II.
BUT there were false prophets in the world, as also among you there will be false teachers, they who introduce heresies of destruction,1 and, the Lord who bought them denying, bring upon themselves swift destruction.1 And many will go after their wickedness; they, on account of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. And with fraudulency 2 of deceptive words will they make merchandise of you; they, whose judgment (denounced) before tarrieth not, and whose destruction doth not sleep. For if Aloha upon the angels who sinned was not lenient, but in chains of darkness shut them in the deeps, and delivered them to be kept to the judgment of pain; and on the former world was not lenient, but Nuch, who was the eighth preacher of righteousness, he preserved, when the deluge came upon the world of the wicked; the cities of Sadum and of Omuro he burned, and with overthrow condemned them, while an example to the wicked who should be he set them; also Lut the righteous, who was bruised with the impure conversation of the lawless, he delivered;-for in sight and in hearing, while (that) just (man) dwelt among them, from day to day, his righteous soul by their lawless works was tortured;-the Lord knoweth how to deliver from affliction them who fear him, but the evil unto the day of judgment to be tormented will he reserve. But most those who after the flesh follow the concupiscence of impurity, and of authority are contemptuous; daring and arrogant, (and) who by greatness 3 are not moved while they blaspheme: whereas angels, who in power and strength are (so much) greater than they, bring not against them a judgment of blasphemy. But these, as the dumb animals, by nature (ordained) to the knife and to destruction, blaspheming what they know not, in their own destruction will be destroyed; while they in whom is iniquity the wages of iniquity shall receive. They repute as pleasure the luxury which is in the day. Blemishes (are they), full of spots, who delighting in their refreshments are luxurious: having eyes full of adultery, and sins which cease not, alluring souls that are not established. An heart have they which is disciplined in covetousness; sons of malediction, who, forsaking the straight way, have erred, and gone in the way of Belam bar Beur, who the wages of iniquity loved. But he had reproof of his transgression; (for) the dumb ass which spake with the voice of man rebuked the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds driven from above, unto whom the blackness of darkness is reserved. For while they speak scoffing words of vanity, they allure with impure desires of the flesh those who almost escaped from them who have their conversation in error. And liberty to them they promise, while they (themselves) are the servants of corruption; for the thing by which a man is overcome, to that he is subject. For if [when] they have escaped from the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeshu Meshiha, with those very things entangled they are again over-come, their end becomes worse than the beginning. For it had been more tolerable for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, when they knew, to turn backward from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it hath happened to them according to the true proverb, that The dog hath turned unto his vomit; the sow which had washed into the wallow of the mire.
1 Abadono.
2 Olubutho is used both for avaritia and defraudatio.
3 Or, glory, majesty.
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