2 Peter 2:21

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Ezek 18:24 : 24 “But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die.
  • Luke 12:47 : 47 That servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked will receive a severe beating.
  • Heb 6:4-6 : 4 For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, 6 and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt.
  • Jas 4:17 : 17 So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.
  • Ezek 3:20 : 20 “When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I set an obstacle before him, he will die. If you have not warned him, he will die for his sin. The righteous deeds he performed will not be considered, but I will hold you accountable for his death.
  • John 9:41 : 41 Jesus replied,“If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.
  • John 15:22 : 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But they no longer have any excuse for their sin.
  • Zeph 1:6 : 6 and those who turn their backs on the LORD and do not want the LORD’s help or guidance.”
  • Rom 7:12 : 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.
  • 1 Thess 4:2 : 2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
  • Matt 11:23-24 : 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be thrown down to Hades! For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day. 24 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you!”
  • Matt 21:32 : 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.
  • Ezek 23:13 : 13 I saw that she was defiled; both of them followed the same path.
  • Ps 36:3-4 : 3 The words he speaks are sinful and deceitful; he does not care about doing what is wise and right. 4 He plans ways to sin while he lies in bed; he is committed to a sinful lifestyle; he does not reject what is evil.
  • Ps 125:5 : 5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, may the LORD remove them, along with those who behave wickedly! May Israel experience peace!
  • Prov 12:28 : 28 In the path of righteousness there is life, but another path leads to death.
  • Prov 16:31 : 31 Gray hair is like a crown of glory; it is attained in the path of righteousness.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • 2 Pet 2:18-20
    3 verses
    86%

    18For 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.

    19Although these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality. For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved.

    20For if after they have escaped the filthy things of the world through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again get entangled in them and succumb to them, their last state has become worse for them than their first.

  • 2 Pet 2:22
    81%

    22They are illustrations of this true proverb:“A dog returns to its own vomit,” and“A sow, after washing herself, wallows in the mire.”

  • Job 34:27
    71%

    27because they have turned away from following him, and have not understood any of his ways,

  • Titus 1:16
    71%

    16They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.

  • Heb 6:6
    71%

    6and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt.

  • 2 Pet 2:14-15
    2 verses
    70%

    14Their eyes, full of adultery, never stop sinning; they entice unstable people. They have trained their hearts for greed, these cursed children!

    15By forsaking the right path they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,

  • Gal 4:9
    70%

    9But now that you have come to know God(or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

  • Jas 4:17
    70%

    17So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.

  • Prov 2:13
    70%

    13who leave the upright paths to walk on the dark ways,

  • 2 Pet 3:17
    70%

    17Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men and fall from your firm grasp on the truth.

  • Jude 1:10-11
    2 verses
    70%

    10But these men do not understand the things they slander, and they are being destroyed by the very things that, like irrational animals, they instinctively comprehend.

    11Woe to them! For they have traveled down Cain’s path, and because of greed have abandoned themselves to Balaam’s error; hence, they will certainly perish in Korah’s rebellion.

  • 1 Tim 1:6
    69%

    6Some have strayed from these and turned away to empty discussion.

  • 1 Tim 5:12
    69%

    12and so incur judgment for breaking their former pledge.

  • 2 Tim 3:7
    69%

    7Such women are always seeking instruction, yet never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

  • Heb 10:26
    69%

    26For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us,

  • 2 Pet 2:2
    69%

    2And many will follow their debauched lifestyles. Because of these false teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.

  • Rom 1:28
    69%

    28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.

  • 2 Tim 3:9
    69%

    9But they will not go much further, for their foolishness will be obvious to everyone, just like it was with Jannes and Jambres.

  • Luke 17:2
    69%

    2It would be better for him to have a millstone tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

  • Prov 1:32
    68%

    32For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.

  • 2 Tim 3:5
    68%

    5They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.

  • Titus 3:11
    68%

    11You know that such a person is twisted by sin and is conscious of it himself.

  • Heb 6:4
    68%

    4For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

  • 2 Thess 2:12
    68%

    12And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned.

  • 1 Sam 12:21
    68%

    21You should not turn aside after empty things that can’t profit and can’t deliver, since they are empty.

  • Ezek 33:18
    68%

    18When a righteous man turns from his godliness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.

  • Rom 1:21-22
    2 verses
    68%

    21For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

    22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools

  • Eph 4:19
    68%

    19Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

  • Prov 1:29
    68%

    29Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the LORD,

  • Jude 1:4-5
    2 verses
    68%

    4For certain men have secretly slipped in among you– men who long ago were marked out for the condemnation I am about to describe– ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

    5Now I desire to remind you(even though you have been fully informed of these facts once for all) that Jesus, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, later destroyed those who did not believe.

  • Zeph 1:6
    68%

    6and those who turn their backs on the LORD and do not want the LORD’s help or guidance.”

  • Prov 26:11
    68%

    11Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

  • Prov 19:2
    68%

    2It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices.

  • Mark 4:12
    68%

    12so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven.”

  • Rom 3:17
    68%

    17and the way of peace they have not known.”

  • 1 John 2:19
    67%

    19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.

  • Jer 9:13
    67%

    13The LORD answered,“This has happened because these people have rejected my laws which I gave them. They have not obeyed me or followed those laws.

  • 2 Pet 2:12
    67%

    12But these men, like irrational animals– creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed– do not understand whom they are insulting, and consequently in their destruction they will be destroyed,

  • Rom 6:21
    67%

    21So what benefit did you then reap from those things that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death.

  • 2 Tim 3:13
    67%

    13But evil people and charlatans will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.

  • Jer 2:19
    67%

    19Your own wickedness will bring about your punishment. Your unfaithful acts will bring down discipline on you. Know, then, and realize how utterly harmful it was for you to reject me, the LORD your God, to show no respect for me,” says the Sovereign LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

  • Ezek 18:26
    67%

    26When a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing, he will die for it; because of the wrongdoing he has done, he will die.

  • Jer 23:22
    67%

    22But if they had stood in my inner circle, they would have proclaimed my message to my people. They would have caused my people to turn from their wicked ways and stop doing the evil things they are doing.

  • 2 Thess 2:10
    67%

    10and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.