2 Peter 2:16
New International Version
But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

New Living Translation
But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.

English Standard Version
but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

Berean Standard Bible
But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

Berean Literal Bible
But he had reproof for his own transgression by a mute donkey; having spoken in a man's voice, it restrained the madness of the prophet.

King James Bible
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

New King James Version
but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

New American Standard Bible
but he received a rebuke for his own offense, for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.

NASB 1995
but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.

NASB 1977
but he received a rebuke for his own transgression; for a dumb donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.

Legacy Standard Bible
but he received a rebuke for his own lawlessness, for a mute donkey, speaking out with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.

Amplified Bible
but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

Christian Standard Bible
but received a rebuke for his lawlessness: A speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but received a rebuke for his transgression: A donkey that could not talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s irrationality.

American Standard Version
but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with man's voice and stayed the madness of the prophet.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But the reproof of his violation was a dumb donkey which spoke with the voice of men, restraining the madness of the Prophet.

Contemporary English Version
But a donkey corrected him for this evil deed. It spoke to him with a human voice and made him stop his foolishness.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But had a check of his madness, the dumb beast used to the yoke, which speaking with man's voice, forbade the folly of the prophet.

English Revised Version
but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with man's voice and stayed the madness of the prophet.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But he was convicted for his evil. A donkey, which normally can't talk, spoke with a human voice and wouldn't allow the prophet to continue his insanity.

Good News Translation
and was rebuked for his sin. His donkey spoke with a human voice and stopped the prophet's insane action.

International Standard Version
But he was rebuked for his offense. A donkey that normally cannot talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet's insanity.

Literal Standard Version
and had a rebuke of his own iniquity—a mute donkey, having spoken in man’s voice, forbid the madness of the prophet.

Majority Standard Bible
But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

New American Bible
but he received a rebuke for his own crime: a mute beast spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

NET Bible
yet was rebuked for his own transgression (a dumb donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the prophet's madness).

New Revised Standard Version
but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

New Heart English Bible
But he was rebuked for his own transgression; a donkey that could not talk spoke with a human voice and stopped the irrationality of the prophet.

Webster's Bible Translation
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice, forbad the madness of the prophet.

Weymouth New Testament
But he was rebuked for his transgression: a dumb ass spoke with a human voice and checked the madness of the Prophet.

World English Bible
but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A speechless donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.

Young's Literal Translation
and had a rebuke of his own iniquity -- a dumb ass, in man's voice having spoken, did forbid the madness of the prophet.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Deliverance from False Prophets
15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. 17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.…

Cross References
Numbers 22:21
So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

Numbers 22:23
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.

Numbers 22:28
Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?"

Psalm 39:11
You discipline and correct a man for his iniquity, consuming like a moth what he holds dear; surely each man is but a vapor. Selah


Treasury of Scripture

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet.

the dumb.

Numbers 22:22-33
And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him…

the madness.

Ecclesiastes 7:25
I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

Ecclesiastes 9:3
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Hosea 9:7
The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

Jump to Previous
Ass Beast Checked Disobedience Donkey Dumb Error Folly Forbad Forbid Human Iniquity Madness Mute Pointed Prophet Prophet's Rebuke Rebuked Received Reproof Speaking Speech Stop Stopped Talking Transgression Voice
Jump to Next
Ass Beast Checked Disobedience Donkey Dumb Error Folly Forbad Forbid Human Iniquity Madness Mute Pointed Prophet Prophet's Rebuke Rebuked Received Reproof Speaking Speech Stop Stopped Talking Transgression Voice
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.














(16) But was rebuked for his iniquity.--Literally, But had a conviction of his own transgression--i.e., was convicted of it, or rebuked for it. His transgression was that, although as a prophet he knew the blessedness of Israel, and although God gave him leave to go only on condition of his blessing Israel, he went still cherishing a hope of being able to curse, and so winning Balak's promised reward.

The dumb ass.--Literally, a dumb beast of burden. The same word is rendered "ass" in Matthew 21:5, in the phrase "foal of an ass." In Palestine the ass was the most common beast of burden, horses being rare, so that in most cases "beast of burden" would necessarily mean "ass."

Forbad the madness.--Strictly, hindered the madness; and thus the trivial discrepancy which some would urge as existing between this passage and Numbers 22 disappears. It has been objected that not the ass but the angel forbad Balaam from proceeding. But it was the ass which hindered the infatuation of Balaam from hurrying him to his own destruction (Numbers 22:33). The word for "madness" is probably chosen for the sake of alliteration with "prophet"--prophetou paraphronian. It is a very rare formation, perhaps coined by the writer himself.

Verse 16. - But was rebuked for his iniquity; literally, but had a rebuke for his own transgression. The word for "rebuke" (ἔλεγξιν) Occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The guilt of offering the wages of unrighteousness rested with Balak; Balaam's own transgression lay in his readiness to accept them - in his willingness to break the law of God by cursing, for filthy lucre's sake, those whom God had not cursed. The dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. The word for "ass" is literally "beast of burden" (ὑποζύγιον, as in Matthew 21:5). "Dumb" is literally "without voice;" naturally without voice, it spake with the voice of man. The word ἐκώλυσεν, rendered "forbade," is rather "checked," or "stayed." The word for "madness" (παραφρονίαν) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The ass checked the prophet's folly by her shrinking from the angel, and by the miracle that followed; the angel, while permitting Balaam to expose himself to the danger into which he had fallen by tempting the Lord, forbade any deviation from the word to be put into his mouth by God. Balaam obeyed in the letter; but afterwards the madness which had been checked for the moment led him into deadly sin (Numbers 31:16). We observe that St. Peter assumes the truthfulness of the narrative in the Book of Numbers (see Mr. Clark's note in the 'Speaker's Commentary' on Numbers 22:28).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

he was
ἔσχεν (eschen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

rebuked
ἔλεγξιν (elenxin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1649: Rebuke, reproof, refutation. From elegcho; refutation, i.e. Reproof.

for his
ἰδίας (idias)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2398: Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication, private or separate.

transgression
παρανομίας (paranomias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3892: A transgression, violation of law. From the same as paranomeo; transgression: iniquity.

by a donkey,
ὑποζύγιον (hypozygion)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5268: A beast of burden, an ass or mule. Neuter of a compound of hupo and zugos; an animal under the yoke, i.e., a donkey.

[ otherwise ] without speech,
ἄφωνον (aphōnon)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 880: Soundless, voiceless, speechless, dumb. Figuratively, unmeaning.

that spoke
φθεγξάμενον (phthenxamenon)
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5350: To speak aloud, utter. Probably akin to pheggos and thus to phemi; to utter a clear sound, i.e. to proclaim.

with
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

a man’s
ἀνθρώπου (anthrōpou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

voice
φωνῇ (phōnē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5456: Probably akin to phaino through the idea of disclosure; a tone; by implication, an address, saying or language.

[and] restrained
ἐκώλυσεν (ekōlysen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2967: To prevent, debar, hinder; with infin: from doing so and so. From the base of kolazo; to estop, i.e. Prevent.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

prophet’s
προφήτου (prophētou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 4396: From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller; by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet.

madness.
παραφρονίαν (paraphronian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3913: Madness, folly. From paraphroneo; insanity, i.e. Foolhardiness.


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NT Letters: 2 Peter 2:16 But he was rebuked for his own (2 Pet. 2P iiP ii Pet)
2 Peter 2:15
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