2 Peter 2:14 kjv

Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

2 Peter 2:14 nkjv

having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.

2 Peter 2:14 niv

With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed?an accursed brood!

2 Peter 2:14 esv

They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!

2 Peter 2:14 nlt

They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God's curse.

2 Peter 2 verses

2 Peter 2 14 Meaning

The verse 2 Peter 2:14 describes false teachers, emphasizing their profound moral corruption and destructive influence. Their "eyes full of adultery" signifies an unbridled lust and spiritual infidelity, ceaselessly pursuing sin. Their "insatiable appetite for sin" highlights an unending compulsion towards wickedness, while their act of "seducing the unstable" reveals their predatory nature, preying on those weak in faith. Their "hearts trained in greed" points to a disciplined pursuit of material gain and covetousness, signifying an internal spiritual perversion. Consequently, they are termed an "accursed brood," marking them as destined for divine judgment due to their ingrained depravity.

2 Peter 2 14 Context

This verse is embedded in 2 Peter chapter 2, which serves as a powerful warning against false teachers who infiltrate the church. Peter highlights their destructive nature, immoral character, and inevitable judgment, contrasting them sharply with the faithful who endure persecution. The chapter frequently draws parallels with Old Testament judgments (e.g., the flood in Noah's time, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Balaam's covetousness) to underscore the certainty of God's righteous wrath against wickedness, especially those who distort the gospel for personal gain. Verse 14 specifically zeroes in on the depraved characteristics that mark these false teachers, elaborating on the "corrupt desires" mentioned earlier (v. 10). Historically, this passage likely addresses antinomian or Gnostic-leaning influences within the early church, where claims of "freedom" or superior knowledge led to moral license and exploitation, directly opposing apostolic teaching on purity and truth.

2 Peter 2 14 Word analysis

• They have eyes (ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες, ophthalmous echontes): Not just possessing eyes, but their eyes are a defining characteristic, revealing their inner state and actively involved in their sinful practices.
• full of adultery (μεστοὺς μοιχαλίδος, mestous moichalidos): "Full" (mestous) means entirely permeated, overflowing, completely given over. "Adultery" (moichalidos) refers explicitly to the act or state of an adulteress. This goes beyond mere physical lust; it signifies spiritual adultery – a complete disloyalty to God and an insatiable desire for forbidden things, spiritual infidelity as described in Jas 4:4 and Jer 5:7-8. It highlights their morally corrupt vision, indicating a lifestyle saturated with illicit desires.
• an insatiable appetite for sin (ἀκαταπαύστους ἁμαρτίας, akatapaustous hamartias): "Insatiable appetite" is derived from akatapaustous, meaning "unable to cease," "restless," "incessant." They cannot stop sinning; their compulsion for wickedness is unending and unrestrained. This points to a deeper spiritual malady, where sin is not merely an occasional failing but an unstoppable, pervasive force in their lives, defining their very being and behavior.
• they seduce (δελεάζοντες, deleazontes): This word means "to lure," "to bait," or "to entrap," often used metaphorically for a fisherman using bait. It describes their cunning and deceptive method of enticing vulnerable individuals, actively luring them into error and sin by appealing to their fleshly desires and weaknesses, mirroring the devil's temptation.
• the unstable (ψυχὰς ἀστηρίκτους, psychas astēriktous): "Unstable" (astēriktous) means "unfixed," "unestablished," "unsteadfast," or "wavering." This refers to those who are immature in faith, not firmly grounded in doctrine, lacking spiritual discernment, and thus easily swayed by deceptive teachings and appeals to sensual desires. They are vulnerable souls, without firm spiritual foundation.
• they are experts in greed (καρδίαν γεγυμνασμένην πλεονεξίας, kardian gegymnasmenēn pleonexias): Literally, "having a heart trained in greed." "Trained" (gegymnasmenēn) comes from gymnazō, to exercise naked (like athletes in the gym). This signifies that their greed (pleonexias – grasping for more, covetousness, avarice, longing for what belongs to others) is not accidental but cultivated through constant practice, like a skill. They are highly proficient and deliberate in their covetousness, pursuing material gain with dedicated focus and strategic deception. This implies an organized and perfected form of avarice.
• an accursed brood! (κατάρας τέκνα, kataras tekna): Literally, "children of a curse." This strong idiom signifies that they are inherently associated with, embody, and are destined for a divine curse. They are not merely under a curse; they are products of a curse, identified with condemnation and judgment. This pronounces God's severe judgment upon them and labels them as a lineage or group appointed to condemnation. It serves as a final, definitive denouncement of their character and destiny.

2 Peter 2 14 Bonus section

This verse offers a chilling parallel to the spirit of the antichrist and warns against what often accompanies deceptive spiritual movements: an emphasis on "freedom" that ultimately devolves into slavery to sin, as also stated in 2 Pet 2:19. The specific imagery of "eyes" and "heart" underscores the totality of their corruption—it is both outward manifestation and inward motive. Their training in greed, contrasting with Christian spiritual disciplines, highlights an inverted asceticism where one meticulously cultivates vice rather than virtue. The use of "accursed brood" functions as a spiritual "birth certificate" not of divine parentage, but of utter separation from God and destination for wrath. This strong language likely reflects a polemical stance against libertinistic tendencies, possibly related to early Gnosticism or other forms of spiritual antinomianism, which posited that since salvation was by grace, moral behavior was inconsequential, thus leading to moral licentiousness. Peter asserts that true freedom in Christ never leads to such depravity.

2 Peter 2 14 Commentary

This verse profoundly exposes the inherent depravity of false teachers, presenting them not merely as doctrinal errorists but as morally bankrupt individuals whose corrupt character drives their deceptive practices. Their unbridled sensuality ("eyes full of adultery") indicates an obsessive preoccupation with illicit desires, both physical and spiritual. This lust transforms into an "insatiable appetite for sin," illustrating a compulsive and relentless pursuit of wickedness, rendering them spiritually addicted to transgression. They actively and cunningly "seduce the unstable," highlighting their predatory nature, deliberately targeting those who are spiritually weak, immature, or doctrinally ungrounded. The phrase "hearts trained in greed" offers a striking insight: their avarice is not incidental but a thoroughly cultivated discipline, perfected through diligent practice, indicating their deep-seated devotion to covetousness which serves as a driving force behind their exploitation. Ultimately, labeled as an "accursed brood," they stand under divine condemnation, confirming their status as enemies of righteousness destined for judgment. The passage is a stark warning for believers to discern character over charismatic claims, as true faith produces godliness, not spiritual license for self-indulgence and material gain.