They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!
English Standard Version (ESV)
Notice how Peter doesn't just say they look at things lustfully, but their eyes are "full of adultery," suggesting a deep-seated perversion that colors their entire perception. This isn't just a passing temptation, but a trained, habitual state where greed has shaped their very hearts, making them "accursed."
They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter is exposing and warning against false teachers who have infiltrated the church, distorting the truth for their own gain. He describes their corrupt inner lives and the deceptive way they lead vulnerable believers astray, contrasting them with those who truly follow Christ. This passage is a stark prophetic warning about the dangers of ungodliness and its seductive influence within the community of faith.
False teachers have a powerful, dangerous gaze that draws others into their sin. What does it mean for their eyes to be 'full of adultery' and 'insatiable for sin'?
Peter doesn't just mean lustful glances. He's talking about a deep-seated craving that dominates their entire perspective.
A Gaze Controlled by Desire
Their eyes are not fixed on God or His truth, but on the illicit, the forbidden, and the satisfying of their own desires. This insatiable appetite means they are never content with what is pure or righteous.
The Power of Enticement
This constant craving fuels their ability to 'entice unsteady souls.' Their own disordered desires give them a warped insight into the weaknesses of others, which they exploit to pull them into their own spiral of sin.
Beyond their wandering eyes, Peter points to the core of their being: a heart meticulously trained in greed. What does this 'training' reveal about their spiritual condition?
The phrase 'hearts trained in greed' is powerful. It suggests a deliberate, ongoing process of hardening and shaping their inner selves.
A Deliberate Shaping
Greed isn't just a passing temptation; for these false teachers, it's a discipline. They have actively worked to make greed their default setting, prioritizing personal gain and material wealth above all else.
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The Root of Corruption
This trained greed corrupts their teaching and their motives. They see people not as souls to be shepherded but as resources to be exploited for their own selfish ends. Their 'training' makes them effective manipulators because their desire for gain is so deeply ingrained.
Peter's condemnation culminates in a startling declaration: 'Accursed children!' Why such a severe judgment, and what does it mean for those who follow such paths?
This final phrase is a solemn judgment, echoing the curses pronounced in the Old Testament against those who rebel against God.
A Chosen Rejection
Calling them 'accursed children' signifies that they are not merely lost but have actively chosen a path that leads to condemnation. They are children in the sense of belonging to a lineage of rebellion, set apart for judgment.
A Warning to Followers
This isn't just a label for the teachers themselves; it's a profound warning to those who are being enticed. It underscores the spiritual danger of following those whose hearts and eyes are set on sin and greed. Association with such teachers puts one on a path that incurs God's curse.
The Finality of Judgment
Peter uses this stark language to emphasize the gravity of their sin and the reality of divine judgment. These are not minor deviations but fundamental departures from God, leading to a state of being cursed.
Understand the original words
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.
This verse describes leaders who are greedy and profit unjustly, paralleling the 'hearts trained in greed' and deceitful nature mentioned in 2 Peter.
Matthew 13:22Jesus' parable of the sower highlights the 'worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth' choking the word, echoing the theme of souls being enticed away by worldly desires and greed.
Ephesians 5:5-6This passage directly warns against sexual immorality and greed, calling such people 'children of disobedience' and emphasizing that 'no one will deceive you with empty words,' similar to the enticement described in 2 Peter.
Proverbs 28:25This proverb states that whoever is greedy stirs up strife, showing the disruptive and harmful nature of unchecked greed, which is a core characteristic of the false teachers in 2 Peter.
Notice how Peter doesn't just say they look at things lustfully, but their eyes are "full of adultery," suggesting a deep-seated perversion that colors their entire perception. This isn't just a passing temptation, but a trained, habitual state where greed has shaped their very hearts, making them "accursed."
Peter is exposing and warning against false teachers who have infiltrated the church, distorting the truth for their own gain. He describes their corrupt inner lives and the deceptive way they lead vulnerable believers astray, contrasting them with those who truly follow Christ. This passage is a stark prophetic warning about the dangers of ungodliness and its seductive influence within the community of faith.
Peter is exposing and warning against false teachers who have infiltrated the church, distorting the truth for their own gain. He describes their corrupt inner lives and the deceptive way they lead vulnerable believers astray, contrasting them with those who truly follow Christ. This passage is a stark prophetic warning about the dangers of ungodliness and its seductive influence within the community of faith.
"They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!" — Notice how Peter doesn't just say they look at things lustfully, but their eyes are "full of adultery," suggesting a deep-seated perversion that colors their entire perception. This isn't just a…
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Last reviewed October 2026