1. But there were also nevi'ei sheker (false prophets) among Am Yisroel just as also there will be morei sheker among you. These false teachers will secretly bring in heretical doctrines of koferim baikkarim (deniers of fundamentals), producing machshelah (ruin), as these heretics even become meshummad, denying the Ribbono Shel Olam who redeemed them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2. And many will follow them in walking in darchei zimah (the ways of licentiousness), and because of them the Derech HaEmes will be libeled with lashon hora.
3. And in their chomed (covetous) greed, they will exploit you with deceptive words. For them the Mishpat (Judgment) of old is not drei (idle) and their churban (ruin) does not slumber.
4. For if Hashem did not spare malachim that sinned, but cast them into Gehinnom, consigning them to the sharsherot (chains) of choshech to be kept for Mishpat;
5. And if Hashem, when he brought a mabbul (flood) upon the world of resha'im (evildoers), did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noach, the eighth of the nefashot [in the Teva (Ark)] and a maggid of Tzidkanut (Righteousness);
6. And if Hashem judged the cities of S'dom and Amora, reducing them to ashes by a churban catastrophe, making them a mofet (an example) for the ones intending to be resha'im;
7. And if Hashem delivered Lot, a tzaddik distressed by the hitnahagut (conduct) of the mufkarim (lawless 2:8,10; 3:17) walking in darchei zimah (the ways of licentiousness)
8. For that tzaddik, living among them day after day, was tortured in his nefesh hayesharah (honest soul) by the darchei mufkarim (the ways of lawless ones) that he saw and heard
9. Then Hashem knows how to rescue the chasidim from trial and how to preserve the anshei resha (men of wickedness) for punishment for the Yom HaDin,
10. Especially the ones going after the basar (flesh) in ta'avah (lust) producing tum'a (defilement) and the ones despising kol samchut (Mt 28:18). Bold and selfwilled, these have no yirat Shomayim and therefore commit Chillul Hashem as they slander the glorious ones,
11. Whereas malachim, being greater b'oz and koach (in strength and power), al kol panim (nevertheless) do not bring against them a slanderous judgment before Hashem.
12. But these men, like irrational beasts born b'derech hatevah (naturally) to be caught and killed, commit Chillul Hashem in matters where they lack da'as. In the destruction of [the beasts], they also will be destroyed,