5. And he didn’t spare the ancient world when he brought a flood on the world of ungodly people, even though he protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, along with seven others.
6. God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to total destruction, reducing them to ashes as a warning to ungodly people.
7. And he rescued righteous Lot, who was made miserable by the unrestrained immorality of unruly people. (
8. While that righteous man lived among them he felt deep distress every day on account of the immoral actions he saw and heard.)
9. These things show that the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials, and how to keep the unrighteous for punishment on the Judgment Day.
10. This is especially true for those who follow after the corrupt cravings of the sinful nature and defy the Lord’s authority. These reckless, brash people aren’t afraid to insult the glorious ones,
11. yet angels, who are stronger and more powerful, don’t use insults when pronouncing the Lord’s judgment on them.
12. These false teachers are like irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They slander what they don’t understand and, like animals, they will be destroyed.
13. In this way, they will receive payment for their wrongdoing. They even enjoy unruly parties in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, taking delight in their seductive pleasures while feasting with you.