Leading Well

^[1] But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves. ^[2] Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. ^[3] In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. ^[4] For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; ^[5] if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; ^[6] 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; ^[7] and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless ^[8] (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)- ^[9] if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. ^[10] This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.