2 Peter 2:3

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
And	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
through	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
covetousness	πλεονεξίᾳ pleonexia	G4124	avarice · noun — dative singular feminine
they	ἐμπορεύσονται, emporeusontai	G1710	to travel in (a country as a pedlar) · verb — future middle deponent indicative, 3rd person plural
feigned	πλαστοῖς plastois	G4112	moulded · adjective — dative plural masculine
words	λόγοις logois	G3056	something said (including the thought) · noun — dative plural masculine
of	ἐμπορεύομαι emporeúomai	G1710	to travel in (a country as a pedlar)
you	ὑμᾶς hymâs	G5209	you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
whose	οἷς hois	G3739	the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun · relative pronoun — dative plural masculine
judgment	κρίμα krima	G2917	a decision (the function or the effect · noun — nominative singular neuter
now	ἀργεῖ argei	G691	to be idle · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
time	ἔκπαλαι ekpalai	G1597	long ago · adverb
lingereth	ἀργέω argéō	G691	to be idle
not	οὐκ ouk	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
their	αὐτῶν autōn	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive plural masculine
damnation	ἀπώλεια apōleia	G684	ruin or loss (physical · noun — nominative singular feminine
slumbereth	νυστάζει.¶ nustazei	G3573	to nod · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
not	οὐ ou	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
Deuteronomy 32:35 To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that…
Romans 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the s…
1 Thessalonians 2:5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
Jude 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed,…
1 Timothy 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Titus 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lu…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Peter 2:3-6

Men are apt to think that a reprieve is the forerunner of a pardon, and that if judgment be not speedily executed it is, or will be, certainly reversed. But the apostle tells us that how successful and prosperous soever false teachers may be, and that for a time, yet their judgment lingereth not. God has determined long ago how he will deal with them. Such unbelievers, who endeavour to turn others from the faith, are condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on them. The righteous Judge will speedily take vengeance; the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. To prove this assertion, here are several examples of the righteous judgment of G…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Peter 2:3

through, &c.--Greek, "IN covetousness" as their element (Pe2 2:14, end). Contrast Co2 11:20; Co2 12:17. of a long time--in God's eternal purpose. "Before of old ordained to condemnation" (Jde 1:4). lingereth not--though sinners think it lingers; "is not idle." damnation--Greek, "destruction" (see on Pe2 2:1). Personified. slumbereth not--though sinners slumber.

Adam Clarke on 2 Peter 2:3

And through covetousness - That they might get money to spend upon their lusts, with feigned words, πλαστοις λογοις, with counterfeit tales, false narrations, of pretended facts, lying miracles, fabulous legends. "In this single sentence," says Dr. Macknight, "there is a clear prediction of the iniquitous practices of those great merchants of souls, the Romish clergy, who have rated all crimes, even the most atrocious, at a fixed price; so that if their doctrine be true, whoever pays the price may commit the crime without hazarding his salvation." How the popish Church has made merchandise of souls, needs no particular explanation here. It was this abominable doctrine that showed to some, th…

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John Gill on 2 Peter 2:3

And through covetousness;.... Which is generally a prevailing vice among false teachers, they having no other end in view than themselves; either to gain popular applause and vain glory, which they are always covetous of; or to amass riches to themselves, after which they have an insatiable desire: shall they with feigned words; made words, words of their own devising, and not which the Holy Ghost teacheth; whereby they cover themselves, and privily introduce their pernicious principles; and therefore new words and phrases are always to be suspected and guarded against, especially in articles of moment and importance: or with flattering words and fair speeches, great swelling words of vanit…

The Church Fathers

The destruction of these people comes from none other than the God of Israel, who is never idle or asleep.
— Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

Their judgment has not ceased long ago. When 'long ago' signifies a past time and 'has not ceased' is a word in the present tense, it seems to mean nothing else but that the judgment of the perdition of the impious, which has already long begun, continually torments them presently and will never cease with any end.
— Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

They were doing this for money. Excess is sometimes geared toward wickedness and sometimes toward profit, but here the addition of the word exploit makes the meaning clear. They will indeed have their reward, which is death. The phrase "of old" indicates God's foreknowledge of what they would do. For just as God foresaw who would be good and prepared good things for them in heaven, so he also foresaw who would be evil and prepared the other place for them.
— Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Jude, Epistle of — The author was “Judas, the brother of James” the Less (Jude 1:1), called also Lebbaeus (Matt. 10:3) and Thaddaeus (Mark 3:18). The genuineness of this epistle was early questioned, and doubts…
Affections · 3:6; — 3:6;
Affections, The · False teachers seek to captivate — False teachers seek to captivate
Covetousness · 6:13;8:10;17:11;22:17;51:13; — 6:13;8:10;17:11;22:17;51:13;
Doctrines · 13:9; — 13:9;
Doctrines, False · Teachers of, are described as: Covetous — Teachers of, are described as: Covetous
Hypocrisy · 6:26,70;7:19;15:2,6; — 6:26,70;7:19;15:2,6;
Hypocrites · Described as: Covetous — Described as: Covetous
Ministers · When unfaithful: Seek gain — When unfaithful: Seek gain

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

2 Peter 2:3

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Peter 2:3-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Peter 2:3

Adam Clarke on 2 Peter 2:3

John Gill on 2 Peter 2:3

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

2 Peter 2:3

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Peter 2:3-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Peter 2:3

Adam Clarke on 2 Peter 2:3

John Gill on 2 Peter 2:3

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 2 Peter 2:1-3

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Peter 2:2