2 Peter 2:12

2 Peter 2:12

But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

a. NLT: These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed.  [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: But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed, [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And these, as irrational natural beasts, made to be caught and destroyed -- in what things they are ignorant of, speaking evil -- in their destruction shall be destroyed,[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: But these [people]! Like unreasoning beasts, mere creatures of instinct, born [only] to be captured and destroyed, railing at things of which they are ignorant, they shall utterly perish in their [own] corruption [in their destroying they shall surely be destroyed].  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “But these, as natural brute beasts…”

a. But [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. these [Strong: 3778. houtos hoo'-tos, including nominative masculine plural houtoi hoo'-toy, nominative feminine singular haute how'-tay, and nominative feminine plural hautai how'-tahee from the article 3588 and 846; the he (she or it), i.e. this or that (often with article repeated):--he (it was that), hereof, it, she, such as, the same, these, they, this (man, same, woman), which, who.]

c. as [Strong: 5613. hos hoce probably adverb of comparative from 3739; which how, i.e. in that manner (very variously used, as follows):--about, after (that), (according) as (it had been, it were), as soon (as), even as (like), for, how (greatly), like (as, unto), since, so (that), that, to wit, unto, when(-soever), while, X with all speed.]

d. natural [Strong: 5446. phusikos foo-see-kos' from 5449; "physical", i.e. (by implication) instinctive:--natural.] [Thayer: produced by nature, inborn, agreeable to nature, governed by (the instincts of) nature.]

e. brute [Strong: 249. alogos al'-og-os from 1 (as a negative particle) and 3056; irrational:--brute, unreasonable.] [alogos; a-without; logos-reason] [Zodhiates: unendowed with reason, irrational, brute.]

f. beasts [Strong: 2226. zoon dzo'-on neuter of a derivative of 2198; a live thing, i.e. an animal:--beast.] [Thayer:  a living being, an animal, brute, beast.]

1). Jude 10 says almost the same thing.

a). Jude 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

2). Adam Clark’s Commentary:  As those natural animals void of reason, following only the gross instinct of nature, being governed neither by reason nor religion.

3). Albert Barnes NT Commentary: These persons, who resemble so much irrational animals which are made to be taken and destroyed. The point of the comparison is, that they are like fierce and savage beasts that exercise no control over their appetites, and that seem to be made only to be destroyed. These persons, by their fierce and ungovernable passions, appear to be made only for destruction, and rush blindly on to it. The word rendered natural, (which, however, is wanting in several manuscripts,) means as they are by nature, following the bent of their natural appetites and passions. The idea is, that they exercised no more restraint over their passions than beasts do over their propensities.

4). Don Costello: To be honest I have not seen a false teacher exhibit such carnality. Some of the descriptions in these verses are no doubt being exhibited, but this particular verse has not. I don’t think we are there yet.  

2. “…made to be taken and destroyed…”

a. made [Strong: 1080. gennao ghen-nah'-o from a variation of 1085; to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively, to regenerate:--bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.] [Thayer: of men who fathered children, to be born, to be begotten, of women giving birth to children, metaphorically, to engender, cause to arise, excite, in a Jewish sense, of one who brings others over to his way of life, to convert someone.]

b. to be [Strong: 1519. eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

c. taken [Strong: 259. halosis hal'-o-sis from a collateral form of 138; capture, be taken.] [Thayer: a catching, capture, to be taken.]

d. 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.]

e. destroyed [Strong: 5356. phthora fthor-ah' from 5351; decay, i.e. ruin (spontaneous or inflicted, literally or figuratively):--corruption, destroy, perish.] [Thayer: corruption, destruction, perishing, that which is subject to corruption, what is perishable, in the Christian sense, eternal misery in hell, in the NT, in an ethical sense, corruption i.e. moral decay.]

3. “…speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption.”

a. speak evil [Strong: 987. blasphemeo blas-fay-meh'-o from 989; to vilify; specially, to speak impiously:--(speak) blaspheme(-er, -mously, -my), defame, rail on, revile, speak evil.] [Thayer: to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate, blaspheme, to be evil spoken of, reviled, railed at.]

b. of [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. [the things] that [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.

d. [they] understand not [Strong: 50. agnoeo ag-no-eh'-o from 1 (as a negative particle) and 3539; not to know (through lack of information or intelligence); by implication, to ignore (through disinclination):--(be) ignorant(-ly), not know, not understand, unknown.] [Thayer:  to be ignorant, not to know,  not to understand, unknown  to err or sin through mistake, to be wrong.]

1). No doubt one determining factor in their failure to understand was the probability they were not born again.

a). 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

b). They speak evil of the truth and those who follow the truth.

c. [and shall] utterly perish [Strong: 2704. katphtheiro kat-af-thi'-ro from 2596 and 5351; to spoil entirely, i.e. (literally) to destroy; or (figuratively) to deprave; --corrupt, utterly perish.] [Thayer: to corrupt, deprave, corrupted in mind, to destroy, to be destroyed, to perish.]

d. in [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

e. [their] own [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.] 

f. corruption [Strong: 5356. phthora fthor-ah' from 5351; decay, i.e. ruin (spontaneous or inflicted, literally or figuratively):--corruption, destroy, perish.] [Thayer: corruption, destruction, perishing, that which is subject to corruption, what is perishable, in the Christian sense, eternal misery in hell, in the NT, in an ethical sense, corruption i.e. moral decay.]

1). In the beginning of his letter, Peter wrote that the promises of God included the only way to escape the corruption he is referring to, in order to be delivered and free from it.

a). 2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

b). The refusal of these individuals to yield to the truth that would set them free results in that they will perish in that corruption.