He warns them against false teachers and foretells their punishment.

 1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there shall be among you lying teachers, who shall bring in sects of perdition, and deny the Lord who bought them: bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
Fuerunt vero et pseudoprophetae in populo, sicut et in vobis erunt magistri mendaces, qui introducent sectas perditionis : et eum qui emit eos, Dominum negant, superducentes sibi celerem perditionem.

 2 And many shall follow their riotousnesses, through whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
Et multi sequentur eorum luxurias, per quos via veritatis blasphemabitur :

 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their perdition slumbereth not.
et in avaritia fictis verbis de vobis negotiabuntur : quibus judicium jam olim non cessat : et perditio eorum non dormitat.

 4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but delivered them, drawn down by infernal ropes to the lower hell, unto torments, to be reserved unto judgment:
Si enim Deus angelis peccantibus non pepercit, sed rudentibus inferni detractos in tartarum tradidit cruciandos, in judicium reservari.

 5 And spared not the original world, but preserved Noe, the eighth person, the preacher of justice, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.
Et originali mundo non pepercit, sed octavum Noe justitiae praeconem custodivit, diluvium mundo impiorum inducens.

 6 And reducing the cities of the Sodomites, and of the Gomorrhites, into ashes, condemned them to be overthrown, making them an example to those that should after act wickedly.
Et civitates Sodomorum et Gomorrhaeorum in cinerem redigens, eversione damnavit : exemplum eorum, qui impie acturi sunt, ponens :

 7 And delivered just Lot, oppressed by the injustice and lewd conversation of the wicked.
et justum Lot oppressum a nefandorum injuria, ac luxuriosa conversatione eripuit :

 8 For in sight and hearing he was just: dwelling among them, who from day to day vexed the just soul with unjust works.
aspectu enim, et auditu justus erat : habitans apud eos, qui de die in diem animam justam iniquis operibus cruciabant.

 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly from temptation, but to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be tormented.
Novit Dominus pios de tentatione eripere : iniquos vero in diem judicii reservare cruciandos.

 10 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.
Magis autem eos, qui post carnem in concupiscentia immunditiae ambulant, dominationemque contemnunt, audaces, sibi placentes, sectas non metuunt introducere blasphemantes :

 11 Whereas angels who are greater in strength and power, bring not against themselves a railing judgment.
ubi angeli fortitudine, et virtute cum sint majores, non portant adversum se execrabile judicium.

 12 But these men, as irrational beasts, naturally tending to the snare and to destruction, blaspheming those things which they know not, shall perish in their corruption,
Hi vero velut irrationabilia pecora, naturaliter in captionem, et in perniciem in his quae ignorant blasphemantes in corruptione sua peribunt,

 13 Receiving the reward of their injustice, counting for a pleasure the delights of a day: stains and spots, sporting themselves to excess, rioting in their feasts with you:
percipientes mercedem injustitiae, voluptatem existimantes diei delicias : coinquinationes, et maculae deliciis affluentes, in conviviis suis luxuriantes vobiscum,

 14 Having eyes full of adultery and of sin that ceaseth not: alluring unstable souls, having their heart exercised with covetousness, children of malediction:
oculos habentes plenos adulterii, et incessabilis delicti. Pellicientes animas instabiles, cor exercitatum avaritia habentes, maledictionis filii :

 15 Leaving the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity,
derelinquentes rectam viam erraverunt, secuti viam Balaam ex Bosor, qui mercedem iniquitatis amavit :

 16 But had a check of his madness, the dumb beast used to the yoke, which speaking with man's voice, forbade the folly of the prophet.
correptionem vero habuit suae vesaniae : subjugale mutum animal, hominis voce loquens, prohibuit prophetae insipientiam.

 17 These are fountains without water, and clouds tossed with whirlwinds, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved.
Hi sunt fontes sine aqua, et nebulae turbinibus exagitatae, quibus caligo tenebrarum reservatur.

 18 For, speaking proud words of vanity, they allure by the desires of fleshly riotousness, those who for a little while escape, such as converse in error:
Superba enim vanitatis loquentes, pelliciunt in desideriis carnis luxuriae eos, qui paululum effugiunt, qui in errore conversantur :

 19 Promising them liberty, whereas they themselves are the slaves of corruption. For by whom a man is overcome, of the same also he is the slave.
libertatem illis promittentes, cum ipsi servi sint corruptionem : a quo enim quis superatus est, hujus et servus est.

 20 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.
Si enim refugientes coinquinationes mundi in cognitione Domini nostri, et Salvatoris Jesu Christi, his rursus implicatis superantur : facta sunt eis posteriora deteriora prioribus.

 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of justice, than after they have known it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was delivered to them.
Melius enim erat illis non cognoscere viam justitiae, quam post agnitionem, retrorsum converti ab eo, quod illis traditum est, sancto mandato.

 22 For, that of the true proverb has happened to them: The dog is returned to his vomit: and, The sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.
Contigit enim eis illud veri proverbii : Canis reversus ad suum vomitum : et, Sus lota in volutabro luti.