2 Peter 2:16

2 Peter 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
• New International Version (NIV)But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

Context of 2 Peter 2:16

14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb donkey speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 18For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

2 Peter 2:16 word by word

ἔλεγξιν δὲ ἔσχεν ἰδίας παρανομίας· ὑποζύγιον ἄφωνον ἐν ἀνθρώπου φωνῇ φθεγξάμενον ἐκώλυσεν τὴν τοῦ προφήτου παραφρονίαν.Read the interlinear

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• wasἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• rebukedἔλεγξιςelegxis · rebukeG1649
• forπαρανομίαparanomia · lawlessnessG3892
• hisἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
• theὑποζύγιονhupozugion · donkeyG5268
• dumbἄφωνοςaphōnos · muteG880
• speakingφθέγγομαιphtheggomai · to speakG5350
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• man’sἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• forbadκωλύωkōluō · to preventG2967
• the madnessπαραφρονίαparaphronia · insanityG3913
• of the prophetπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396

Cross-references for 2 Peter 2:16

• Numbers 22:22And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of Yhwh stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
• Ecclesiastes 7:25I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
• Ecclesiastes 9:3This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
• Hosea 9:7The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
• Luke 16:11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
• Acts 26:11And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Commentaries on 2 Peter 2:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The dumb ass, speaking with man's voice - See the note on Numbers 22:28. The madness of the prophet - Is not this a reference to the speech of the ass, as represented in the Targums of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Jerusalem? "Wo to thee, Balaam, thou sinner, thou madman: there is no wisdom found in thee." These words contain nearly the same expressions as those in St. Peter.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16But was rebuked for his iniquity - The object of Peter in this seems to be to show that God employed the very extraordinary means of causing the ass on which he rode to speak, because his iniquity was so monstrous. The guilt of thus debasing his high office, and going forth to curse the people of God - a people who had done him no wrong, and given no occasion for his malediction - was so extraordinary, that means as extraordinary were proper to express…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-16Verses 10-16 Impure seducers and their abandoned followers, give themselves up to their own fleshly minds. Refusing to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ, they act against God's righteous precepts. They walk after the flesh, they go on in sinful courses, and increase to greater degrees of impurity and wickedness. They also despise those whom God has set in authority over them, and requires them to honour. Outward temporal good things are the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-16This description of the false teachers focuses more on how they were living than on what they were teaching.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. was rebuked--Greek, "had a rebuke," or conviction; an exposure of his specious wickedness on his being tested (the root verb of the Greek noun means to "convict on testing"). his--Greek, "his own": his own beast convicted him of his own iniquity. ass--literally, "beast of burden"; the ass was the ordinary animal used in riding in Palestine. dumb--Greek, "voiceless-speaking in man's voice"; marking the marvellous nature of the miracle…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Peter 2:16

• Anarchy
• Balaam
• Covetousness
• Doctrines
• Minister, Christian
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Balaam
• Chain
• Damnable
• Madness
• Nicolaitanes
• Perish
• Privily
• Railing
• Reserve
• Riot

Commentaries on 2 Peter 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings