King James Version

What Does 2 Peter 2:21 Mean?

“For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

Context

While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome , the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(21) **It had been better for them not to have known.**—There are many things of which the well-known lines. “’Tis better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all,” do not hold good. To have loved a great truth, to have loved a high principle, and after all to lose them, is what often causes the shipwreck of a life. To have loved Jesus Christ and lost Him is to make shipwreck of eternal life. **The way of righteousness.**—The life of the Christian. That which from a doctrinal point of view is “the way of truth” (2Peter 2:2), from a moral point of view is “the way of righteousness.” So also “the faith delivered to the saints” of Jude 1:3, is the doctrinal equivalent of “the holy commandment delivered unto them” of this verse.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 2 Peter. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

2 Peter 2:21 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.