2 Peter 2:21

Berean Standard Bible (BSB)

It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.

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In context

19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

20 If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.

21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.

22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”

Read the whole of 2 Peter 2

2 Peter 2:21 in every translation

BSB Berean Standard Bible: It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.
KJV King James Version: 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.
WEB World English Bible: For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
ASV American Standard Version: For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
YLT Young's Literal Translation: for it were better to them not to have acknowledged the way of the righteousness, than having acknowledged [it], to turn back from the holy command delivered to them,
DBY Darby Translation: For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known [it] to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
WBS Webster Bible: 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 to them.