Now there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be also among you false teachers, who will introduce destructive sects, denying even the Lord who bought them, bringing on themselves speedy destruction. And many will follow their pernicious courses, on the account of whom the way of the truth will be ill spoken of. Indeed, with insatiable covetousness, they will, with smooth words, make merchandize of you. But the judgment prepared of old for them is not idle, nor is their destruction slumbering. For if God spared not angels who sinned, but confining them in Tartarus,Tartarus among the ancient Grecians, was considered as the place for the wicked after death. Their philosophers described it as a condensed, solid and immoveable darkness surrounding the material universe. But as the earth was commonly supposed to be a plain of immeasurable depth, the poets, accommodating their language to the common opinion, describe it as a vast pit or gulph, in the bowels of the earth. Here then the apostle, rectifying the common mistake of Tartarus being in the bowels of the earth; and recurring to the true sense of the word, namely, the darkness, which bounds the created system, and which when applied to spirits must be interpreted spiritually, intimates by the word ταρταρώσας that God cast the apostate angels out of his presence into that blackness of darkness (Jude, ver. 13) where they are excluded from the glorious light of his countenance. in chains of darkness, delivered them up to be kept for judgment— and if he spared not the old world, but preserved eight persons, including Noah, the proclaimer of righteousness, when he brought a deluge on the world of ungodly men— and when he condemned to destruction the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes, and making them a publick example to future impious men, delivered just Lot, who was troubled at the lascivious conduct of those licentious men, (for at the sight and report, that righteous man who dwelt among them was daily tormented in soul by their unlawful deeds) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly from temptation, and to reserve the wicked to the day of judgment, to be punished; and more especially them who go after flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise authority. Being audacious and self sufficient they tremble not when they revile glories; whereas angels who are greater in might and power, do not bring against them a railing accusation before the Lord. But these, like irrational brute beasts, made for capture and destruction, railing at what they are ignorant of, shall perish with their own destruction. Receiving wages of iniquity, esteeming riot by day a pleasure; being spots and blemishes; rioting by their deceits; banquetting with you; having eyes full of adultery and unceasing sin; ensnaring unstable souls; having a heart practised in greediness; an execrable race; having forsaken the right road they have gone quite astray, following the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity, and was convicted of his transgression. (A dumb beast, speaking with a human voice, restrained the madness of the prophet.) They are wells without water; clouds impelled by a whirlwind, for whom is reserved the gloom of everlasting darkness. For uttering, with a solemn tone, swelling words of vanity, they by the lusts of the flesh, by acts of lasciviousness, ensnare them who are indeed flying from those conversant in error; promising them liberty while they themselves are slaves to corruption; for by whatever one is subdued, by that he is enslaved. For if after fleeing from the pollutions of the world by an acknowledgment of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, any are again entangled and overcome by them, the last state of such persons is worse than the first. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it hath happened to them according to the true proverb, "The dog is returned to his vomit, and the washed hog to its wallowing slough."