2 Peter 2:20 - The last state has become worse than the first?

Could 2 Peter 2:20 indicate a need for deliverance for those who have been believers in the past?

2 Peter 2:20: "For if — having-escaped-from the defilements (in) the world by (the) knowledge (of) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and again having-been-entangled (by) these (things) — they-are-subdued, (then) the last (state) has-become worse (for) them (than) the first."

"The last state has become worse for them than the first"?

Peter wrote about people "denying the Master having-bought them" (2 Peter 2:1) who are "leaving-behind (the) straight way, they-went-astray" (2 Peter 2:15). Peter then added: "For if — having-escaped-from the defilements (in) the world by (the) knowledge (of) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and again having-been-entangled (by) these (things) — they-are-subdued, (then) THE LAST (STATE) HAS-BECOME WORSE (FOR) THEM (THAN) THE FIRST" (2 Peter 2:20).

Here Peter is describing people who had "HAVING-ESCAPED-FROM the defilements (in) the WORLD by (the) KNOWLEDGE (of) our Lord and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST" (2 Peter 2:20). This can fit the description of someone who had obtained faith in Jesus in the past, as Peter started his epistle writing "(to) the (ones) HAVING-OBTAINED an equally-precious FAITH (with) us in (the) righteousness (of) our God and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST" (2 Peter 1:1) and to those, Peter wrote: "His divine power having-granted us all (things) pertaining-to life and godliness through the KNOWLEDGE (of) the (One) having-called us (by His) own glory and virtue" (2 Peter 1:3) "HAVING-ESCAPED-FROM the corruption in the WORLD in (evil) desire" (2 Peter 1:4). These ones would be ones "HAVING-ESCAPED-FROM the defilements (in) the WORLD by (the) KNOWLEDGE (of) our Lord and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST" (2 Peter 2:20).

Peter added that if these "AGAIN having-been-entangled (by) these (things) — they-are-subdued, (then) THE LAST (STATE) HAS-BECOME WORSE (FOR) THEM (THAN) THE FIRST" (2 Peter 2:20).

The language used by Peter is similar to the language used by Jesus to describe someone to whom evil spirits could enter. Jesus said: "when the unclean spirit departs from THE PERSON, it-goes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find (it). Then it-says, ‘I-will-return to my house from-where I-came-out’. And having-come, it-finds (it) being-unoccupied, having-been-swept and put-in-order. Then it-proceeds and takes-along with itself seven other SPIRITS more-EVIL (than) itself. And HAVING-GONE-IN, THEY-DWELL THERE, and THE LAST (STATE OF) THAT PERSON BECOMES WORSE (THAN) THE FIRST" (Matthew 12:43-45).

Could the similar language used by Peter imply that a similar thing could happen to those he mentioned? 

"These ones are waterless"?

Peter wrote about people that "These (ones) are WATERLESS springs" (2 Peter 2:17) and three verses later added that after being subdued "THE LAST (STATE) HAS-BECOME WORSE (FOR) THEM (THAN) THE FIRST" (2 Peter 2:20).

Jesus referred to the unclean spirit which goes "through WATERLESS places seeking rest" (Matthew 12:43), before entering the person by taking along "with itself seven other SPIRITS more-EVIL (than) itself. And HAVING-GONE-IN, THEY-DWELL THERE, and THE LAST (STATE OF) THAT PERSON BECOMES WORSE (THAN) THE FIRST" (Matthew 12:45).

"Having been entangled by these things, they are subdued"?

Peter wrote that if people "again HAVING-BEEN-ENTANGLED (by) these (things) — THEY-ARE-SUBDUED, (then) THE LAST (STATE) HAS-BECOME WORSE (FOR) THEM (THAN) THE FIRST" (2 Peter 2:20). 

Peter here described people having been entangled by sins again, and subdued by them. To come to that point, it may be that those people would remain EVIL WILLINGLY and KNOWINGLY. 

Peter described about these people that after being subdued "THE LAST (STATE) HAS-BECOME WORSE (FOR) THEM (THAN) THE FIRST" (2 Peter 2:20). This is similar to a sentence from Jesus, indicating that this can happen to EVIL people, saying: "THE LAST (STATE OF) THAT PERSON BECOMES WORSE (THAN) THE FIRST. SO IT-WILL-BE ALSO (with) this EVIL generation" (Matthew 12:45). 

Peter described that these people were "denying the Master having-bought them" (2 Peter 2:1) and "leaving-behind (the) straight way" (2 Peter 2:15). Someone WILLINGLY doing these things could also be described in those terms.

Peter described that they would have had KNOWLEDGE before doing that, as he described them as "having-escaped-from the defilements (in) the world by (the) KNOWLEDGE (of) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 2:20). 

It is therefore possible that such people could have remained EVIL WILLINGLY and KNOWINGLY. This is important because remaining evil willingly and knowingly may be a cause for a demon to be able to enter someone. 

For more information:

What may cause a demon to be able to enter someone?
Click here

↺ Click here to return to the Table of Contents.