2 Peter 2:11

2 Peter 2:11

Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

a. NLT: But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord[fn] a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Whereas angels, though greater in might and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Whereas messengers, in strength and power being greater, do not bear against them before the Lord an evil speaking judgment; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: Whereas [even] angels, though superior in might and power, do not bring a defaming charge against them before the Lord. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might…”

a. Whereas [Strong: 3699. hopou hop'-oo from 3739 and 4225; what(-ever) where, i.e. at whichever spot:--in what place, where(-as, -soever), whither (+ soever).]

b. angels [Strong: 32. aggelos ang'-el-os from aggello (probably derived from 71; compare 34) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor:--angel, messenger.]

c. which are [Strong: 32. aggelos ang'-el-os from aggello (probably derived from 71; compare 34) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor:--angel, messenger.]

d. greater [Strong: 3187. meizon mide'-zone irregular comparative of 3173; larger (literally or figuratively, specially, in age):--elder, greater(-est), more.] [Thayer: greater, larger, elder, stronger.]

e. [in] power [Strong: 2479. ischus is-khoos' from a derivative of is (force; compare eschon, a form of 2192); forcefulness (literally or figuratively):--ability, might(-ily), power, strength.] [Thayer: ability, force, strength, might.]

f. and [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

g. might [Strong: 1411. dunamis doo'-nam-is from 1410; force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself):--ability, abundance, meaning, might(-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle(-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.] [Thayer: strength power, ability, inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth, power for performing miracles, moral power and excellence of soul, the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth, power and resources arising from numbers, power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts.]

1). Although this English word “might” is the same Greek word used in Acts 1:8 where Jesus, speaking to the disciples said, “But ye shall receive “power”, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…” does not mean that angels have more power than the church. For this same Greek word is used in Ephesians 1, when Paul was describing the power and authority given to the church at Christ Jesus resurrection.

a). Ephesians 1:19-21 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

2). The greater context of the people to who Peter is referring to must be also be included here, that is the inhabitants of Sodom who were railing at Lot for accusing them of behaving so wickedly. 2 Peter 2:12 I think establishes that the individuals Peter is referring to are not born again but only natural brute beasts.

2. “…bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.”

a. bring [Strong: 5342. phero fer'-o a primary verb -- for which other, and apparently not cognate ones are used in certain tenses only; namely, oio oy'-o; and enegko en-eng'-ko to "bear" or carry (in a very wide application, literally and figuratively, as follows):--be, bear, bring (forth), carry, come, + let her drive, be driven, endure, go on, lay, lead, move, reach, rushing, uphold.]

b. not [Strong: 3756. ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

c. railing [Strong: 989. blasphemos blas'-fay-mos from a derivative of 984 and 5345; scurrilious, i.e. calumnious (against men), or (specially) impious (against God):--blasphemer(-mous), railing.] [Thayer: speaking evil, slanderous, reproachful, railing, abusive.]

d. accusation [Strong: 2920. krisis kree'-sis decision (subjectively or objectively, for or against); by extension, a tribunal; by implication, justice (especially, divine law):--accusation, condemnation, damnation, judgment.] [Thayer: a separating, sundering, separation, a trial, contest, selection, judgment, opinion or decision given concerning anything, esp. concerning justice and injustice, right or wrong, sentence of condemnation, damnatory judgment, condemnation and punishment, the college of judges (a tribunal of seven men in the several cities of Palestine; as distinguished from the Sanhedrin, which had its seat at Jerusalem), right, justice.]

e. against [Strong: 2596. kata kat-ah' a primary particle; (prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined):--about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) X alone, among, and, X apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to touching), X aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, (charita-)bly, concerning, + covered, (dai-)ly, down, every, (+ far more) exceeding, X more excellent, for, from ... to, godly, in(-asmuch, divers, every, -to, respect of), ... by, after the manner of, + by any means, beyond (out of) measure, X mightily, more, X natural, of (up-)on (X part), out (of every), over against, (+ your) X own, + particularly, so, through(-oughout, -oughout every), thus, (un-)to(-gether, -ward), X uttermost, where(-by), with. In composition it retains many of these applications, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution, or intensity.]

f. them [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

g. before [Strong: 3844. para par-ah' a primary preposition; properly, near; i.e. (with genitive case) from beside (literally or figuratively), (with dative case) at (or in) the vicinity of (objectively or subjectively), (with accusative case) to the proximity with (local (especially beyond or opposed to) or causal (on account of):--above, against, among, at, before, by, contrary to, X friend, from, + give (such things as they), + that (she) had, X his, in, more than, nigh unto, (out) of, past, save, side...by, in the sight of, than, (there-)fore, with. In compounds it retains the same variety of application.]

h. [the] Lord [Strong: 2962. kurios koo'-ree-os from kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title):-- God, Lord, master, Sir.

1). Adam Clark’s Commentary: This is a difficult verse, but the meaning seems to be this: The holy angels, who are represented as bringing an account of the actions of the fallen angels before the Lord in judgment, simply state the facts without exaggeration, and without permitting anything of a bitter, reviling, or railing spirit, to enter into their accusations.

2). Albert Barnes NT Commentary: “The object, by the reference to angels here, is to show that they, even when manifesting the greatest zeal in a righteous cause, and even when opposing others, did not make use of reproachful terms, or of harsh and violent language. It is not known precisely to what Peter alludes here, nor on what the statement here is based. There can be little doubt, however, as Benson has remarked, that, from the strong resemblance between what Peter says and what Jude says, (Jude 1:9,10,) there is allusion to the same thing, and probably both referred to some common tradition among the Jews respecting the contention of the archangel Michael with the devil about the body of Moses. See Barnes for Jude 1:9. As the statement in Jude is the most full, it is proper to explain the passage before us by a reference to that; and we may suppose that, though Peter uses the plural term, and speaks of angels, yet that he really had the case of Michael in his eye, and meant to refer to that as an example of what the angels do.”

3). I have more notes on this in my notes on Jude 9, 10.