2 Peter 2:14
What does 2 Peter 2:14 mean?
A plain-English look at 2 Peter 2:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 2 Peter 2:14 means
Their eyes are trained for adultery, seeing people as targets for gratification. They cannot stop sinning; habit has hardened into compulsion. They bait unstable souls, preying on the inexperienced and wavering. Their hearts are well-practiced in greed, like athletes conditioned for vice. Peter calls them “children of cursing,” a Hebraic way of saying they are aligned with judgment rather than blessing. Leadership shaped by lust and covetousness does not shepherd; it hunts. The church must protect the weak and refuse to normalize in leaders what God names as bondage and doom.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing;
KJV
King James Version · 1611Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Having eyes full of evil desire, never having enough of sin; turning feeble souls out of the true way; they are children of cursing, whose hearts are well used to bitter envy;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862having eyes full of adultery, and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having an heart exercised in covetousnesses, children of a curse,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Having eyes full of adultery and of sin that ceaseth not: alluring unstable souls: having their heart exercised with covetousness: children of malediction.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890having eyes full of adultery, and that cease not from sin, alluring unestablished souls; having a heart practised in covetousness, children of curse;
Context
The portrait darkens: these are not merely misguided but practiced predators. Having detailed their sensuality and greed, Peter will next connect them to a well-known Old Testament example, Balaam, whose story embodies profit-seeking prophecy (verses 15–16). By invoking Balaam, Peter anchors his critique in Scripture and shows that this pattern of error has long roots and a well-known, shameful end.
v.13suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you;
v.14This passage
v.15forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing;
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 1:16
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
- Jeremiah 13:23
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
- 2 Peter 3:16
as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
- Romans 16:18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.
- Jude 1:11
Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.
- Job 31:9
If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door;
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