“But false prophets
Also arose
Among the people.
Just as there will be
False teachers
Among you.
They will secretly
Bring in
Destructive heretical opinions.
They will even deny
The Master
Who bought them.
They will bring
Swift destruction
On themselves.”
Ἐγένοντο δὲ καὶ ψευδοπροφῆται ἐν τῷ λαῷ, ὡς καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν ἔσονται ψευδοδιδάσκαλοι, οἵτινες παρεισάξουσιν αἱρέσεις ἀπωλείας, καὶ τὸν ἀγοράσαντα αὐτοὺς δεσπότην ἀρνούμενοι, ἐπάγοντες ἑαυτοῖς ταχινὴν ἀπώλειαν·
This author said, “But false prophets also (δὲ καὶ ψευδοπροφῆται) arose (Ἐγένοντο) among the people (ἐν τῷ λαῷ). Just as (ὡς καὶ) there will be (ἔσονται) false teachers (ψευδοδιδάσκαλοι) among you (ἐν ὑμῖν). They (οἵτινες) will secretly bring in (παρεισάξουσιν) destructive heretical opinions (αἱρέσεις ἀπωλείας). They will even deny (ἀρνούμενοι) the Master (δεσπότην) who bought them (καὶ τὸν ἀγοράσαντα αὐτοὺς). They will bring (ἐπάγοντες) swift (ταχινὴν) destruction (ἀπώλειαν) on themselves (ἑαυτοῖς).” Among the canonical Greek New Testament writings, these three words only appeared in 2 Peter, ψευδοδιδάσκαλοι, a false teacher or teacher of false things, and the word, παρεισάξουσιν, that means to introduce or to bring in secretly, as well as the word ταχινὴν, that means swift, quick, or impending. This author warned his readers that there had been false prophets among the Israelites. Thus, today, there would be false teachers among the Christian believers who would secretly bring in destructive heretical opinions, ones that were different from the orthodox views about Jesus Christ. In some cases, they might even deny that Jesus Christ, the Master who had bought them with his sacrifice on the cross. However, they did not have to worry. These trouble makers, with their different personal opinions would suffer a swift destruction. There was no indication of what kind of destruction they would suffer. Do you believe that there are destructive heretical views about Jesus Christ today?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 