2 Peter 2:20

New Living Translation

And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
People can be made free from the evil in the world. They can be made free by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But if they go back into those evil things and are controlled by them, then it is worse for them than it was before.

Revised Standard Version
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For yf they after they have escaped from the filthynes of the worlde thorowe ye knowledge of ye Lorde and of ye saviour Iesus Christ they are yet tagled agayne therin and overcome: then is ye latter ende worsse with them then the beginninge.

Hebrew Names Version
For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Yeshua the Messiah, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state has become worse with them than the first.

New American Standard Bible
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

New Century Version
They were made free from the evil in the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But if they return to evil things and those things control them, then it is worse for them than it was before.

Update Bible Version
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state has become worse with them than the first.

Webster's Bible Translation
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

World English Bible
For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state has become worse with them than the first.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, thro the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again intangled therein and overcome, their last state is worse then the first.

Weymouth's New Testament
For if, after escaping from the pollutions of the world through a full knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, people are once more entangled in these pollutions and are overcome, their last state has become worse than their first.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For if men forsaken the vnclennessis of the world, bi the knowyng of oure Lord and sauyour Jhesu Crist, and eftsone ben wlappid in these, and ben ouercomun, the lattere thingis ben maad to hem worse than the formere.

English Revised Version
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.

Berean Standard Bible
If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.

Contemporary English Version
When they learned about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they escaped from the filthy things of this world. But they are again caught up and controlled by these filthy things, and now they are in worse shape than they were at first.

Amplified Bible
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world by [personal] knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, their last condition has become worse for them than the first.

American Standard Version
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.

Bible in Basic English
For if, after they have got free from the unclean things of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again taken in the net and overcome, their last condition is worse than their first.

Complete Jewish Bible
Indeed, if they have once escaped the pollutions of the world through knowing our Lord and Deliverer, Yeshua the Messiah, and then have again become entangled and defeated by them, their latter condition has become worse than their former.

Darby Translation
For if after having escaped the pollutions of the world through [the] knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, again entangled, they are subdued by these, their last state is worse than the first.

International Standard Version
For if, after escaping the world's corruptions through a full knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled and conquered by them, then their last condition is worse than their former one.Matthew 12:45; Luke 11:26; Hebrews 6:4; 10:26-27; 2 Peter 1:2,4, 18;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
20 For if [fn] 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.

Murdock Translation
For if, when they have escaped the pollutions of the world by the knowledge of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus the Messiah, they become again involved in the same, and are vanquished, their latter state is worse than the former.

King James Version (1611)
For if after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, they are againe intangled therein, and ouercome, the latter end is worse with them then the beginning.

New Life Bible
There are men who have been made free from the sins of the world by learning to know the Lord Jesus Christ, the One Who saves. But if they do these sins again, and are not able to keep from doing them, they are worse than they were before.

New Revised Standard
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

English Standard Version
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For if they, after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world, through the acknowledging of the Lorde, and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ, are yet tangled againe therein, and ouercome, the latter ende is worse with them then the beginning.

George Lamsa Translation
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through knowledge of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled by these very things, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, if, having escaped from the defilements of the world by a personal knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but, by the same having again become entangled, they are defeated, the, last, state hath become, for them, worse than, the first;

Douay-Rheims Bible
For if, flying from the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they be again entangled in them and overcome: their latter state is become unto them worse than the former.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For yf they, after they haue escaped from the fylthynesse of the worlde, thorowe the knowledge of the Lord, & the sauiour Iesus Christe, are yet tangled agayne therein, and ouercome, then is the later end worse with them then the begynnyng.

Good News Translation
If people have escaped from the corrupting forces of the world through their knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then are again caught and conquered by them, such people are in worse condition at the end than they were at the beginning.

Christian Standard Bible®
For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
For if, after they have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and they are again entangled in these things and succumb to them, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

Literal Translation
For if by a recognition of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they have escaped the defilements of the world, and again being entangled they have been overcome by these, then their last things have become worse than the first.

Young's Literal Translation
for, if having escaped from the pollutions of the world, in the acknowledging of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and by these again being entangled, they have been overcome, become to them hath the last things worse than the first,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For yf they (after they haue escaped from the fylthynes of the worlde, thorow the knowlege of ye LORDE and Sauioure Iesus Christ) are yet tangled agayne therin and ouercome, then is the latter ende worse vnto them then the begynnynge.

Mace New Testament (1729)
As for those who have renounc'd the pollutions of the world, by their owning Jesus Christ for their Lord and saviour, if they are prevail'd upon to be entangled therein again, their last state is worse than the first.

THE MESSAGE
If they've escaped from the slum of sin by experiencing our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ, and then slid back into that same old life again, they're worse than if they had never left. Better not to have started out on the straight road to God than to start out and then turn back, repudiating the experience and the holy command. They prove the point of the proverbs, "A dog goes back to its own vomit" and "A scrubbed-up pig heads for the mud."

New English Translation
For 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.

New King James Version
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Anyone who takes Jesus's hand to escape a life of sin and returns to it after being saved is worse off than he was in the first place.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings. ¹² These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. ¹³ Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. ¹⁴ They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God's curse. ¹⁵ They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. ¹⁶ But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice. ¹⁷ These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

after: Matthew 12:43-45, Luke 11:24-26, Hebrews 6:4-8, Hebrews 10:26, Hebrews 10:27

escaped: 2 Peter 2:18, 2 Peter 1:4

through: 2 Peter 1:2

the latter: Numbers 24:20, Deuteronomy 32:29, Philippians 3:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:6 - General Exodus 14:5 - Why have we Leviticus 13:20 - in sight Leviticus 13:55 - after Leviticus 14:43 - General Leviticus 25:10 - proclaim 1 Samuel 19:10 - sought Ezra 9:14 - we again Job 8:7 - thy latter Job 23:11 - his way Job 24:13 - nor abide Psalms 85:8 - but Proverbs 2:13 - leave Proverbs 14:14 - backslider Jeremiah 34:11 - General Ezekiel 33:13 - if he Ezekiel 33:18 - General Ezekiel 46:9 - he that entereth in Hosea 4:10 - left Hosea 6:4 - for Matthew 5:13 - if Matthew 7:27 - General Matthew 21:19 - Let Mark 11:14 - No Luke 6:49 - the ruin Luke 8:13 - which Luke 9:62 - No Luke 11:26 - and the John 6:66 - of his John 15:6 - he Acts 5:13 - of Acts 5:31 - a Saviour Acts 13:23 - raised Romans 12:2 - be not Galatians 3:4 - ye Galatians 4:9 - ye have Galatians 5:4 - ye 1 Timothy 5:15 - General 1 Timothy 5:24 - General 2 Timothy 1:10 - our 2 Timothy 2:4 - entangleth 2 Timothy 3:13 - evil Titus 1:4 - our Titus 2:12 - denying Hebrews 6:5 - tasted 2 Peter 2:19 - overcome 2 Peter 3:18 - knowledge 1 John 2:19 - went out 1 John 5:16 - There

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world,.... The sins of it, the governing vices of it, which the men of the world are addicted to, and immersed in; for the whole world lies in wickedness, and which are of a defiling nature: the phrase is Rabbinical; it is said q,

"he that studies not in the law in this world, but is defiled בטנופי עלמא, "with the pollutions of the world", what is written of him? and they took him, and cast him without:''

these, men may escape, abstain from, and outwardly reform, with respect unto, and yet be destitute of the grace of God; so that this can be no instance of the final and total apostasy of real saints; for the house may be swept and garnished with an external reformation; persons may be outwardly righteous before men, have a form of godliness and a name to live, and yet be dead in trespasses and sins; all which they may have

through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, read, our Lord, and the latter leave out, "and Saviour"; by which "knowledge" is meant, not a spiritual experimental knowledge of Christ, for that is eternal life, the beginning, pledge, and earnest of it; but a notional knowledge of Christ, or a profession of knowledge of him, for it may be rendered "acknowledgment"; or rather the Gospel of Christ, which, being only notionally received, may have such an effect on men, as outwardly to reform their lives, at least in some instances, and for a while, in whose hearts it has no place. Now if, after all this knowledge and reformation,

they are again entangled therein; in the pollutions of the world, in worldly lusts, which are as gins, pits and snares:

and overcome; by them, so as to be laden with them, and led away, and entirely governed and influenced by them:

the latter end, or state,

is worse with them than the beginning; see Matthew 12:45. Their beginning, or first estate, was that in which they were born, a state of darkness, ignorance, and sin, and in which they were brought up, and was either the state of Judaism, or of Gentilism; their next estate was an outward deliverance and escape from the error of the one, or of the other, and an embracing and professing the truth of the Christian religion, joined with a becoming external conversation; and this their last estate was an apostasy from the truth of the Gospel they had professed, a reception of error and heresy, and a relapse into sin and immorality, which made their case worse than it was at first; for, generally, such persons are more extravagant in sinning; are like raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; and are seldom, or ever, recovered; and by their light, knowledge, and profession, their punishment will be more aggravated, and become intolerable.

q Zohar in Gen. fol. 104. 3. Vid. Bechinot Olam, p. 178.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world - This does not necessarily mean that they had been true Christians, and had fallen from grace. People may outwardly reform, and escape from the open corruptions which prevail around them, or which they had themselves practiced, and still have no true grace at heart.

Through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesses Christ - Neither does This imply that they were true Christians, or that they had ever had any saving knowledge of the Redeemer. There is a knowledge of the doctrines and duties of religion which may lead sinners to abandon their outward vices, which has no connection with saving grace. They may profess religion, and may Know enough of religion to understand that it requires them to abandon their vicious habits, and still never be true Christians.

They are again entangled therein and overcome - The word rendered “entangled,” (ἐμπλέκω emplekō,) from which is derived our word “implicate,” means to braid in, to interweave; then to involve in, to entangle. It means here that they become implicated in those vices like an animal that is entangled in a net.

The latter end is worse with them than the beginning - This is usually the case. Apostates become worse than they were before their professed conversion. “Reformed” drunkards, if they go back to their “cups” again, become more abandoned than ever. Thus, it is with those who have been addicted to any habits of vice, and who profess to become religious, and then fall away. The “reasons” for this may be:

(1)That they are willing now to show to others that they are no longer under the restraints by which they had professedly bound themselves;

(2)That God gives them up to indulgence with fewer restraints than formerly; and,

(3)Their old companions in sin may be at special pains to court their society, and to lead them into temptation, in order to obtain a triumph over virtue and religion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. The pollutions of the world — Sin in general, and particularly superstition, idolatry, and lasciviousness. These are called μιασματα, miasmata, things that infect, pollute, and defile. The word was anciently used, and is in use at the present day, to express those noxious particles of effluvia proceeding from persons infected with contagious and dangerous diseases; or from dead and corrupt bodies, stagnant and putrid waters, marshes c., by which the sound and healthy may be infected and destroyed.

The world is here represented as one large, putrid marsh, or corrupt body, sending off its destructive miasmata everywhere and in every direction, so that none can escape its contagion, and none can be healed of the great epidemic disease of sin, but by the mighty power and skill of God. St. Augustine has improved on this image: "The whole world," says he, "is one great diseased man, lying extended from east to west, and from north to south and to heal this great sick man, the almighty Physician descended from heaven." Now, it is by the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as says St. Peter, that we escape the destructive influence of these contagious miasmata. But if, after having been healed, and escaped the death to which we were exposed, we get again entangled, εμπλακεντες, enfolded, enveloped with them; then the latter end will be worse than the beginning: forasmuch as we shall have sinned against more light, and the soul, by its conversion to God, having had all its powers and faculties greatly improved, is now, being repolluted, more capable of iniquity than before, and can bear more expressively the image of the earthly.