Old Testament

New Testament

Kefa 2 2:9-22 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

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,

13. Suffering harm as onesh (penalty) for harm done. They actually think there is ta'anug (pleasure) in reveling in broad daylight. They are mumim (defects) and spots reveling in their ta'nugot (evil pleasures) even while they sit at seudot (banquet dinners) with you.

14. Having eyes full of ni'uf (adultery), ceaselessly committing averos (sins), enticing unstable nefashot (souls), having levavot trained in chomed (covetous) greed--banim mekulalim (accursed children)!

15. Forsaking the Derech HaYashar (Straight Way), they went astray, having followed the Derech HaBil'am Ben B'or, who loved the sachar haresha (reward of unrighteousness).

16. But he had tochachah (reproof) for his own peysha (transgression): a dumb chamor (donkey), having spoken in a man's voice, hindered the madness of the meshuga navi.

17. These men are mikva'ot without mayim and mists being driven by storms, for whom has been reserved the gloom of choshech (darkness).

18. Using high sounding words of hevel, they entice, with licentious ta'avot of the basar, the ones barely escaped from those living in toyus (error) and delusion.

19. They offer them the havtachah (promise) of cherut (freedom), but they themselves are avadim (slaves) of shachat (corruption), for whatever defeats a man also enslaves him.

20. For if, having escaped the tumot (defilements) of Olam Hazeh by da'as of Adoneinu and Moshieinu Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, they are again entangled in these, then their last state is worse for them than their first.

21. For better it was for them not to have da'as of the Derech HaTzidkanut (the Way of Righteousness) than, having known it, to turn away from the mitzvah hakedosha handed down to them.

22. The word of the true mashal (proverb) has overtaken them: KECHELEV SHAV AL KE'O ("As a dog having returned to its own vomit"), and a "chazir (swine) is washed only to wallow in the mud" (MISHLE 26:11).

Read complete chapter Kefa 2 2