TRV
Translation
King James Version
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
Complete Jewish Bible
And he condemned the cities of S’dom and ‘Amora, reducing them to ashes and ruin, as a warning to those in the future who would live ungodly lives;
Berean Standard Bible
if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly;
American Standard Version
and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly;
World English Bible Messianic
and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly;
Geneva Bible (1599)
And turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrhe into ashes, condemned them and ouerthrewe them, and made them an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly,
Young's Literal Translation
and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah having turned to ashes, with an overthrow did condemn, an example to those about to be impious having set them ;
See on the biblical-era map
In the KJVVerse 30,507 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on 2 Peter 2 verses 3–6
3 ¶ And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
Men are apt to think that a reprieve is the forerunner of a pardon, and that if judgment be not speedily executed it is, or will be, certainly reversed. But the apostle tells us that how successful and prosperous soever false teachers may be, and that for a time, yet their judgment lingereth not. God has determined long ago how he will deal with them. Such unbelievers, who endeavour to turn others from the faith, are condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on them. The righteous Judge will speedily take vengeance; the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. To prove this assertion, here are several examples of the righteous judgment of God, in taking vengeance on sinners, proposed to our serious consideration.
I. See how God dealt with the angels who sinned. Observe, 1. No excellency will exempt a sinner from punishment. If the angels, who excel us vastly in strength and knowledge, violate the law of God, the sentence which that law awards shall be executed upon them, and that without mercy or mitigation, for God did not spare them. Hence observe, 2. By how much the more excellent the offender, by so much the more severe the punishment. These angels, who had the advantage of men as to the dignity of their nature, are immediately punished. There is no sparing them for a few days, no favour at all shown them. 3. Sin debases and degrades the persons who commit it. The angels of heaven are cast down from the height of their excellency, and divested of all their glory and dignity, upon their disobedience. Whoever sins against God does a manifest hurt to himself. 4. Those who rebel against the God of heaven shall all be sent down to hell. There is no place nor state between the height of glory and the depth of misery in which they shall be allowed to rest. If creatures sin in heaven, they must suffer in hell. 5. Sin is the work of darkness, and darkness is the wages of sin. The darkness of misery and torment follows the darkness of sin. Those who will not walk according to the light and direction of God's law shall be deprived of the light of God's countenance and the comforts of his presence. 6. As sin binds men over to punishment, so misery and torment hold men under punishment. The darkness which is their misery keeps them so that they cannot get away from their torment. 7. The last degree of torment is not till the day of judgment. The sinning angels, though in hell already, are yet reserved to the judgment of the great day.
II. See how God dealt with the old world, even in much the same way that he dealt with the angels. He spared not the old world. Here observe, 1. The number of offenders signifies no more to procure any favour than the quality. If the sin be universal, the punishment shall likewise extend to all. But, 2. If there be but a few righteous, they shall be preserved. God does not destroy the good with the bad. In wrath he remembers mercy. 3. Those who are preachers of righteousness in an age of universal corruption and degeneracy, holding forth the word of life in an unblamable and exemplary conversation, shall be preserved in a time of general destruction. 4. God can make use of those creatures as the instruments of his vengeance in punishing sinners which he at first made and appointed for their service and benefit. He destroyed the whole world by water; but observe, 5. What was the procuring cause of this: it was a world of ungodly men. Ungodliness puts men out of the divine protection, and exposes them to utter destruction.
III. See how God dealt with Sodom and Gomorrah; though they were situated in a country like the garden of the Lord, yet, if in such a fruitful soil they abound in sin, God can soon turn a fruitful land into barrenness and a well-watered country into dust and ashes. Observe, 1. No political union or confederacy can keep off judgments from a sinful people. Sodom and the neighbouring cities were no more secured by their regular government than the angels by the dignity of their nature or the old world by their vast number. 2. God can make use of contrary creatures to punish incorrigible sinners. He destroys the old world by water, and Sodom by fire. He who keeps fire and water from hurting his people (Isa 43:2) can make either to destroy his enemies; therefore they are never safe. 3. Most heinous sins bring most grievous judgments. Those who were abominable in their vices were remarkable for their plagues. Those who are sinners exceedingly before the Lord must expect the most dreadful vengeance. 4. The punishment of sinners in former ages is designed for the example of those who come after. "Follow them, not only in the time of living, but in their course and way of living." Men who live ungodly must see what they are to expect if they go on still in a course of impiety. Let us take warning by all the instances of God's taking vengeance, which are recorded for our admonition, and to prevent our promising ourselves impunity, though we go on in a course of sin.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 3–6. Public domain.
Copy as
Clement of RomeAD 99
Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 11
On account of his hospitality and godliness, Lot was saved out of Sodom when all the country round was punished by means of fire and brimstone, the Lord thus making it manifest that He does not forsake those that hope in Him, but gives up such as depart from Him to punishment and torture. [Genesis 19:15-26, 2 Peter 2:6-9] For Lot's wife, who went forth with him, being of a different mind from himself, and not continuing in agreement with him [as to the command which had been given them], was made an example of, so as to be a pillar of salt unto this day. This was done that all might know that those who are of a double mind, and who distrust the power of God, bring down judgment on themselves and become a sign to all succeeding generations.
TertullianAD 220
An Answer to the Jews
Lot, withal, the brother of Abraham, proves that it was for the merits of righteousness, without observance of the law, that he was freed from the conflagration of the Sodomites.
John ChrysostomAD 407
CATENA
Do you want to know why these things happened? There was one sin which was more wicked and disgusting than any other which those people were committing. It was because of that that God gave them this judgment.
Hesychius of JerusalemAD 450
CATENA
Here is proof that all the ungodly will be punished. For Peter goes over the examples of Sodom and Gomorrah so that anyone who sees this will not behave wickedly, knowing that if he does so he will suffer the same kind of punishment as they did.
Salvian the PresbyterAD 500
ON THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 1.8
God wished to proclaim the judgment that is to come when he sent fiery death from heaven upon a wicked people, setting an example for those who desire to lead wicked lives.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Catholic Epistles
And the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, etc. Because he asserts that the cities of the impious were reduced to ashes, it should be understood in two ways. Because first, through fire, he reduced them along with the adjacent lands to ashes, and when he afterwards covered the places of the fire with the waters of the Dead Sea, he still wanted to preserve the surrounding region as a specimen of ancient punishment. For very beautiful fruits indeed grow, which also generate a desire to eat for those who see them. If you pluck them, they crumble and dissolve into ashes, and raise smoke, as if they still burned. Hence, in the Book of Wisdom it is said: "This [fire] rescued the righteous man fleeing from the wicked who were perishing as the fire descended upon Pentapolis." As a testimony to whose wickedness, it is evident that a scorched earth remains deserted, and at certain times the trees have fruit (Wis. X). It can be understood: And they also remain deserted and scorched. And this is what is also added here:
OecumeniusAD 990
Commentary on 2 Peter
For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them into chains of gloomy Tartarus10, delivering them to be kept for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked—for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds.
For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, nor the ancient world, but condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; indeed, He preserved Noah, the preacher of righteousness, when He brought the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and likewise Lot, who was oppressed by the wicked, when the Sodomites were seeking to abuse the angels who had been received as guests (Gen. 19), and who was daily admonished to emulate their wicked deeds, then tormented his own soul through soberness, and by abstaining from them, He rescued him: will He not much more deliver at this time those who are destined for destruction, just as He did the transgressing angels and those who were in the time of the flood, and furthermore the Sodomites? But you who dwell in the world along with them, will He not preserve you, just as He did Noah and Lot who then lived among the ungodly? No one doubts that He will indeed do so. For He knows how to rescue the godly from temptations and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment. Note, however, that when he previously presented the example of the wicked, he now ordains that which is about the righteous: by this, he also consoles the imitators of the righteous, who are considered superior to the impious. Therefore, Christ also gives the reward first to the just sheep who are on the right, and then to the goats who are on the left, punishments. (Matt. 25:34-41) Since delightful things are preferred over sad ones.
"God did not spare the angels who sinned." He attacks those who were first cut off and says: If the angels who were in honor with God because of the immortality of their substance, when they had shaken off the yoke, sinned, they did not obtain forgiveness: much less will God spare men who cling to their own creation if they have sinned,
Therefore, since a single response of speech was not sufficient to fulfill the proposed matter, it remained in another way in phrasing, and completed what was necessary through an interjection. But why he mixed examples of good with bad ones will be explained in a suitable place.
"But the eighth person," etc. As we have previously stated, it follows not only from what is evident in the discourse, but also from their understanding of what is proposed. For the response of the discourse is not one that usually follows such arrangements, but is a simple persuasive example, concerning those who are punished for their sins, and those who are honored for their righteousness: as if to say; The Lord knows how to punish sinners without sparing them, just as He did the angels who sinned, as well as those who were in the time of the flood, like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; again, to honor those who practice righteousness, such as Noah and Lot. And this is the arrangement: Having said that false teachers are to be punished for their blasphemies and their lustful lives, he adds examples.
For God did not spare the angels who sinned, nor the ancient world, nor did He spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah from destruction, but they are reduced to ashes, serving as a punishment for the ungodly. Again, God knows how to honor those who exercise justice, just as He did with Noah and Lot: and for the righteousness of each, it is narrated that both Noah and Lot were preserved from the destruction of the men who lived during their time because of their soberness and chastity. For they were not taken away from the impiety of those who were before the flood.
Lot also did not follow the carnality of those who lived in Sodom, but as if provoked daily by the sight of those who acted impolitely, he was stirred to the same boldness, yet he did not succumb in any way. For this means, "with seeing and hearing," (2 Peter 2:8) that he had many things that could provoke him to boldness, sight, hearing, conversation among the wicked; but he neither delivered the angels, his guests, in the appearance of men, to those who sought them because of their impudence, although he suffered violence from them in countless ways. For this is indicated by saying that he was oppressed. And as figure of speech, Peter adds: " The Lord knows how to rescue the godly," etc. (2 Peter 2:9) However, since he had not forewarned anything about the righteous, but only about the wicked and their punishment, he also scatters examples of the righteous in this place: first, indeed, because the history simultaneously mentions both the destruction of the wicked and the salvation of the righteous; then, moreover, from this comparison, he amplifies the malice of those who sinned, and makes the good works of those who conducted themselves excellently clear. Furthermore, Peter persuades the listeners to indeed hate the shamelessness of those, but to embrace the noble work of these for the sake of salvation. Hence, he also mentions in a figure of speech, both the pious and the impious, and salvation and punishment. Moreover, what he wants from this has already been stated, namely that he desires for them to hate the wickedness of those, but to emulate the salvation of these. "For the just is with sight and hearing." Although he had many things that inflamed, stimulated, and invited to shamelessness—eyes, ears, and conversation among the wicked—he was not, he says, led to the imitation of them.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying 2 Peter 2:6 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
CNTR CollationThe earliest Greek manuscripts of this verse, collated letter by letter.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
In the Apostle Peter powerfully illustrates the certainty of divine judgment by recalling God's cataclysmic destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. This historical event, where these cities were reduced to ashes through a complete overthrow, serves as a stark and enduring warning, established by God Himself, for all who would subsequently live lives characterized by ungodliness and rebellion against His righteous standards.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is situated within a crucial section of 2 Peter (specifically 2 Peter 2:4-9), where Peter is vehemently refuting and condemning false teachers who had infiltrated the early Christian communities. To underscore the absolute certainty of the judgment awaiting these deceivers, Peter systematically presents three historical precedents from the Old Testament, each demonstrating God's unwavering justice against profound wickedness. He first references the angels who sinned and were cast into Tartarus (2 Peter 2:4), then the ungodly world of Noah's time that was utterly destroyed by a global flood, with only Noah and his family preserved (2 Peter 2:5). The obliteration of Sodom and Gomorrah in 2 Peter 2:6 stands as the third and perhaps most vivid example, serving as a powerful, tangible guarantee of God's future righteous judgment on those who persist in ungodliness, while simultaneously affirming His ability to deliver the righteous, as seen in the rescue of Lot (2 Peter 2:7-8).
Historical & Cultural Context: The account of Sodom and Gomorrah, detailed in Genesis 18-19, describes two prominent cities located in the Jordan Plain, near what is now the Dead Sea. These cities were infamous for their extreme wickedness, which had reached such a degree that their "outcry" had come before the Lord (Genesis 18:20). While often primarily associated with severe sexual perversion (homosexuality, as indicated in Genesis 19:4-5), other prophetic texts expand on their comprehensive moral depravity, including pride, gluttony, idleness, and a callous disregard for the poor and needy (Ezekiel 16:49-50). The cultural context was one where such egregious sins were not merely tolerated but openly practiced, demonstrating a complete rejection of divine and natural law. God's judgment, therefore, was a direct response to this pervasive and unrepentant rebellion, serving as a clear demonstration of His holiness and justice to both the ancient world and subsequent generations.
Key Themes: The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in 2 Peter 2:6 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Peter's epistle and broader biblical theology. Foremost is the theme of Divine Judgment, emphasizing God's active and decisive intervention in human history to punish egregious and unrepentant sin. The "overthrow" and reduction to "ashes" signify a complete, irreversible, and severe judgment, highlighting God's absolute justice and holiness. Secondly, the verse underscores the theme of Warning and Exemplar. The term "ensample" is crucial, indicating that the fate of these cities is not merely a historical anecdote but a didactic lesson, a pattern, or a warning for all generations, particularly for "those that after should live ungodly." This serves as a clear indicator of the inevitable consequences of persistent wickedness, a theme also powerfully echoed in Jude 1:7. Finally, the verse speaks to the nature of Ungodliness. Peter uses this broad term to encompass a lifestyle devoid of reverence for God, characterized by rebellion against His moral standards, and marked by a lack of piety and righteousness. This comprehensive definition of ungodliness is precisely what the false teachers Peter condemns were promoting through their licentious doctrines and practices (2 Peter 2:10-14).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Peter effectively employs several literary devices in 2 Peter 2:6 to enhance his argument. The most prominent is Allusion, as the verse directly references the well-known Old Testament narrative of Sodom and Gomorrah found in Genesis 19. This allusion leverages the shared knowledge and theological understanding of his audience, immediately conjuring images of overwhelming divine wrath against extreme sin. Closely related is the device of Exemplum, where the historical event serves as a moral or didactic example. Peter explicitly states that God made them "an ensample," highlighting that their destruction is not just a historical fact but a pattern or warning for future generations. The vivid imagery of "turning...into ashes" and "condemned...with an overthrow" employs Graphic Description, painting a stark picture of complete devastation to emphasize the severity and finality of God's judgment. This imagery also carries Symbolism, where fire and destruction symbolize divine wrath and purification, underscoring God's absolute holiness and intolerance for sin.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, as presented in 2 Peter 2:6, is a foundational theological statement about God's character and His interaction with humanity. It unequivocally affirms God's perfect justice and holiness, demonstrating that He is not indifferent to sin but actively intervenes to uphold His righteous standards. This event serves as a timeless testament to the principle that unrepentant wickedness incurs divine wrath. Furthermore, it highlights God's patience, which, while vast, is not infinite, and His ultimate judgment is certain and comprehensive. The preservation of Lot, mentioned in the subsequent verses (2 Peter 2:7-8), simultaneously underscores God's ability and commitment to deliver the righteous from judgment, providing a glimmer of hope amidst the severity of His justice. This dual aspect—judgment for the ungodly and deliverance for the righteous—is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The enduring message of 2 Peter 2:6 is a profound call to sober reflection and earnest application for all people. For those who might be tempted to dismiss the reality of divine judgment or to minimize the gravity of sin, the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah stands as an unshakeable historical precedent. It reminds us that God is not merely a God of love but also a God of justice and holiness, whose patience has limits and whose righteous indignation against ungodliness is real and devastating. This verse serves as a potent warning against spiritual complacency, moral relativism, and the allure of false teachings that promise license rather than truth. For believers, it reinforces the urgency of living lives of genuine holiness, discernment, and obedience, recognizing that our God is the same God who judged Sodom. It encourages us to flee from every appearance of evil and to pursue righteousness, knowing that while judgment awaits the ungodly, salvation and deliverance are assured for those who walk in His ways. The "ensample" of Sodom and Gomorrah compels us to heed God's warnings, repent of our sins, and live in reverent fear of Him, trusting in His grace for salvation and His power for righteous living.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What were the specific sins of Sodom and Gomorrah that led to their destruction?
Answer: While Genesis 19 primarily highlights the egregious sexual perversion, specifically attempted gang rape and homosexual acts, as the immediate catalyst for judgment, other biblical texts expand on the comprehensive nature of their wickedness. Ezekiel 16:49-50 reveals that Sodom's sins also included "pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness," coupled with a failure to "strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." This indicates a pervasive moral corruption encompassing social injustice, arrogance, and a complete disregard for both divine law and human compassion, leading to their being characterized as "ungodly" in 2 Peter 2:6.
Does the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah imply that God still destroys cities today for their wickedness?
Answer: The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah serves as a historical "ensample" (2 Peter 2:6) of God's capacity and willingness to judge profound ungodliness. While direct, cataclysmic, city-wide destruction like Sodom's is not a common pattern in the current age, the principle of divine judgment remains. Scripture teaches that God's justice is unwavering, and ultimate judgment awaits all unrepentant sin (Romans 2:5-8). The New Testament points to a future, final judgment day when all will stand before Christ (Revelation 20:11-15). Thus, while the form of judgment may differ, the certainty of judgment for ungodliness is an enduring theological truth, serving as a call to repentance and faith in Christ.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, as a stark "ensample" of divine judgment against ungodliness in 2 Peter 2:6, finds its ultimate fulfillment and most profound meaning in Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament account demonstrates God's righteous wrath against sin, it also foreshadows the ultimate Judge who is to come. Jesus Himself referenced Sodom and Gomorrah as a warning, declaring that it would be "more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city" which rejects His message (Matthew 10:15). This highlights Christ's supreme authority as the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead (Acts 17:31). Yet, in Christ, we also see the perfect balance of justice and mercy. While He is the one who will execute final judgment, He is also the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), offering salvation from the very wrath that Sodom experienced. The preservation of Lot from the fiery destruction (2 Peter 2:7-8) serves as a type of the deliverance offered through Christ: all who are "in Christ" are rescued from the coming judgment, not by their own righteousness, but by His atoning sacrifice on the cross (Romans 5:9). Thus, Sodom's fate points to the terrifying reality of God's justice, compelling humanity to flee to the only refuge from wrath, Jesus Christ, who bore the condemnation we deserved (2 Corinthians 5:21).