2 Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Study Note
Study Note
'But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.' The parallel between Old Testament false prophets and first-century false teachers establishes a hermeneutical principle: the covenant community has always faced internal theological corruption, not merely external persecution. The phrase 'denying the Lord that bought them' raises significant debates: if these were genuine believers who apostatized, does their purchase (agorasanta) imply genuine redemption that can be lost? Most Reformed interpreters read 'bought' as referring to their participation in the covenant community rather than individual effectual redemption.
Other Translations
But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
And there did come also false prophets among the people, as also among you there shall be false teachers, who shall bring in besides destructive sects, and the Master who bought them denying, bringing to themselves quick destruction,
But there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly put forward wrong teachings for your destruction, even turning away from the Lord who gave himself for them; whose destruction will come quickly, and they themselves will be the cause of it.
Cross References
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God …
Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? …
Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and …
Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are …
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go …
And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah …
My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the …
The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving …