2 Peter 2:1 warns Peter’s readers about false prophets and teachers who will introduce ruinous heresies within the church, deny the Lord Jesus who saved them from sin, and bring a quick destruction on themselves.

2 Peter 2:2-3 focuses on the impact these false teachers will have on other believers. Many will be influenced to participate in their immorality. God’s truth will be attacked and members will be taken advantage of financially through deceptive words. But God will not allow these false teachers to go unpunished.

2 Peter 2:4-11 illustrates God’s certain judgment through past examples. The damnation of fallen angels, the Flood, and Sodom and Gomorrah demonstrate that if God’s justice happened then, it will happen to these false teachers. In contrast to God’s judgment, Peter also shows how God rescues righteous people from judgment. He rescued Noah and his family from the flood, and He rescued Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Peter continues his warning about false teachers—how selfish, reckless, and arrogant they are. They will be punished.

2 Peter 2:12-13 elaborates on the future deserved punishment of the false teachers. These teachers are like irrational animals acting only on their instincts to sin, which leads to slavery and destruction. They will reap what they sow with their sin.

2 Peter 2:13-16 continues to describe the immoral character of the false teachers. They are so self—indulgent they enjoy deceiving and seducing vulnerable married women even during the day. Their souls are so stained and blemished by their continual sin that they are called ‘accursed children.’ Their hearts are so enslaved by greed, they followed the way of Balaam, who made money advising enemies of the Jews to commit immorality with Moabite women. But like Balaam, they will not escape God’s punishment.

2 Peter 2:17-19 encourages Peter’s readers in three ways. First, he shows that the result of these immoral teachers’ sin is a meaningless existence on earth and a loss of reward in the next life. Second, he shows that even though their sensual methods and messages are attractive, there are some in the church who will escape their influence. Third, he shows that these false teachers who promise freedom are themselves enslaved by their own sensual desires.

2 Peter 2:20-22 now turns to describe the victims of these false teachers. The victims were believers who once enjoyed a deeper, fuller knowledge of God, but after falling into the immorality that the false teachers were promoting, they have now found themselves slaves to sin. Peter warns them that the moral state of the believer who becomes enslaved to the sin of immorality is worse than the moral state of the believer enjoying a deep rich fellowship with God. Peter even says it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and turn away from the commandment given to them to be holy. Their behavior would be like dogs eating what they have vomited, or clean pigs then rolling in the mud.