2 Peter 2:13-15
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Notice how the verse calls their suffering "the wage for their wrongdoing." This isn't about getting what they deserve from God; it's the natural, inevitable consequence of their own wicked choices catching up to them. Even in their supposed "pleasure" and feasting, they're earning their own destruction.
suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,
English Standard Version (ESV)
These false teachers are described as destructive individuals who, while claiming spiritual insight, are actually consumed by their own sinful desires. They mock and deceive believers, even participating in communal meals with them in a way that brings shame and division. Peter warns that their ultimate fate will be the destruction they deserve for their corrupt actions and haughty pride.
The Bible doesn't pull punches when it talks about the consequences of sin. This verse reveals a stark reality about what false teachers truly earn.
Peter uses a powerful metaphor here: 'suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing.' This isn't about them getting what they deserve in a positive sense. Instead, it's about the inevitable, destructive outcome of their actions. Their pursuit of sin, their 'wrongdoing,' ultimately leads to suffering, even if they try to disguise it as pleasure. They are essentially being paid in their own coin – ruin and deception.
Why would anyone actively choose a path that leads to suffering? This verse explains the deceptive allure of sin, especially for those who lead others astray.
Peter describes these false teachers as 'blots and blemishes,' implying they are defiling the community. Yet, they are so caught up in their own deception that they 'count it pleasure to revel in the daytime.' This shows a profound blindness. They aren't just engaging in hidden sins; they are openly indulging, finding joy in their deceit and revelry, even while being a corrupting influence within the church ('while they feast with you'). Their pleasure is fleeting and ultimately destructive, blinding them to the true cost.
Understand the original words
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adikian · Greek Noun
Moral failure, wickedness, or the transgression of God’s law. It represents the inherent quality of being unrighteous and the active violation of divine standards.
spiloi kai mōmoi · Greek Noun
A stain, flaw, or moral defect that mars the purity of a person or community. Biblically, it suggests one who corrupts the purity of the church through sinful living.
moichalidos · Greek Noun
A deliberate act of sexual unfaithfulness, either literal or figurative (as in spiritual infidelity or idolatry). It represents the pursuit of fleshly desires outside of God’s ordained boundaries.
pleonexiais · Greek Noun
The sinful longing to possess more, characterized by an unrestrained, selfish desire for material or worldly gain. It is often described in Scripture as a form of idolatry.
kataras · Greek Adjective
Under the judgment of God; excluded from the grace and fellowship of the community of God due to persistent rebellion. It marks one as a recipient of divine wrath.
kataleipontes · Greek Verb
Abandoning the true path, doctrine, or relationship with God. It implies an active turning away from a position once held or a truth once known.
eutheian · Greek Adjective/Noun
The righteous, straight path of God’s commands and truth. To turn aside from this is to deviate into error, sin, or idolatry.
Balaam · Greek Proper Noun
A historical figure (Numbers 22-24) known for his greed and willingness to compromise God's people for financial reward. He is the archetype of a false teacher who uses spiritual influence for personal gain.
This passage describes similar false teachers, highlighting their arrogant ignorance and destructive nature, just like the 'blots and blemishes' in 2 Peter.
Proverbs 14:12This proverb warns that 'there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death,' paralleling how the wicked in 2 Peter deceive themselves and others into thinking their revelry is harmless pleasure.
1 Corinthians 11:21Paul rebukes believers for their disorderly feasts where some are hungry while others get drunk, echoing the theme of selfish indulgence and debauchery within a community context found in 2 Peter.
Philippians 3:19This verse speaks of those whose 'end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things,' which strongly resonates with the self-serving, pleasure-driven nature of the deceivers in 2 Peter.
Notice how the verse calls their suffering "the wage for their wrongdoing." This isn't about getting what they deserve from God; it's the natural, inevitable consequence of their own wicked choices catching up to them. Even in their supposed "pleasure" and feasting, they're earning their own destruction.
These false teachers are described as destructive individuals who, while claiming spiritual insight, are actually consumed by their own sinful desires. They mock and deceive believers, even participating in communal meals with them in a way that brings shame and division. Peter warns that their ultimate fate will be the destruction they deserve for their corrupt actions and haughty pride.
These false teachers are described as destructive individuals who, while claiming spiritual insight, are actually consumed by their own sinful desires. They mock and deceive believers, even participating in communal meals with them in a way that brings shame and division. Peter warns that their ultimate fate will be the destruction they deserve for their corrupt actions and haughty pride.
"suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. T…" — Notice how the verse calls their suffering "the wage for their wrongdoing." This isn't about getting what they deserve from God; it's the natural, inevitable consequence of their own wicked choices c…
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Last reviewed October 2026
