They are worse off now (2 Pet 2:20)

“If after they have escaped

The pollution

Of the world

Through the knowledge

Of our Lord

And Savior

Jesus Christ,

They are again entangled

And overpowered

By them.

Their last state

Has become worse

For them

Than the first.”

εἰ γὰρ ἀποφυγόντες τὰ μιάσματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τούτοις δὲ πάλιν ἐμπλακέντες ἡττῶνται, γέγονεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων.

This author said, “If after (εἰ γὰρ) they have escaped (ἀποφυγόντες) the pollution (τὰ μιάσματα) of the world (τοῦ κόσμου) through the knowledge (ἐν ἐπιγνώσει) of our Lord (τοῦ Κυρίου) and Savior (καὶ Σωτῆρος) Jesus Christ (Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ), they are again (δὲ πάλιν) entangled (ἐμπλακέντες) and overpowered (ἡττῶνται) in them (τούτοις).  Their last state (τὰ ἔσχατα) has become (γέγονεν) worse (χείρονα) for them (αὐτοῖς) than the first (τῶν πρώτων).”  Among the canonical Greek New Testament writings, this is the only time that this word appears in 2 Peter, the word ἀποφυγόντες, that means to flee from or escape, and the word μιάσματα, that means a stain, defilement, or pollution.  Now this author turned to those evil unrighteous ones who had actually followed Jesus Christ but then returned to their old evil ways.  They had escaped from the many stains and defilements of this polluted world through the knowledge that they got from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  However, they were again entangled and overpowered by the evil wicked ones.  They returned to their evil sensual ways.  The conclusion was that they were now worse off than when they first joined this Christian community.  Are you worse off today than you were ten years ago?