2 Peter 2:17,2 Peter 2:20-22

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Peter 2:10-22

The apostle's design being to warn us of, and arm us against, seducers, he now returns to discourse more particularly of them, and give us an account of their character and conduct, which abundantly justifies the righteous Judge of the world in reserving them in an especial manner for the most severe and heavy doom, as Cain is taken under special protection that he might be kept for uncommon vengeance. But why will God thus deal with these false teachers? This he shows in what follows. I.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 Peter 2:17-22

2:17-22 These people are waterless springs, mists driven by a squall of wind; and the gloom of darkness is reserved for them. With talk at once arrogant and futile, they ensnare by appeals to shameless, sensual passions those who are only just escaping from the company of those who live in error. promising them freedom, while they themselves are the slaves of moral corruption; for a man is in a state of slavery to that which has reduced him to helplessness. If they have escaped the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Peter 2:17

These are wells without water ,.... Which look large and deep, promise much, and have nothing in them; so these men looked like angels of light, transformed themselves as ministers of righteousness, had a form of godliness, and boasted of their great knowledge; promised great advantages to their followers, but were like deceitful brooks, or dry wells, and so disappointed those that came to them, and attended on them; having nothing but the filth and slime of error and iniquity, being... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 2:17

These are wells without water - Persons who, by their profession, should furnish the water of life to souls athirst for salvation; but they have not this water; they are teachers without ability to instruct; they are sowers, and have no seed in their basket. Nothing is more cheering in the deserts of the east than to meet with a well of water; and nothing more distressing, when parched with thirst, than to meet with a well that contains no water. Clouds that are carried with a tempest - ... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 2:17

Verse 17 17.These are wells, or fountains, without water. He shews by these two metaphors, that they had nothing within, though they made a great display. A fountain, by its appearance, draws men to itself, because it promises them water to drink, and for other purposes; as soon as clouds appear, they give hope of immediate rain to irrigate the earth. He then says that they were like fountains, because they excelled in boasting, and displayed some acuteness in their thoughts and elegance in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Peter 2:17

These are wells without water. St. Peter has spoken of the vices of the false teachers; he goes on to describe the unprofitableness of their teaching. They are like wells without water; they deceive men with a promise which they do not fulfill. In Jud 2 Peter 1:12 there is a slight difference—"clouds without water" (comp. Jeremiah 2:13 ). Clouds that are carried with a tempest; better, mists driven by a tempest. The best manuscripts have ὁμίχλαι , mists, instead of νεφέλαι ,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Peter 2:17

These are wells without water - Jude 1:12-13 employs several other epithets to describe the same class of persons. The language employed both by Peter and Jude is singularly terse, pointed, and emphatic. Nothing to an oriental mind would be more expressive than to say of professed religious teachers, that they were “wells without water.” It was always a sad disappointment to a traveler in the hot sands of the desert to come to a well where it was expected that water might be found, and to find... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Peter 2:17

2 Peter 2:17. These are wells without water, &c. Pretenders to knowledge and piety, but really destitute thereof; clouds Promising fertilizing showers of instructive and edifying doctrine, but yielding none; carried with a tempest Driven by the violence of their own lusts from one error and vice to another; to whom the mist Ο ζοφος , the blackness; of darkness is reserved for ever Eternal darkness. Frequently in Scripture the word darkness signifies a state of disconsolate... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Peter 2:11-22

Character of the false teachers (2:10b-22)Being arrogant and self-assertive, the false teachers show no respect for anyone. They even insult angels, who hold a higher position than humans in the order of created beings. By contrast, the angels have such reverence for God that they dare not use insulting language in his presence, even against those who deserve condemnation (10b-11).The false teachers use neither their reasoning nor their willpower to control themselves. Like animals they simply... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 2 Peter 2:17

wells . Greek. pege . Always translated "fountain", except here and John 4:6 , John 4:14 . without water . Greek. anudros. Only here; Matthew 12:43 (dry). Luke 11:24 (dry), and Jude 1:12 . clouds . The texts read "mists" (Greek. homichle. Only here) carried = driven. tempest . Greek. lailaps. Here and Mark 4:37 . Luke 8:23 . mist . Same as "darkness", 2 Peter 2:4 . for ever . App-151 . a. But the texts omit. read more

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