the passions of the flesh those barely escaping from those living in error,

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.

New American Standard Bible
For, while speaking out arrogant words of no value they entice by fleshly desires, by indecent behavior, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,

NASB 1995
For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,

NASB 1977
For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,

Legacy Standard Bible
For speaking out arrogant words of vanity, they entice by sensual lusts of the flesh, those who barely escape from the ones who conducted themselves in error,

Amplified Bible
For uttering arrogant words of vanity [pompous words disguised to sound scholarly or profound, but meaning nothing and containing no spiritual truth], they beguile and lure using lustful desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error.

Christian Standard Bible
For by uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped from those who live in error.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For by uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped from those who live in error.

American Standard Version
For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error;

Contemporary English Version
They brag out loud about their stupid nonsense. And by being vulgar and crude, they trap people who have barely escaped from living the wrong kind of life.

English Revised Version
For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They arrogantly use nonsense to seduce people by appealing to their sexual desires, especially to sexual freedom. They seduce people who have just escaped from those who live in error.

Good News Translation
They make proud and stupid statements, and use immoral bodily lusts to trap those who are just beginning to escape from among people who live in error.

International Standard Version
By talking high-sounding nonsense and using sinful cravings of the flesh, they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error.

Majority Standard Bible
With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.

NET Bible
For by speaking high-sounding but empty words they are able to entice, with fleshly desires and with debauchery, people who have just escaped from those who reside in error.

New Heart English Bible
For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who actually escape from those who live in error;

Webster's Bible Translation
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that had quite escaped from them who live in error.

Weymouth New Testament
For, while they pour out their frivolous and arrogant talk, they use earthly cravings--every kind of immorality--as a bait to entrap men who are just escaping from the influence of those who live in error.

World English Bible
For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error;

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
for speaking swollen words of vanity, they entice in desires of the flesh—licentiousness, those who had truly escaped from those conducting themselves in error,

Berean Literal Bible
For speaking arrogant words of vanity, they entice to sensuality with the passions of the flesh those barely escaping from those living in error,

Young's Literal Translation
for overswellings of vanity speaking, they do entice in desires of the flesh -- lasciviousnesses, those who had truly escaped from those conducting themselves in error,

Smith's Literal Translation
For speaking excessive things of vanity, they decoy with the eager desires of the flesh, for licentiousness, them having truly escaped from those turned back in error.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For, speaking proud words of vanity, they allure by the desires of fleshly riotousness, those who for a little while escape, such as converse in error:

Catholic Public Domain Version
For, speaking with the arrogance of vanity, they lure, by the desires of fleshly pleasures, those who are fleeing to some extent, who are being turned from error,

New American Bible
For, talking empty bombast, they seduce with licentious desires of the flesh those who have barely escaped from people who live in error.

New Revised Standard Version
For they speak bombastic nonsense, and with licentious desires of the flesh they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the sensual lusts of the flesh; but there are those who flee at a word of warning from those who live in error.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
When they utter empty horrors, they seduce by filthy desires of the flesh those who had just escaped from those who were employed in deception.

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
For by speaking boastful words of folly, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, and through lasciviousness, those who had really escaped from those who live in error.

Godbey New Testament
For speaking swelling words of vanity, in the lusts of the flesh they beguile with their impurities, those that have but partially escaped, who are still moving about in their delusion;

Haweis New Testament
Uttering pompous discourses of inanity, ensnaring by the lusts of the flesh, by lascivious impurities, those who had truly escaped from such as live in a course of delusion.

Mace New Testament
when their language swells with vanity, by applying to the sensual passions of the licentious, they allure those who were escap'd for a while, from such deceivers:

Weymouth New Testament
For, while they pour out their frivolous and arrogant talk, they use earthly cravings--every kind of immorality--as a bait to entrap men who are just escaping from the influence of those who live in error.

Worrell New Testament
For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice, in desires of the flesh, by their lasciviousness, those just escaping from those who live in error;

Worsley New Testament
For when they speak swelling words of vanity, they ensnare in the lusts of the flesh, through their lasciviousness, those who had indeed withdrawn from such as deal in error;

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Deliverance from False Prophets
…17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Jude 1:16
These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.

Romans 16:18
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Ephesians 4:14
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.

Colossians 2:4
I say this so that no one will deceive you by smooth rhetoric.

2 Timothy 3:6-7
They are the kind who worm their way into households and captivate vulnerable women who are weighed down with sins and led astray by various passions, / who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 6:5
and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain.

Matthew 23:25-28
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. / Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. / Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. ...

1 Corinthians 2:4
My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

Galatians 6:12-13
Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ. / For the circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

1 John 4:5
They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them.

Jeremiah 23:16
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.

Isaiah 30:10
They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.

Ezekiel 13:10
Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and whitewashing any flimsy wall that is built,

Proverbs 26:25
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.

Psalm 12:2-3
They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart. / May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.

Treasury of Scripture

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.

they speak.

Psalm 52:1-3
To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually…

Psalm 73:8,9
They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily…

Daniel 4:30
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

great swelling.

wantonness.

Romans 13:13
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

James 5:5
Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

that were.

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 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.

Acts 2:40
And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

clean.

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Allure Appealing Arrogant Bait Barely Boastful Boasts Clean Cravings Desires Earthly Emptiness Empty Entice Entrap Error Escape Escaped Escaping False. Flesh Fleshly Folly Frivolous Great High-Sounding Human Immorality Indeed Kind Loud Lusts Mouth Nature Ones Passions Pour Quite Sensuality Sinful Speak Speaking Swelling Talk Use Uttering Vanity Wantonness Words

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2 Peter 2

1. Peter warns of false teachers, showing the impiety and punishment both of them and their followers;
7. from which the godly shall be delivered, as Lot was out of Sodom;
10. and more fully describes the manners of those profane and blasphemous seducers.

Berean Study Bible

With lofty but empty words
The phrase "lofty but empty words" suggests a grandiose style of speech that lacks substance. The Greek word for "lofty" (ὑπέρογκα, hyperogka) implies something swollen or exaggerated. Historically, false teachers often used impressive rhetoric to captivate their audience, much like the sophists of ancient Greece who were known for their persuasive but often deceptive speech. This serves as a warning to Christians to discern the content of teachings, ensuring they align with the truth of Scripture rather than being swayed by eloquence alone.

they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh
The term "sensual passions" (ἐπιθυμίαις, epithymiais) refers to strong desires or lusts, particularly those that are sinful or fleshly. In the context of the early church, this phrase highlights the danger of teachings that cater to human desires rather than spiritual truths. The "flesh" (σάρξ, sarx) in biblical terms often denotes the sinful nature of humanity, which is in opposition to the Spirit. This reflects a recurring theme in Scripture where believers are urged to live by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

and entice those who are just escaping
The word "entice" (δελεάζουσιν, deleazousin) is a fishing term in Greek, meaning to lure or bait. This imagery suggests a deliberate attempt to trap or deceive. The phrase "just escaping" indicates new believers or those who are in the process of leaving behind a life of sin. Historically, the early church faced challenges from false teachers who targeted these vulnerable individuals, attempting to draw them back into error. This serves as a reminder of the importance of nurturing and protecting new believers within the Christian community.

from others who live in error
The phrase "live in error" (πλανημένοις, planēmenois) refers to those who are led astray or deceived. The Greek root implies a wandering or straying from the truth. In the historical context of 2 Peter, this likely refers to those who have embraced heretical teachings or immoral lifestyles. The early church was surrounded by a variety of philosophical and religious ideas that often conflicted with Christian doctrine. This highlights the necessity for believers to remain grounded in the truth of God's Word and to be vigilant against teachings that deviate from it.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) Great swelling words of vanity.--Exaggeration, unreality, boastfulness, and emptiness are expressed by this phrase. It carries on the same idea as the waterless wells and the driven mists--great pretensions and no results. The rebuke here is not unlike the warning in 1Peter 5:5-6.

Allure.--Translated "beguile" in 2Peter 2:14, where see Note.

Through the lusts of the flesh.--Better, in the lusts of the flesh (as in 2Peter 2:3, and 2Peter 1:1-2; 2Peter 1:4; 2Peter 1:13). The preposition "in" points to the sphere in which the enticement takes place; "through" should be reserved for "wantonness" (see Note on 2Peter 2:2), which is the bait used to entice. . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 18. - For when they speak great swelling words of vanity; literally, for speaking. "Great swelling words" is expressed by one word in the Greek, ὑπέρογκα, St. Jude has the same word in verse 16; it is used in the classical writers of great bulk of any kind, literal or figurative. The genitive is descriptive - the words are swelling, high-sounding; but they are only words, vain and meaningless; they have nothing but emptiness behind them. They allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness; rather, as in the Revised Version, they entice (as in verse 14) in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness. The preposition "in" denotes the sphere in which these men live, their condition, habits of life. The dative ἀσελγείαις, literally "by lasciviousnesses," that is, by acts of lasciviousness, is the dative of the instrument; it states the means by which they entice men. Those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. The Authorized Version follows the T.R., τοὺς ὄντως ἀποφυγόντας; but most of the best manuscripts have τοὺς ὀλίγως ἀποφεύγοντας. This last reading gives a better sense, "Those who are just escaping." The adverb ὀλίγως may be understood of time, or, perhaps better, of measure - "escaping by a little, a little way." Those who were "clean escaped "would not be so easily enticed by the false teachers. These are only beginning to escape; they have heard the word with joy, but have no root in themselves; they put their hand to the plough, but they look back. They "that live in error" are the heathen; the unhappy men who are led astray by the false teachers are just escaping from the heathen and from their mode of life. It is possible to understand these last words as a coordinate clause, a further description of those who are just escaping. The false teachers entice "those who are just escaping, those who live in error." But the common rendering seems better. The verb translated "live" (ἀναστρεφομένους) is a favourite word with St. Peter (see 1 Peter 1:15, 18; 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 3:1, 2, 16).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

With lofty
ὑπέρογκα (hyperonka)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5246: Immoderate, boastful, excessive, pompous. From huper and ogkos; bulging over, i.e. insolent.

[but] empty
ματαιότητος (mataiotētos)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3153: From mataios; inutility; figuratively, transientness; morally, depravity.

words, they appeal
φθεγγόμενοι (phthengomenoi)
Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5350: To speak aloud, utter. Probably akin to pheggos and thus to phemi; to utter a clear sound, i.e. to proclaim.

[to the] sensual
ἀσελγείαις (aselgeiais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 766: From a compound of a and a presumed selges; licentiousness.

passions
ἐπιθυμίαις (epithymiais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1939: Desire, eagerness for, inordinate desire, lust. From epithumeo; a longing.

of [the] flesh
σαρκὸς (sarkos)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4561: Flesh, body, human nature, materiality; kindred.

[and] entice
δελεάζουσιν (deleazousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1185: To allure, entice (by a bait). From the base of dolos; to entrap, i.e. delude.

those
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

[who are] just
ὀλίγως (oligōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3641: Puny; especially neuter somewhat.

escaping
ἀποφεύγοντας (apopheugontas)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 668: To flee from, escape. From apo and pheugo; to escape.

from [others] who
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

live
ἀναστρεφομένους (anastrephomenous)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 390: From ana and strepho; to overturn; also to return; by implication, to busy oneself, i.e. Remain, live.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

error.
πλάνῃ (planē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4106: Feminine of planos; objectively, fraudulence; subjectively, a straying from orthodoxy or piety.

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NT Letters: 2 Peter 2:18 For uttering great swelling words of emptiness (2 Pet. 2P iiP ii Pet)