2 Peter 2:15 “They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of…”

2 Peter 2:15

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

World English Bible

Forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;

American Standard Version

forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing;

Geneva Bible 1599

Which forsaking the right way, haue gone astray, folowing the way of Balaam, the sonne of Bosor, which loued the wages of vnrighteousnes.

Darby Translation

having left [the] straight way they have gone astray, having followed in the path of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved [the] reward of unrighteousness;

Young's Literal Translation

having forsaken a right way, they did go astray, having followed in the way of Balaam the [son] of Bosor, who a reward of unrighteousness did love,

Bible in Basic English

Turning out of the true way, they have gone wandering in error, after the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who was pleased to take payment for wrongdoing;

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Cross references

“forsaken”

Proverbs 28:4 Acts 13:10 1 Samuel 12:23 1 Kings 18:18 Ezekiel 9:10 Hosea 14:8

Proverbs 28:4 · BSB

Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.

Acts 13:10 · BSB

and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

1 Samuel 12:23 · BSB

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.

1 Kings 18:18 · BSB

“I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.

Ezekiel 9:10 · BSB

But as for Me, I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. I will bring their deeds down upon their own heads.”

Hosea 14:8 · BSB

O Ephraim, what have I to do anymore with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing cypress; your fruit comes from Me.

“Balaam”

Numbers 22:5–7

Numbers 22:5–7 · BSB

he sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next…

“son of Beor”

Revelation 2:14 Jude 1:11 Numbers 31:16 Micah 6:5 Numbers 22:18–21 Numbers 22:23

Revelation 2:14 · BSB

But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immo…

Jude 1:11 · BSB

Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Numbers 31:16 · BSB

“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.

Micah 6:5 · BSB

My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”

Numbers 22:18–21 · BSB

But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.

Numbers 22:23 · BSB

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.

“wages”

Acts 1:18

Acts 1:18 · BSB

(Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.

Also

Nehemiah 13:2 2 Peter 2:13

Nehemiah 13:2 · BSB

because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).

2 Peter 2:13 · BSB

The harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

14Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.

16But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

Read 2 Peter 2