Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT For if, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but, having been entangled again, they have been overcome by these things, for them the last things have become worse than the first things.

UST And if they have stopped doing the things that defile sinful human society by knowing the one who rules over us and saves us, Jesus the Messiah, but those defiling things began to control them again, then their situation is worse now than it was at first.

2:20 SBL and WH the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

BLB For if, having escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, now again having been entangled in these they are subdued, the last state has become worse to them than the first.

AICNT If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing {the}[fn] Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.

2:20, the: B(03)NA28 SBLGNT THGNT BYZ TR ‖ Some manuscripts read “our.” 𝔓72 ℵ(01) A(02) C(04) NA27[]

OEB If, after having escaped the polluting influences of the world, through knowing our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, people are again entangled in them, and give way to them, their last state has become worse than their first.

WEBBE For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

WMBB For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Yeshua the Messiah, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

NET 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.

LSV for if having escaped from the defilements of the world, in the acknowledging of the LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and again being entangled by these things, they have been overcome, the last things have become worse to them than the first,

FBV If people manage to escape from the evil influence of the world by knowing the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then get tangled up in sin again and are defeated, they are worse off than they were in the first place.

TCNT For if after they have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of [fn]the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these defilements and overcome, the last state is worse for them than the first.

2:20 the 74.1% ¦ our NA²⁷ 14.7% • MSS 7.7%

T4T Those who teach false truths learned about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As a result, they stopped doing those things that ◄defile people/cause people to become impure► spiritually. Since they have begun to do those evil things again, with the result that they are unable to stop doing them, they are in a worse condition than they were in before they knew Jesus Christ.

LEB For if, after they[fn] have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord[fn] 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.

2:20 *Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have escaped from”) which is understood as temporal

2:20 Some manuscripts have “of our Lord”

BBE 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.

Moff After escaping the pollutions of the world by the knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, if they get entangled and overpowered again, the last state is worse for them than the first.

Wymth 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.

ASV 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.

DRA 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.

YLT 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,

Drby 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.

RV 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.

SLT For if having escaped the pollutions of the world by the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and again entangling with these, they be conquered, the last things have been to them worse than the first.

Wbstr 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.

KJB-1769 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.

KJB-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.
(For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Yesus/Yeshua Christ, they are again intangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them then the beginning.)

Bshps 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.
(For if they, after they have escaped from the filthiness of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord, and the saviour Yesus/Yeshua Christ, are yet tangled again therein, and overcome, then is the later end worse with them then the beginning.)

Gnva For if they, after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world, through the acknowledging of the Lord, and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ, are yet tangled againe therein, and ouercome, the latter ende is worse with them then the beginning.
(For if they, after they have escaped from the filthiness of the world, through the acknowledging of the Lord, and of the Saviour Yesus/Yeshua Christ, are yet tangled again therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them then the beginning. )

Cvdl 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.
(For if they (after they have escaped from the fylthynes of the world, through the knowledge of ye/you_all LORD and Saviour Yesus/Yeshua Christ) are yet tangled again therein and overcome, then is the latter end worse unto them then the beginning.)

TNT For yf they after they have escaped from the filthynes of the worlde thorowe the knowledge of the Lorde and of the saviour Iesus Christ they are yet tagled agayne therin and overcome: then is the latter ende worsse with them then the beginninge.
(For if they after they have escaped from the filthiness of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the saviour Yesus/Yeshua Christ they are yet tagled again therein and overcome: then is the latter end worse with them then the beginning. )

Wycl 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.
(For if men forsaken the unclennessis of the world, by the knowing of our Lord and saviour Yhesu Christ, and eftsone been wrapped in these, and been overcomun, the lattere things been made to hem worse than the formere.)

Luth Denn so sie entflohen sind dem Unflat der Welt durch die Erkenntnis des HErr’s und Heilandes JEsu Christi, werden aber wiederum in denselbigen geflochten und überwunden, ist mit ihnen das Letzte ärger worden denn das Erste.
(Because so they/she/them entflohen are to_him filth the/of_the world through the knowledge the LORD’s and Saviour Yesu Christi, become but again/in_turn in the_same geflochten and abovewunden, is with to_them the Letzte aggravation been because/than the Erste.)

ClVg Si enim refugientes coinquinationes mundi in cognitione Domini nostri, et Salvatoris Jesu Christi, his rursus implicati superantur: facta sunt eis posteriora deteriora prioribus.[fn]
(When/But_if because refugientes coinquinations world in/into/on knowledge Master our, and Saviour Yesu Christi, his again implicati superantur: facts are to_them posteriora deteriora prioribus. )

2.20 Si enim, etc., cognitione Domini nostri et Salvatoris Jesu Christi, etc. Si fugientes coinquinationem et animæ et corporis quam mundus immittit; rursus implicati (sicut ante baptismum) superantur ab illis coinquinationibus, apparet quod facta sunt posteriora eorum deteriora prioribus: quia magis offendunt Deum quam ante baptismum, et majores pœnas patientur, quia mendaces sunt promissiones factæ in baptismo.

2.20 When/But_if because, etc., knowledge Master our and Saviour Yesu Christi, etc. When/But_if fleeing coinquination and soul and body how world immittit; again implicati (sicut before baptism) superantur away to_them coinquinations, appears that facts are posteriora their deteriora prioribus: because more offendunt God how before baptism, and elders punishments patientur, because mendaces are promises done in/into/on baptism.

UGNT εἰ γὰρ ἀποφυγόντες τὰ μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου, ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτῆρος, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τούτοις δὲ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται, γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων.
(ei gar apofugontes ta miasmata tou kosmou, en epignōsei tou Kuriou haʸmōn kai Sōtaʸros, Yaʸsou Ⱪristou, toutois de palin emplakentes haʸttōntai, gegonen autois ta esⱪata ⱪeirona tōn prōtōn.)

SBL-GNT εἰ γὰρ ἀποφυγόντες τὰ μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ ⸀κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τούτοις δὲ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται, γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων.
(ei gar apofugontes ta miasmata tou kosmou en epignōsei tou ⸀kuriou kai sōtaʸros Yaʸsou Ⱪristou toutois de palin emplakentes haʸttōntai, gegonen autois ta esⱪata ⱪeirona tōn prōtōn.)

RP-GNT Εἰ γὰρ ἀποφυγόντες τὰ μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ, τούτοις δὲ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται, γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων.
(Ei gar apofugontes ta miasmata tou kosmou en epignōsei tou kuriou kai sōtaʸros Yaʸsou ⱪristou, toutois de palin emplakentes haʸttōntai, gegonen autois ta esⱪata ⱪeirona tōn prōtōn.)

TC-GNT Εἰ γὰρ ἀποφυγόντες τὰ μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ [fn]Κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τούτοις δὲ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται, γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων.
(Ei gar apofugontes ta miasmata tou kosmou en epignōsei tou Kuriou kai sōtaʸros Yaʸsou Ⱪristou, toutois de palin emplakentes haʸttōntai, gegonen autois ta esⱪata ⱪeirona tōn prōtōn. )

2:20 κυριου και σωτηρος 74.1% ¦ κυριου ημων και σωτηρος NA²⁷ 14.7% ¦ κυριου και σωτηρος ημων MSS 7.7%

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–22: Peter warned believers against false teachers

In this section, Peter warned the people who read his letter against false teachers who behaved wickedly and who would try to encourage believers to behave in the same immoral way as they did. But God would certainly destroy these false teachers.

Many of the verses in this section are similar to verses in Jude’s letter. Whoever wrote second, Peter or Jude, may have had a copy of the other one’s letter and used words and ideas out of that letter. Or perhaps someone else had written something with similar words and ideas in it, and Peter and Jude both used words and ideas from that writing. Why these two letters are so similar is not the most important thing. But if you have already translated Jude, it is important to have that translation open in front of you while you are studying and translating this section of 2 Peter. However be careful not to copy any verse exactly from Jude’s letter to your translation of 2 Peter, because there are differences between them which must remain in your translation.

Paragraph 2:17–22

Peter continued to describe the wicked way that the false teachers behaved. Because they were so wicked, God was reserving a place in hell for them.

Peter used many metaphors and other figures of speech in this paragraph. This makes his words very vivid. You may not be able to use the same figurative language in your translation, but try to find other ways of making your translation as vivid as the original.

2:20–22

It is not clear about whom Peter was speaking in these verses.

He may have been referring to the false teachers. This is the most natural way to understand the Greek. Some English versions use the pronoun “they” here. As the false teachers have been the main subject of the verses which precede this verse, it seems that these versions follow this interpretation. (BSB, NIV, RSV, CEV)
Some scholars say that Peter was referring to the people who had recently become Christians. Peter used the same verb (BSB “escaped”) in this verse as he had used in verse 18 when speaking of those who had recently become Christians.
Or perhaps he was stating generally that if any person who had become a Christian returned to pagan ways, the result for him would be worse than if he had remained a pagan and had never become a Christian in the first place. Some versions translate the subject as referring to people in general. For example:
anyone (JB)
men (JBP) (JB, JBP, GNT)

This whole chapter has described the false teachers, and they are the subject of verses 18 and 19, so it seems most likely that verse 20 also refers to these teachers, though Peter’s words are also true about anyone who has turned away from following Christ. The Notes follow this interpretation. According to this interpretation, “If” at the beginning of the verse is stating a fact (as in 2:4). It is not referring to something that may or may not have happened. (See the last paragraph of the note in the introduction to 2:4–10a).

2:20

In the Greek, and in BSB, NIV, and GNT, this verse is one sentence, but you will probably need to break it into two or more sentences.

In the Greek text the word gar, which some versions translate as “for,” shows how Peter linked this verse to the verses which preceded it. Other versions like BSB, NIV, GNT and CEV leave the relationship implicit.

2:20a

If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world

I say that about the false teachers because they had come out from the power of the bad things of this world which spoil the hearts of people.
They had left those sinful ways that ruin a person’s character. These are the ways which the people of this world who do not obey God habitually follow.

corruption: Literally “defilement, pollution.” The Greek word that Peter used here is not the same as the one he used in 1:4b, but the underlying meaning is almost the same.

the world: This does not refer to the physical world which God created, but to the non-Christians among whom the people to whom Peter was writing lived. These people practiced many immoral customs which ruined people spiritually. When Peter wrote about the “corruption of the world” in this verse he was referring to such immoral customs. See also note on 1:4b.

2:20b

through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

This happened because they had come to know Jesus Christ who is our^(incl) Lord and Savior.

through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: Peter has already used the expression the knowledge of several times in this letter (see 1:2, 1:8 and the notes on those verses). It is by means of coming to know Christ that a person is able to escape from living in the wicked way the non-Christians live.

2:20c

only to be entangled and overcome by it again,

But now once more they have gotten involved in doing bad things and those bad things now control them,
But now they have allowed the bad things to again catch them and control them,

entangled: When used literally the Greek word which BSB translates entangled means “entwined.” It is the word used when a woman plaits her hair. Here Peter used it figuratively and it means “to be involved in, mixed up with.” This part of the verse says that the false teachers have once more got involved in the wicked way of living from which they had escaped when they came to know Christ.

overcome by it again: This is the same Greek verb as Peter used in 19c, where BSB translates it “mastered.” Here again Peter was saying that the false teachers, despite having once become free from the wicked things which non-Christians do, once more were allowing those things to control them.

2:20d

their final condition is worse than it was at first.

so their last condition/state now that they have rejected Christ is worse than their condition at first before they became believers.

their final condition: This phrase refers to the time when Peter was writing, the time after the false teachers had turned away from the true Christian teaching which they once followed.

it was at first: This phrase refers to the time before they became Christians.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἀποφυγόντες τά μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Κυρίου καί Σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τούτοις δέ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τά ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων)

Here, For could refer to: (1) another explanation of Peter’s statement “themselves being slaves of destruction” in the previous verse, (2) a transition from what Peter said in the previous verse to what he is going to say in this verse. Here, For does not indicate the reason or result of what was said in the previous verse. Alternate translation, as in the UST: [And]

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἰ & ἀποφυγόντες τὰ μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου, ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτῆρος, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τούτοις δὲ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται, γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων

if & ˓having˒_escaped_from (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἀποφυγόντες τά μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Κυρίου καί Σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τούτοις δέ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τά ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων)

Peter is speaking as if this were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might think that what Peter is saying is not certain, then you could translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: [they have escaped the impurities of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but having become entangled and overcome by them again, the last has become worse for them than the first]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

εἰ & ἀποφυγόντες τὰ μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου

Using a similar metaphor to that in [2:18](../02/18.md), here Peter speaks of believers as if they had been slaves to the defilements of the world and have escaped that captivity. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this metaphor plainly. Alternate translation: [if they have ceased living in the defiling manner of the world]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τὰ μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun defilements with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: [the things that sinful human society does to defile itself]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τὰ μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου

Here, the world refers to human society, which has been corrupted by sin. Alternate translation: [the defiling practices of sinful human society]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτῆρος, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ

in ˓the˒_knowledge ˱of˲_the Lord (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἀποφυγόντες τά μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Κυρίου καί Σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τούτοις δέ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τά ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun knowledge with a verbal phrase. See how you translated similar phrases in [1:2](../01/02.md). Alternate translation: [by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτῆρος

˱of˲_the ˱of˲_the Lord (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἀποφυγόντες τά μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Κυρίου καί Σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τούτοις δέ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τά ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων)

Here, our Lord means “the person who is lord over us” or “the person who rules over us.” The conjunction and indicates that our also applies to Savior, meaning “the person who saves us.” Alternate translation: [of the person who rules over us and saves us]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τούτοις & πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται

˱in˲_these_‹things› & again ˓having_been˒_entangled ˱they˲_˓have˒_been_overcome

If your language does not use this passive form, you can express this with an active form, and you can supply the doer of the action from earlier in the verse. Alternate translation: [these things having entangled them again; these things have overcome them]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες

again ˓having_been˒_entangled

Here, Peter speaks of people who seem to have been believers but have returned to living sinfully as if they have become entangled in a net. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this metaphor plainly. Alternate translation: [if they have begun to live sinfully again]

Note 9 topic: writing-pronouns

τούτοις

˱in˲_these_‹things›

Here, the pronoun these things refers to “the defilements of the world.” If it would be helpful to your readers, you could specify this in your translation. Alternate translation: [by these defilements of the world]

Note 10 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτοῖς

˱to˲_them

Connecting Statement:

Here, the pronoun them refers to the false teachers introduced in [2:1](../02/01.md) and discussed in [2:12–19](../02/12.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this explicitly. Alternate translation: [these false teachers]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων

˓has˒_become ˱to˲_them (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἀποφυγόντες τά μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Κυρίου καί Σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τούτοις δέ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τά ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων)

Here, the adjectives last and first function as nouns. They are plural, and ULT supplies the noun things in each case to show that. If your language does not use adjectives in this way, you can supply a more specific singular noun. Alternate translation: [the final condition for them is worse than their original condition]

Parallel 2 PET 2:20