2 Peter 2:10

King James Version

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties,

Simplified Cowboy Version
This is especially true of those who travel down the trail of lust and shun God's authority in their lives.These counterfeit cowboys are bold and show-offs. They show no respect for the glorious creatures of heaven, but instead make fun of everything that is holy.

Bible in Basic English
But specially those who go after the unclean desires of the flesh, and make sport of authority. Ready to take chances, uncontrolled, they have no fear of saying evil of those in high places:

Darby Translation
and specially those who walk after the flesh in [the] lust of uncleanness, and despise lordship. Bold [are they], self-willed; they do not fear speaking injuriously of dignities:

World English Bible
but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government: presumptuous, self-willed; they are not afraid to rail at dignities:

Weymouth's New Testament
and especially those who are abandoned to sensuality--craving, as they do, for polluted things, and scorning control. Fool-hardy and self-willed, they do not tremble when speaking evil of glorious beings;

King James Version (1611)
But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of vncleannesse, and despise gouernment. Presumptuous are they; selfe willed: they are not afraid to speake euill of dignities:

Literal Translation
and most of all those going after flesh in the lust of defilement, and despising rulership, darers, self-pleasing; they do not tremble at glories, speaking evil;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
but specially them that walke after the flesh in ye lust of vnclennes, and despyse the rulers: beynge presumptuous, stubborne, and feare not to speake euell of the yt are in auctorite

Mace New Testament (1729)
especially those, who prostitute themselves to sensual infamous passions: who despise magistrates, who being audacious, and insolent, intrepidly calumniate the higher powers;

THE MESSAGE
God is especially incensed against these "teachers" who live by lust, addicted to a filthy existence. They despise interference from true authority, preferring to indulge in self-rule. Insolent egotists, they don't hesitate to speak evil against the most splendid of creatures. Even angels, their superiors in every way, wouldn't think of throwing their weight around like that, trying to slander others before God.

Amplified Bible
and especially those who indulge in the corrupt passions of the sin nature, and despise authority. Presumptuous and reckless, self-willed and arrogant [creatures, despising the majesty of the Lord], they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties,

American Standard Version
but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities:

Revised Standard Version
and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and wilful, they are not afraid to revile the glorious ones,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
namely them that walke after the flesshe in the lust of vnclennes and despyse the rulars. Presumpteous are they and stubborne and feare not to speake evyll of them that are in auctorite.

Update Bible Version
but chiefly those that walk after the flesh in the desire of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble to rail at dignities:

Webster's Bible Translation
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous [are they], self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Young's Literal Translation
and chiefly those going behind the flesh in desire of uncleanness, and lordship despising; presumptuous, self-complacent, dignities they are not afraid to speak evil of,

New Century Version
That punishment is especially for those who live by doing the evil things their sinful selves want and who hate authority. These false teachers are bold and do anything they want. They are not afraid to speak against the angels.

New English Translation
especially those who indulge their fleshly desires and who despise authority. Brazen and insolent, they are not afraid to insult the glorious ones,

Berean Standard Bible
Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, these men are unafraid to slander angelic majesties.

Contemporary English Version
The Lord is especially hard on people who disobey him and don't think of anything except their own filthy desires. They are reckless and proud and are not afraid of cursing the glorious beings in heaven.

Complete Jewish Bible
especially those who follow their old natures in lust for filth and who despise authority. Presumptuous and self-willed, these false teachers do not tremble at insulting angelic beings;

English Standard Version
and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,

Geneva Bible (1587)
And chiefly them that walke after the flesh, in the lust of vncleannesse, and despise gouernement, which are bolde, and stand in their owne conceite, and feare not to speake euill of them that are in dignitie.

George Lamsa Translation
And especially will he punish those who follow after filthy lusts of the flesh, and have no respect for authority. Arrogant and selfwilled are they who do not tremble when they blaspheme against the glory;

Christian Standard Bible®
especially those who follow the polluting desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold, arrogant people! They do not tremble when they blaspheme the glorious ones;

Hebrew Names Version
but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;

International Standard Version
especially those who satisfy their flesh by indulging in its passions and who despise authority. Being bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to slander glorious beings.Jude 1:4,7-8,10, 16;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
10 But most those who after the flesh follow the concupiscence of impurity, and of authority are contemptuous; daring and arrogant, (and) who by greatness [fn] are not moved while they blaspheme:

Murdock Translation
and especially them who go after the flesh in the lusts of pollution, and despise government. Daring and arrogant, they shudder not with awe while they blaspheme;

New King James Version
and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,

New Living Translation
He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority. These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings without so much as trembling.

New Life Bible
This is true about those who keep on wanting to please their own bodies in sinful desires and those who will not obey laws. They want to please themselves and are not afraid when they laugh and say bad things about the powers in heaven.

English Revised Version
but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, selfwilled, they tremble not to rail at dignities:

New Revised Standard
—especially those who indulge their flesh in depraved lust, and who despise authority. Bold and willful, they are not afraid to slander the glorious ones,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Most of all, however, them who go their way, after the flesh, with a coveting of defilement, and who despise, lordship, - daring! willful! before dignitaries, they tremble not, defaming,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And especially them who walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government: audacious, self willed, they fear not to bring in sects, blaspheming.

Lexham English Bible
and especially those who go after the flesh in defiling lust and who despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they do not tremble in awe as they blaspheme majestic beings,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But chiefely them that walke after the fleshe in the lust of vncleanenesse, and despise auctoritie. Presumptious are they, and stande in their owne conceyte, whiche feare not to speake euyl of them that excell in worship.

Easy-to-Read Version
That punishment is for those who are always doing the evil that their sinful selves want to do. It is for those who hate the Lord's authority. These false teachers do whatever they want, and they are so proud of themselves. They are not afraid even to say bad things against the glorious ones.

New American Standard Bible
and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and despise authority. Reckless, self-centered, they speak abusively of angelic majesties without trembling,

Good News Translation
especially those who follow their filthy bodily lusts and despise God's authority. These false teachers are bold and arrogant, and show no respect for the glorious beings above; instead, they insult them.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but more hem that walken aftir the fleisch, in coueytinge of vnclennesse, and dispisen lordschiping, and ben boold, plesynge hem silf, and dreden not to bringe in sectis, blasfemynge; where aungels,

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. ¹¹ Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. ¹² But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; ¹³ And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; ¹⁴ Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: ¹⁵ Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. ¹⁷ These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 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. 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that: Romans 8:1, Romans 8:4, Romans 8:5, Romans 8:12, Romans 8:13, 2 Corinthians 10:3, Hebrews 13:4

in the: Romans 1:24-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9, Ephesians 4:19, Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:7, Jude 1:4, Jude 1:6 -8, Jude 1:10, Jude 1:16

despise: Numbers 16:12-15, Deuteronomy 17:12, Deuteronomy 17:13, Deuteronomy 21:20, Deuteronomy 21:21, 1 Samuel 10:27, 2 Samuel 20:1, 1 Kings 12:16, Psalms 2:1-5, Psalms 12:4, Jeremiah 2:31, Luke 19:14, Romans 13:1-5, 1 Peter 2:13, 1 Peter 2:14

government: or, dominion

Presumptuous: Numbers 15:30, Jude 1:8

selfwilled: Genesis 49:6, Titus 1:7

to speak: Exodus 22:28, Ecclesiastes 10:6, Ecclesiastes 10:7, Ecclesiastes 10:20, Acts 23:5, Jude 1:8, Jude 1:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:13 - But the Exodus 21:14 - presumptuously Numbers 5:27 - if she be defiled Numbers 12:8 - were ye Deuteronomy 17:11 - According to 2 Samuel 1:14 - How 2 Samuel 15:3 - thy matters Job 34:18 - General Psalms 19:13 - presumptuous Psalms 73:8 - speak loftily Proverbs 5:14 - General Jeremiah 29:23 - and have Hosea 11:10 - walk Matthew 7:16 - shall Luke 11:25 - he findeth Romans 16:18 - but 2 Corinthians 12:21 - uncleanness Ephesians 4:31 - evil speaking Ephesians 5:3 - fornication Philippians 3:16 - whereto Philippians 3:18 - many 1 Timothy 6:2 - let 2 Timothy 3:4 - Traitors Titus 3:2 - speak 2 Peter 3:3 - walking 1 John 2:16 - the lust of the flesh

Cross-References

Psalms 46:4
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

Revelation 22:1
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh,.... Not merely after the dictates of corrupt nature, as all men, and even God's elect do, in a state of unregeneracy; but "after strange flesh", as Judges 1:7 expresses it, after the flesh of men:

in the lust of uncleanness; not of fornication and adultery, but of sodomy, and sodomitical practices; sins exceeding great, not only contrary to the law and light of nature, but dishonourable to human nature; and are what prevail where idolatry, infidelity, errors, and heresies do; and which, as they are sins of the deepest dye, deserve the greater damnation, and are chiefly and more especially punished by God with great severity:

and despise government: of parents, to whom these proud boasters and blasphemers are generally disobedient; and of masters, pretending it to be contrary to their Christian liberty; and of magistrates on the same account, and as being a restraint upon their lusts; which is to despise the ordinance of God, his representatives, and to introduce anarchy and confusion, and to open a door to all manner of sin; and also the government of Christ, as head of the church, and King of Zion, whom they will not have to reign over them, and therefore reject his laws, and submit not to his ordinances; and likewise the government of the world itself by God; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "despise their Creator"; denying his omniscience and his providence, giving out that he neither sees, observes, and takes notice of what is done in the world; nor does he himself do either good or evil, or concern himself about what is done by men.

Presumptuous [are they]; bold and daring, not fearing to speak against men of the most exalted character on earth, and against God himself in heaven; see Psalms 73:8.

Selfwilled; pleased with themselves, and their own conceits, their dogmas and opinions, with their high sense and profound judgment; and being obstinate in their sentiments, and resolutely bent to retain and defend them.

They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities; or "glories"; of the apostles, who were set in the first place in the church, and were the glory of Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:28; or of angels, styled thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers; or rather of civil magistrates, set in high places, and to whom glory and honour are due; which to do is contrary to the law of God, and of dangerous consequence, Exodus 22:28.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But chiefly - That is, it may be presumed that the principles just laid down would be applicable in an eminent degree to such persons as he proceeds to designate.

That walk after the flesh - That live for the indulgence of their carnal appetites. Notes, Romans 8:1.

In the lust of uncleanness - In polluted pleasures. Compare the notes at 2 Peter 2:2.

And despise government - Margin: “dominion.” That is, they regard all government in the state, the church, and the family, as an evil. Advocates for unbridled freedom of all sorts; declaimers on liberty and on the evils of oppression; defenders of what they regard as the rights of injured man, and yet secretly themselves lusting for the exercise of the very power which they would deny to others - they make no just distinctions about what constitutes true freedom, and in their zeal array themselves against government in all forms. No topic of declamation would be more popular than this, and from none would they hope to secure more followers; for if they could succeed in removing all respect for the just restraints of law, the way would be open for the accomplishment of their own purposes, in setting up a dominion ever the minds of others. It is a common result of such views, that men of this description become impatient of the government of God himself, and seek to throw off all authority, and to live in the unrestrained indulgence of their vicious propensities.

Presumptuous are they - Τολμηταὶ Tolmētai - daring, bold, audacious, presumptuous men.

Self-willed - αὐθάδεις authadeis. See the notes at Titus 1:7.

They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities - The word rendered “dignities” here, (δόξας doxas,) means properly honor, glory, splendor; then that which is fitted to inspire respect; that which is dignified or exalted. It is applied here to men of exalted rank; and the meaning is, that they did not regard rank, or station, or office - thus violating the plainest rules of propriety and of religion. See the notes at Acts 23:4-5. Jude, between whose language and that of Peter in this chapter there is a remarkable resemblance, has expressed this more fully. He says, 2 Peter 2:8, “These filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.” It is one of the effects of religion to produce respect for superiors; but when men are self-willed, and when they purpose to give indulgence to corrupt propensities, it is natural for them to dislike all government. Accordingly, it is by no means an unfrequent effect of certain forms of error to lead men to speak disrespectfully of those in authority, and to attempt to throw off all the restraints of law. It is a very certain indication that men hold wrong opinions when they show disrespect to those in authority, and despise the restraints of law.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 10. But chiefly them that walk — That is, God will in the most signal manner punish them that walk after the flesh- addict themselves to sodomitical practices, and the lust of pollution; probably alluding to those most abominable practices where men abuse themselves and abuse one another.

Despise government. — They brave the power and authority of the civil magistrate, practising their abominations so as to keep out of the reach of the letter of the law; and they speak evil of dignities-they blaspheme civil government, they abhor the restraints laid upon men by the laws, and would wish all governments destroyed that they might live as they list.

Presumptuous are they] τολμηται. They are bold and daring, headstrong, regardless of fear.

Self-willed — αυθαδεις. Self-sufficient; presuming on themselves; following their own opinions, which no authority can induce them to relinquish.

Are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. — They are lawless and disobedient, spurn all human authority, and speak contemptuously of all legal and civil jurisdiction. Those in general despise governments, and speak evil of dignities, who wish to be under no control, that they may act as freebooters in the community.