2 Peter 2:15

2:15 By forsaking the right path they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam son of Bosor, ¹  who loved the wages of unrighteousness, ² 

2 Peter 3:17

3:17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, ³  be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men ⁴  and fall from your firm grasp on the truth. ⁵ 

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¹ tn Although many modern translations (e.g., NASB, TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT) read “Beor” here, this is due to harmonization with the OT rather than following a variant textual reading. The Greek text of NA²⁷ reads “Bosor,” an otherwise unattested form of the name of Balaam’s father.

² tn “Wages of unrighteousness” in Greek is the same expression found in v. 13, “wages for harmful ways.” The repetition makes the link between the false teachers and Balaam more concrete.

³ tn Grk “knowing beforehand.”

⁴ tn Or “lawless ones.”

sn These unprincipled men. The same word is used in 2:7, suggesting further that the heretics in view in chapter 3 are the false teachers of chapter 2.

⁵ tn Grk “fall from your firmness.”