2 Peter 2:6 kjv

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

2 Peter 2:6 nkjv

and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

2 Peter 2:6 niv

if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;

2 Peter 2:6 esv

if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;

2 Peter 2:6 nlt

Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people.

2 Peter 2 verses

2 Peter 2 6 Meaning

2 Peter 2:6 conveys a powerful message regarding God's divine judgment against persistent wickedness. It presents the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a stark, historical example of God's unreserved condemnation of severe ungodliness, demonstrating that such judgment is real, thorough, and serves as a lasting warning to all who might hereafter choose to live irreverent and godless lives. The verse underscores God's commitment to justice, particularly against those whose behavior actively spurns His moral order.

2 Peter 2 6 Context

2 Peter chapter 2 serves as a stark warning against false teachers who covertly infiltrate the church, spreading destructive heresies and immoral practices. Peter contrasts God's righteous judgment against these impious individuals with His simultaneous preservation of the godly. Verses 4 and 5 begin by recalling God's judgment on sinning angels and the antediluvian world (the Flood) while preserving Noah and his family. Verse 6 continues this historical precedent, emphasizing that just as God judged Sodom and Gomorrah with utter destruction, He will likewise judge future generations and specifically the false teachers who live similarly ungodly lives. The chapter underscores a consistent divine pattern: unrighteousness faces certain doom, while the righteous are delivered. This particular verse provides a visible, historical demonstration of the severe consequence of moral degradation and open rebellion against God, making the judgment of false teachers in the present all the more credible.

2 Peter 2 6 Word analysis

• and if he condemned (κατέκρινεν - katekrinen): This Greek verb implies a definitive act of judgment, a sentence pronounced. It signifies not just disapproval, but an active, judicial decision that results in destruction. It confirms God's agency in the events.

• the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah: These are two infamous cities in biblical history, notorious for their grave wickedness (Gen 18:20-21, 19:4-9). They represent the pinnacle of moral degradation and open defiance against God. Their destruction became a universal byword for divine wrath.

• to destruction (καταστροφῇ - katastrophē): The word signifies complete overthrow, ruin, or catastrophe. It indicates a total annihilation, not merely damage, reinforcing the finality of God's judgment.

• by reducing them to ashes (τεφρώσας - tephrōsas): This powerful Greek participle, from tephroo (to turn to ash), graphically describes the completeness and severity of the judgment. It points to a total consumption by fire, leaving nothing but remnants. This highlights the irreversibility of the divine act and provides visual evidence of divine judgment.

• making them an example (ὑπόδειγμα - hypodeigma): This is a critical word. It means a "pattern," "sample," "model," or "example for imitation or warning." In this context, it unequivocally functions as a warning. God did not merely destroy them; He did so for a purpose – to demonstrate His unwavering justice and the consequences of sin to future generations.

• to those who would thereafter (μελλόντων - mellontōn): This Greek term denotes those "who are about to" or "who would in the future." It explicitly extends the application of this historical event to all subsequent generations, particularly those living after Sodom's demise, making it timeless in its warning.

• live ungodly lives (ἀσεβέσιν - asebesin): From asebes, meaning impious, unholy, irreverent. This is a crucial description. While Sodom's sins were specific, the example is applied generally to ungodliness – a life characterized by disrespect for God, disregard for His laws, and a rejection of divine standards. This is the characteristic trait of the false teachers Peter condemns.

• Group of words analysis:

  • "condemned the cities... to destruction by reducing them to ashes": This phrase emphasizes the absolute certainty and totality of God's judgment. It was a complete, consuming, and irreversible destruction, leaving no trace but ash. This method underlines the severe and comprehensive nature of God's wrath against grave sin.
  • "making them an example to those who would thereafter live ungodly lives": This highlights the didactic (teaching) purpose of the judgment. Sodom and Gomorrah weren't just destroyed; they became a vivid, enduring object lesson. The specific target audience for this warning is those in any future generation who embrace lifestyles marked by ungodliness, a clear connection to the false teachers whom Peter addresses. It underscores that God's justice is not arbitrary but serves a warning for continued righteousness.

2 Peter 2 6 Bonus section

• The connection between the historical examples in 2 Pet 2:4-8 serves as an ironclad argument: God always judges the wicked, and He always preserves the righteous. Sodom and Gomorrah (with Lot's deliverance in mind for the subsequent verses) perfectly illustrate both aspects.
• The judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah by "fire and brimstone" (Gen 19:24) directly foreshadows the ultimate judgment by fire in Revelation and is explicitly mentioned as an example of "eternal fire" in Jude 7.
• The "ungodliness" referred to here is comprehensive. While often associated with sexual perversion (given Sodom's narrative in Gen 19), biblical context (like Ezek 16:49-50) broadens it to include pride, arrogance, self-sufficiency, idleness, and a failure to care for the poor and needy. False teachers in Peter's time were often guilty of many forms of such ungodliness, not just one specific sin.
• The destruction of these cities demonstrates God's sovereignty over creation and history. His word decreed it, and it happened, leaving a lasting geographical and theological monument to His justice.

2 Peter 2 6 Commentary

2 Peter 2:6 underscores the certainty and severity of God's judgment by presenting a universally recognized historical event: the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Peter uses this ancient cataclysm, following the judgment on angels and the antediluvian world, to establish a consistent pattern of divine action. The thoroughness of the destruction, reducing the cities "to ashes," visually and conceptually communicates the finality and totality of God's wrath when His moral order is flagrantly defied.

The critical insight from this verse is that this horrific event was not just a historical occurrence, but a deliberate "example" or "pattern." God intended for this judgment to serve as a perpetual warning, particularly to those who, like the inhabitants of Sodom and the false teachers Peter condemns, would lead lives characterized by ungodliness – a profound disregard for God and His standards. It's a reminder that while God is patient, His patience has a boundary, and those who exploit grace for license or promote godlessness will face inevitable consequences. The application for believers then, and now, is a call to vigilance against ungodliness in themselves and within their communities, taking heed of this timeless warning against moral depravity and apostasy.