2 Peter 2:15

2 Peter 2:15

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

a. NLT: They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor,[fn] who loved to earn money by doing wrong.  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: Forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing; [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Having forsaken a right way, they did go astray, having followed in the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who a reward of unrighteousness did love, [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: Forsaking the straight road they have gone astray; they have followed the way of Balaam [the son] of Beor, who loved the reward of wickedness. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray…”

a. [Which have] forsaken [Strong: 2641. kataleipo kat-al-i'-po from 2596 and 3007; to leave down, i.e. behind; by implication, to abandon, have remaining:--forsake, leave, reserve.] [Thayer: to leave behind, to depart from, leave, to be left, to bid (one) to remain, to forsake, leave to one's self a person or thing by ceasing to care for it, to abandon, leave in the lurch, to be abandoned, forsaken, to cause to be left over, to reserve, to leave remaining, like our "leave behind", it is used of one who on being called away cannot take another with him, especially of the dying (to leave behind), like our "leave", leave alone, disregard, of those who sail past a place without stopping.]

b.  the [Strong: 3588. [ten] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ten] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

c. right [Strong: 2117. euthus yoo-thoos' perhaps from 2095 and 5087; straight, i.e. (literally) level, or (figuratively) true; adverbially (of time) at once:--anon, by and by, forthwith, immediately, straightway.] [Thayer: straight, level, straight forward, upright, true, sincere, straightway, immediately.]

d. way [Strong: 3598. hodos hod-os' apparently a primary word; a road; by implication, a progress (the route, act or distance); figuratively, a mode or means:--journey, (high-)way.] [Thayer:  properly, a way, a travelled way, road, a travellers way, journey, travelling, metaphorically, a course of conduct, a way (i.e. manner) of thinking, feeling, deciding.]

d. [and are] gone astray [Strong: 4105. planao plan-ah'-o from 4106; to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue):--go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way.]  [Thayer: to cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way,  to go astray, wander, roam about, to lead away from the truth, to lead into error, to deceive, to be led aside from the path of virtue, to go astray, sin, to sever or fall away from the truth.]

1). The story of redemption is how man went astray and Jesus went seeking us and take the punishment for our sin upon himself.

a). Isaiah 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

b). Matthew 18:11-14 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

2). When we return to Him we return to our shepherd.

a). 1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

3). The corresponding verse in Jude is verse 11.

Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.

2. “…following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;”

a. following [Strong: 1811. exakoloutheo ex-ak-ol-oo-theh'-o from 1537 and 190; to follow out, i.e. (figuratively) to imitate, obey, yield to:--follow.]

b. the [Strong: 3588. [ten] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ten] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

c. way [Strong: 3598. hodos hod-os' apparently a primary word; a road; by implication, a progress (the route, act or distance); figuratively, a mode or means:--journey, (high-)way.]

d. [Strong: 3588. [tou] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

e. [of] Balaam [Strong: 903. Balaam bal-ah-am' of Hebrew origin (1109); Balaam, a Mesopotamian (symbolic of a false teacher):--Balaam.]

f. [Strong: 3588. [tou] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

g. [son of] Bosor [Strong: 1007. Bosor bos-or' of Hebrew origin (1160); Bosor (i.e. Beor), a Moabite:--Bosor.]

h. who [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.]

i. loved [Strong: 25. agapao ag-ap-ah'-o perhaps from agan (much) (or compare 5689); to love (in a social or moral sense):--(be-)love(-ed).] 

j. [the] wages [Strong: 3408. misthos mis-thos' apparently a primary word; pay for service (literally or figuratively), good or bad:--hire, reward, wages.]

k. [of] unrighteousness [Strong: 93. adikia ad-ee-kee'-ah from 94; (legal) injustice (properly, the quality, by implication, the act); morally, wrongfulness (of character, life or act):--iniquity, unjust, unrighteousness, wrong.]

1). These false teachers are committing the same sin as Balaam in that they run “greedily after the error of Balaam for reward.” Balaam was greedy for money, this is clearly seen in Balaam’s behavior. A closer look at Balaam’s sin will be examined in the next verse.

a). Numbers 22:15-22 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

22:17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

22:18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more.

22:20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

2). Gordon Lindsay writes in his Old Testament Series: “Although he spoke of not accepting Balak’s offer, even if he would, “give me his house full of silver and gold”, it actually was the silver and gold that Balaam was  after.

3). We are warned against the temptation to love money.

a). 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.