Skip to content
mannafest.faith
Read

2 Peter 2:11

in 2 Peter 2

Yet not even angels, though greater in strength and power, dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before the Lord.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

whereas angels, though greater in might and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord.

KJV

Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

⋯

This verse in 2 Peter 2

Commentary

10 notes on this verse
Whereas angels - The object, by the reference to angels here, is to show that they, even when manifesting the greatest zeal in a righteous cause, and even when opposing others, did not make use of reproachful terms, or of harsh and violent language. It is not known precisely to what Peter alludes here, nor on what the statement here is based.

This site's exposition

Such punishment is specially reserved

on 2 Peter 2:10-11

The unrighteous despise authority, kyriotetos, and are bold, tolmetai, and self-willed, authadeis. They are unafraid to slander glorious beings, doxas, while angels, though greater in strength and power, hold back. Jude 9 shows the same restraint in Michael before the devil.

This site's exposition

angels

Angels, though stronger, hold back from slander before the Lord. Albert Barnes reads the verse as a rebuke to the teachers' harsh speech, and he grants that the event Peter has in mind is unknown. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown add that judgment belongs to God alone.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on 2 Peter · Written before 550.

proposed

The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, but to keep the unjust for the day of judgment, especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of pollution and despise authority: bold, brave, who do not fear to speak evil …

A commentator

Didymus the Blind

COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER · Written before 398.

proposed

The angels who dwell in holiness are stronger than human beings, even if it is true that we are more blessed than they are. Angels look after holy people who are helped by them, since human beings cannot offer consolation to angels.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on the Catholic Epistles · Written before 735.

proposed

Where angels, though greater in strength and power, do not bring a blasphemous judgment against themselves. When he says: Where, it signifies in that they despise dominion, that they are daring, that they are self-pleasing, that they create heresies, that is, sects, that they blaspheme. …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 2 Peter · Written before 1107.

proposed

Wishing to restrain them from such audacity, he says: whereas even angels, who surpass them in might and power, do not pronounce against them a reviling judgment before the Lord. The Apostle, as we have noted, says one and the same thing as the Apostle …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might,....
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Judgment belongs to God, not the angels. How great is the dignity of the saints who, as Christ's assessors, shall hereafter judge angels! Meanwhile, railing judgments, though spoken with truth, against dignities, as being uttered irreverently, are of the nature of "blasphemies" (Greek, 1Co 4:4, 5).

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Whereas angels, etc. - This is a difficult verse, but the meaning seems to be this: The holy angels, who are represented as bringing an account of the actions of the fallen angels before the Lord in judgment, simply state the facts without exaggeration, and without permitting any thing of a bitter, reviling, or railing spirit, to enter into their accusations. See Zec 3:1, and Jud 1:9; to the former of which St. Peter evidently alludes. But these persons, not only speak of the actions of men which they conceive to be wrong, but do it with untrue colourings, and the greatest malevolence. Michael, the archangel, treated a damned spirit with courtesy; he only said, The Lord rebuke thee, Satan! but these treat the rulers of God’s appointment with disrespect and calumny. Before the Lord - Παρα Κυριῳ is wanting in a number of MSS. and most of the versions.

The words behind it

15 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Jude 1:9But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”21 works2 Peter 2:4For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;6 works2 Thessalonians 1:7and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels3 worksDaniel 6:22My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.”2 worksPsalms 104:4He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants.2 worksPsalms 103:20Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.2 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
Isaiah 10:34He will clear the forest thickets with an axe, and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Psalms 103:20

    Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 1:14

      Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Psalms 148:2

      Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His heavenly hosts.

  • Through

    Jude 1:9

    But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

    it leads to

    • Zechariah 3:2

      And the LORD said to Satan: “The LORD rebukes you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you! Is not this man a firebrand snatched from the fire?”

    • Deuteronomy 34:6

      And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab facing Beth-peor, and no one to this day knows the location of his grave.

    • Revelation 12:7

      Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.

  • Through

    Daniel 6:22

    My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O…

    it leads to

    • 2 Timothy 4:17

      But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of…

    • Hebrews 11:33

      who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,

  • Through

    Psalms 104:4

    He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants.

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 1:7

      Now about the angels He says: “He makes His angels winds, His servants flames of fire.”

Where this verse is studied

About 2 Peter

The Transfiguration, Giovanni Bellini, about 1478 to 1479, Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte. Public domain.
The Transfiguration, Giovanni Bellini, about 1478 to 1479, Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte. Public domain.
2 Peter: the study guide →Read 2 Peter 2 →
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, Commentary on 2 Peter and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Peter.

Read on in 2 Peter 2 →