The Meaning of 2 Peter 2:12 Explained

2 Peter 2:12

KJV: But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

YLT: and these, as irrational natural beasts, made to be caught and destroyed -- in what things they are ignorant of, speaking evil -- in their destruction shall be destroyed,

Darby: But these, as natural animals without reason, made to be caught and destroyed, speaking injuriously in things they are ignorant of, shall also perish in their own corruption,

ASV: But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  these,  as  natural  brute  beasts,  made  to  be taken  and  destroyed,  speak evil  of  the things that  they understand not;  and shall utterly perish  in  their own  corruption; 

What does 2 Peter 2:12 Mean?

Study Notes

natural brute beasts
natural animals without reason. Judges 1:10 .

Verse Meaning

Rather than behaving as good angels do, the false teachers would act like animals. They would follow their lower instincts, their natural desires, instead of their reasons. Animals live mainly by instinct. Peter believed the false teachers deserved treatment similar to animals therefore. The last clause involves a play on words in Greek. The idea is that they will perish as beasts, like so much meat (cf. Judges 10). Peter did not mean they would escape eternal condemnation.
"As animals are trapped through their eagerness to satisfy their appetite, so self-indulgence betrays these men to their ruin." [1]

Context Summary

2 Peter 2:12-22 - The Dark Way Of Animalism
The description of these false teachers is terrific! They are slaves to their brute instincts. They are as abusive as they are ignorant. They destroy and will be destroyed. They feast daintily in the broad daylight, instead of leading abstemious and sober lives. With them, the very church feasts were occasions for self-indulgence. Their eyes never ceased from the sin against which the Lord warns us in Matthew 5:28. Balaam is an awful example of such, torn, as he was, between the celestial vision of his spirit and the sensual appetite of his soul.
The will of man, as in Balaam's case, is always poising itself between its knowledge of good and evil and its strong bias toward evil. Only the help of God can correct this. Let us "who are just escaping," 2 Peter 2:18, r.v., from the meshes of the world, beware lest we be caught in the guiles and nets of false teaching, which would drag us back into the evils of the worldly life. It is in our heart-felt union with the Lord Jesus Christ alone that we can be permanently secure. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Peter 2

1  Peter warns of false teachers, showing the impiety and punishment both of them and their followers;
7  from which the godly shall be delivered, as Lot was out of Sodom;
10  and more fully describes the manners of those profane and blasphemous seducers

Greek Commentary for 2 Peter 2:12

But these [ουτοι δε]
The false teachers of 2 Peter 2:1. [source]
As creatures [ζωα]
Living creatures, old word, from ζωος — zōos (alive), Judges 1:10; Revelation 4:6-9.Without reason (αλογα — aloga). Old adjective, in N.T. only here, Judges 1:10; Acts 25:27. Brute beasts like τηρια — thēria (wild animals).Born Perfect passive participle of γενναω — gennaō animals Old adjective in ικος — ̇ikos (from πυσις — phusis nature), natural animals, here only in N.T.To be taken (εις αλωσιν — eis halōsin). “For capture” (old substantive, from αλοω — haloō here only in N.T.).And destroyed “And for destruction” just like a beast of prey caught. See 2 Peter 1:4.In matters whereof they are ignorant (εν οις αγνοουσιν — en hois agnoousin). “In which things they are ignorant.” Here εν οις — en hois = εν τουτοις α — en toutois ha (in those things which), a common Greek idiom. For αγνοεω — agnoeō (present active indicative) see 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Timothy 1:7 for a like picture of loud ignoramuses posing as professional experts.Shall in their destroying surely be destroyed Second future passive of πτειρω — phtheirō Rhetorical Hebraism in the use of εν πτοραι — en phthorāi (same root as πτειρω — phtheirō), word four times in 2 Peter. See Judges 1:10. [source]
Without reason [αλογα]
Old adjective, in N.T. only here, Judges 1:10; Acts 25:27. Brute beasts like τηρια — thēria (wild animals). [source]
Born [γεγεννημενα]
Perfect passive participle of γενναω — gennaō animals Old adjective in ικος — ̇ikos (from πυσις — phusis nature), natural animals, here only in N.T.To be taken (εις αλωσιν — eis halōsin). “For capture” (old substantive, from αλοω — haloō here only in N.T.).And destroyed “And for destruction” just like a beast of prey caught. See 2 Peter 1:4.In matters whereof they are ignorant (εν οις αγνοουσιν — en hois agnoousin). “In which things they are ignorant.” Here εν οις — en hois = εν τουτοις α — en toutois ha (in those things which), a common Greek idiom. For αγνοεω — agnoeō (present active indicative) see 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Timothy 1:7 for a like picture of loud ignoramuses posing as professional experts.Shall in their destroying surely be destroyed Second future passive of πτειρω — phtheirō Rhetorical Hebraism in the use of εν πτοραι — en phthorāi (same root as πτειρω — phtheirō), word four times in 2 Peter. See Judges 1:10. [source]
To be taken [εις αλωσιν]
“For capture” (old substantive, from αλοω — haloō here only in N.T.). [source]
And destroyed [και πτοραν]
“And for destruction” just like a beast of prey caught. See 2 Peter 1:4.In matters whereof they are ignorant (εν οις αγνοουσιν — en hois agnoousin). “In which things they are ignorant.” Here εν οις — en hois = εν τουτοις α — en toutois ha (in those things which), a common Greek idiom. For αγνοεω — agnoeō (present active indicative) see 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Timothy 1:7 for a like picture of loud ignoramuses posing as professional experts.Shall in their destroying surely be destroyed Second future passive of πτειρω — phtheirō Rhetorical Hebraism in the use of εν πτοραι — en phthorāi (same root as πτειρω — phtheirō), word four times in 2 Peter. See Judges 1:10. [source]
In matters whereof they are ignorant [εν οις αγνοουσιν]
“In which things they are ignorant.” Here εν οις — en hois = εν τουτοις α — en toutois ha (in those things which), a common Greek idiom. For αγνοεω — agnoeō (present active indicative) see 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Timothy 1:7 for a like picture of loud ignoramuses posing as professional experts. [source]
Shall in their destroying surely be destroyed [εν τηι πτοραι αυτων πταρησονται]
Second future passive of πτειρω — phtheirō Rhetorical Hebraism in the use of εν πτοραι — en phthorāi (same root as πτειρω — phtheirō), word four times in 2 Peter. See Judges 1:10. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Peter 2:12

Acts 25:27 Unreasonable [αλογον]
Old word from α — a privative and λογος — logos (reason, speech). “Without reason” as of animals (Judges 1:10; 2 Peter 2:12), “contrary to reason” here. These the only N.T. instances and in harmony with ancient usage. [source]
2 Peter 1:4 He hath granted [δεδωρηται]
Perfect middle indicative of δωρεω — dōreō for which see 2 Peter 1:3.His precious and exceeding great promises (τα τιμια και μεγιστα επαγγελματα — ta timia kai megista epaggelmata). Επαγγελμα — Epaggelma is an old word (from επαγγελλω — epaggellō) in place of the common επαγγελια — epaggelia in N.T. only here and 2 Peter 3:13. Τιμιος — Timios (precious, from τιμη — timē value), three times by Peter (1 Peter 1:7 of faith; 1 Peter 1:19 of the blood of Christ; 2 Peter 1:4 of Christ‘s promises). Μεγιστα — Megista is the elative superlative used along with a positive adjective (τιμια — timia).That ye may become Purpose clause with ινα — hina and second aorist middle subjunctive of γινομαι — ginomai these The promises.Partakers (κοινωνοι — koinōnoi). Partners, sharers in, for which word see 1 Peter 5:1.Of the divine nature This phrase, like το τειον — to theion in Acts 17:29, “belongs rather to Hellenism than to the Bible” (Bigg). It is a Stoic phrase, but not with the Stoic meaning. Peter is referring to the new birth as 1 Peter 1:23 The same phrase occurs in an inscription possibly under the influence of Mithraism (Moulton and Milligan‘s Vocabulary).Having escaped (αποπυγοντες — apophugontes). Second aorist active participle of αποπευγω — apopheugō old compound verb, in N.T. only here and 2 Peter 2:18-20, with the ablative here (πτορας — phthorās old word from πτειρω — phtheirō moral decay as in 2 Peter 2:12) and the accusative there.By lust Caused by, consisting in, lust. “Man becomes either regenerate or degenerate” (Strachan). [source]
2 Peter 1:4 That ye may become [ινα γενηστε]
Purpose clause with ινα — hina and second aorist middle subjunctive of γινομαι — ginomai these The promises.Partakers (κοινωνοι — koinōnoi). Partners, sharers in, for which word see 1 Peter 5:1.Of the divine nature This phrase, like το τειον — to theion in Acts 17:29, “belongs rather to Hellenism than to the Bible” (Bigg). It is a Stoic phrase, but not with the Stoic meaning. Peter is referring to the new birth as 1 Peter 1:23 The same phrase occurs in an inscription possibly under the influence of Mithraism (Moulton and Milligan‘s Vocabulary).Having escaped (αποπυγοντες — apophugontes). Second aorist active participle of αποπευγω — apopheugō old compound verb, in N.T. only here and 2 Peter 2:18-20, with the ablative here (πτορας — phthorās old word from πτειρω — phtheirō moral decay as in 2 Peter 2:12) and the accusative there.By lust Caused by, consisting in, lust. “Man becomes either regenerate or degenerate” (Strachan). [source]
2 Peter 1:4 Of the divine nature [τειας πυσεως]
This phrase, like το τειον — to theion in Acts 17:29, “belongs rather to Hellenism than to the Bible” (Bigg). It is a Stoic phrase, but not with the Stoic meaning. Peter is referring to the new birth as 1 Peter 1:23 The same phrase occurs in an inscription possibly under the influence of Mithraism (Moulton and Milligan‘s Vocabulary).Having escaped (αποπυγοντες — apophugontes). Second aorist active participle of αποπευγω — apopheugō old compound verb, in N.T. only here and 2 Peter 2:18-20, with the ablative here (πτορας — phthorās old word from πτειρω — phtheirō moral decay as in 2 Peter 2:12) and the accusative there.By lust Caused by, consisting in, lust. “Man becomes either regenerate or degenerate” (Strachan). [source]
2 Peter 1:4 Having escaped [αποπυγοντες]
Second aorist active participle of αποπευγω — apopheugō old compound verb, in N.T. only here and 2 Peter 2:18-20, with the ablative here (πτορας — phthorās old word from πτειρω — phtheirō moral decay as in 2 Peter 2:12) and the accusative there. [source]
2 Peter 3:10 The day of the Lord [ημερα κυριου]
So Peter in Acts 2:20 (from Joel 3:4) and Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 5:5; and day of Christ in Philemon 2:16 and day of God in 2 Peter 2:12 and day of judgment already in 2 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 3:7. This great day will certainly come Future active of ηκω — hēkō old verb, to arrive, but in God‘s own time. [source]
Jude 1:10 Naturally [φυσικῶς]
Only here in New Testament. Compare φυσικὰ , natural, 2 Peter 2:12. [source]
Jude 1:10 Whatsoever things they know not [οσα ουκ οιδασιν]
Here 2 Peter 2:12 has εν οις αγνοουσιν — en hois agnoousin The rest of the sentence is smoother than 2 Peter 2:12. [source]
Jude 1:10 Naturally [πυσικως]
Here only in N.T. 2 Peter 2:12 has γεγεννημενα πυσικα — gegennēmena phusika Jude has the article τα — ta with αλογα ζωα — aloga zōa and the present passive πτειρονται — phtheirontai instead of the future passive πταρησονται — phtharēsontai f0). [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Peter 2:12 mean?

These however like irrational animals having been born as creatures of instinct for capture and destruction in what they are ignorant of blaspheming the destruction of them also will be destroyed
Οὗτοι δέ ὡς ἄλογα ζῷα γεγεννημένα φυσικὰ εἰς ἅλωσιν καὶ φθοράν ἐν οἷς ἀγνοοῦσιν βλασφημοῦντες τῇ φθορᾷ αὐτῶν καὶ φθαρήσονται

Οὗτοι  These 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
δέ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὡς  like 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὡς 
Sense: as, like, even as, etc.
ἄλογα  irrational 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: ἄλογος  
Sense: destitute of reason.
ζῷα  animals 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: ζῷον  
Sense: a living being.
γεγεννημένα  having  been  born 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: γεννάω  
Sense: of men who fathered children.
φυσικὰ  as  creatures  of  instinct 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: φυσικός  
Sense: produced by nature, inborn.
ἅλωσιν  capture 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἅλωσις  
Sense: a catching, capture, to be taken.
φθοράν  destruction 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: φθορά  
Sense: corruption, destruction, perishing.
ἀγνοοῦσιν  they  are  ignorant  of 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀγνοέω  
Sense: to be ignorant, not to know.
βλασφημοῦντες  blaspheming 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: βλασφημέω 
Sense: to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate, blaspheme.
φθορᾷ  destruction 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: φθορά  
Sense: corruption, destruction, perishing.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
φθαρήσονται  will  be  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: φθείρω  
Sense: to corrupt, to destroy.