2 Peter 2:22
New International Version
Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

New Living Translation
They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

English Standard Version
What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

Berean Standard Bible
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.”

Berean Literal Bible
The thing true of the proverb has happened to them: "A dog having returned to its own vomit," and, "A sow having washed, to her rolling place in the mire."

King James Bible
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

New King James Version
But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

New American Standard Bible
It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

NASB 1995
It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

NASB 1977
It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Legacy Standard Bible
The message of the true proverb has happened to them, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Amplified Bible
The thing spoken of in the true proverb has happened to them, “THE DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow is washed only to wallow [again] in the mire.”

Christian Standard Bible
It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to its own vomit, and, “A washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to its own vomit, and, “a sow, after washing itself, wallows in the mud.”

American Standard Version
It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.

Contemporary English Version
What happened to them is just like the true saying, "A dog will come back to lick up its own vomit. A pig that has been washed will roll in the mud."

English Revised Version
It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
These proverbs have come true for them: "A dog goes back to its vomit," and "A sow that has been washed goes back to roll around in the mud."

Good News Translation
What happened to them shows that the proverbs are true: "A dog goes back to what it has vomited" and "A pig that has been washed goes back to roll in the mud."

International Standard Version
The proverb is true that describes what has happened to them: "A dog returns to its vomit," and "A pig that is washed goes back to wallow in the mud."

Majority Standard Bible
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.?

NET Bible
They are illustrations of this true proverb: "A dog returns to its own vomit," and "A sow, after washing herself, wallows in the mire."

New Heart English Bible
It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "The dog turns to his own vomit again," and "the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire."

Webster's Bible Translation
But it hath happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and, The sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.

Weymouth New Testament
Their case is that described in the true proverb, "A dog returns to what he has vomited," and also in the other proverb, "The sow has washed itself and now goes back to roll in its filth."

World English Bible
But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” and “the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and that of the true proverb has happened to them: “A dog turned back on his own vomit,” and, “A sow having bathed herself—to rolling in mire.”

Berean Literal Bible
The thing true of the proverb has happened to them: "A dog having returned to its own vomit," and, "A sow having washed, to her rolling place in the mire."

Young's Literal Translation
and happened to them hath that of the true similitude; 'A dog did turn back upon his own vomit,' and, 'A sow having bathed herself -- to rolling in mire.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And that of the true proverb has happened to them, The dog having turned back to his own vomit; and the sow having been washed to the rolling of the mire.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For, that of the true proverb has happened to them: The dog is returned to his vomit: and, The sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For the truth of the proverb has happened to them: The dog has returned to his own vomit, and the washed sow has returned to her wallowing in the mud.

New American Bible
What is expressed in the true proverb has happened to them, “The dog returns to its own vomit,” and “A bathed sow returns to wallowing in the mire.”

New Revised Standard Version
It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns back to its own vomit,” and, “The sow is washed only to wallow in the mud.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
It will come to pass with them according to the true proverb, The dog returns to his own vomit, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But these things have happened to them of the true proverb: “The dog that returned to its vomit, and the pig that was washed to the wallowing of the mud.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: The dog has turned again to his own vomit; and, The sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.

Godbey New Testament
It has happened unto them according to the old proverb, The dog having returned to his own vomit; and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.

Haweis New Testament
But the true proverb is verified in them, The dog hath returned to his own vomit; and the sow which was washed to its wallowing in the mire.

Mace New Testament
but the proverb is exactly verified in them, "the dog is return'd to his own vomit: the sow that was wash'd, is wallowing in the mire."

Weymouth New Testament
Their case is that described in the true proverb, "A dog returns to what he has vomited," and also in the other proverb, "The sow has washed itself and now goes back to roll in its filth."

Worrell New Testament
It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A dog having returned to his own vomit"; and "A sow that was washed, to her wallowing in mire."

Worsley New Testament
But it is happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog is returned to his own vomit, and, The swine that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Deliverance from False Prophets
21It 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. 22Of 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.”

Cross References
Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

Matthew 7:6
Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

Philippians 3:2
Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh!

Hebrews 6:4-6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, / who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age— / and then have fallen away—to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame.

Jude 1:10
These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.

Matthew 12:43-45
When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. / Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ On its return, it finds the house vacant, swept clean, and put in order. / Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first. So will it be with this wicked generation.”

Luke 11:24-26
When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ / On its return, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. / Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first.”

Romans 1:28-32
Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. / They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, / slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. ...

1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.

Hebrews 10:26-31
If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, / but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries. / Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ...

Galatians 4:9
But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

1 Timothy 4:1-2
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, / influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. / For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, / unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, ...

Revelation 22:15
But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Isaiah 56:10-11
Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. / Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain:


Treasury of Scripture

But it is happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

The dog.

Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

Jump to Previous
Bathed Case Described Dirty Dog Example Food Goes Herself Itself Mire Pig Proverb Returns Roll Rolling Similitude Sow True. Turn Turned Turns Vomit Vomited Wallow Wallowing Washed Washing
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Bathed Case Described Dirty Dog Example Food Goes Herself Itself Mire Pig Proverb Returns Roll Rolling Similitude Sow True. Turn Turned Turns Vomit Vomited Wallow Wallowing Washed Washing
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.














Of them
This phrase refers to the false teachers and apostates Peter has been discussing throughout the chapter. The Greek word "αὐτῶν" (autōn) indicates possession or association, emphasizing that these individuals are the subject of the proverbs. Historically, false teachers have been a persistent issue in the early church, leading believers astray with heretical teachings. This phrase sets the stage for the proverbs that follow, illustrating the nature of these individuals.

the proverbs are true
The Greek word for "proverbs" is "παροιμία" (paroimia), which can mean a saying or a parable. Peter is affirming the truthfulness and applicability of these ancient sayings to the situation at hand. Proverbs, often used in Jewish wisdom literature, convey deep truths through simple, memorable phrases. By stating that these proverbs are true, Peter underscores the reliability and timelessness of these observations about human nature.

A dog returns to its vomit
This proverb is a direct quotation from Proverbs 26:11. The imagery of a dog returning to its vomit is vivid and repulsive, symbolizing the foolishness and self-destructive behavior of returning to one's sinful ways. In the ancient world, dogs were not the beloved pets they are today; they were often seen as unclean scavengers. This metaphor highlights the degradation and irrationality of those who, after knowing the truth, revert to their former sinful lifestyles.

and
The conjunction "and" (Greek "καί," kai) connects the two proverbs, indicating that they are complementary in illustrating the same point. Both proverbs serve to reinforce the message about the nature of apostasy and the tendency of some individuals to revert to their old ways despite having been exposed to the truth.

A sow that is washed
The sow, or female pig, is another animal considered unclean in Jewish culture, as outlined in Levitical law. The act of washing the sow symbolizes an outward attempt at purification or reform. However, the nature of the sow remains unchanged, representing those who may outwardly conform to Christian teachings but have not experienced true inward transformation.

goes back to her wallowing in the mud
This phrase completes the metaphor, illustrating the futility of external changes without internal transformation. The Greek word for "wallowing" is "κυλισμός" (kylismos), which conveys the idea of rolling around or indulging in something. The sow's return to the mud signifies a relapse into sinful behavior, emphasizing the need for genuine conversion and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit to prevent such a return.

(22) But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb.--More literally, There has happened to them what the true proverb says; "but" is of very doubtful authority. The word for "proverb" is the one used elsewhere only by St. John in his Gospel, and there translated once "parable" and thrice "proverb." "Parable," or "allegory," would have been best in all four cases (John 10:6, where see Note; John 16:25; John 16:29). The first proverb is found, Proverbs 26:11, and if that be the source of the quotation, we have here an independent translation of the Hebrew, for the LXX. gives an entirely different rendering, "dog" being the only word in common to the two Greek versions. The word for "vomit" here is possibly formed by the writer himself; that for "wallowing" is also a rare word. The LXX. adds, "and becomes abominable," which has no equivalent in the existing Hebrew text; and it has been suggested that these words may misrepresent the Hebrew original of the second proverb here. But it is quite possible that both proverbs come from popular tradition, and not from Scripture at all. If, however, the Book of Proverbs be the source of the quotation, it is worth while noting that no less than four times in as many chapters does St. Peter recall passages from the Proverbs in the First Epistle (1Peter 1:7; 1Peter 2:17; 1Peter 4:8; 1Peter 4:18). In the Greek neither proverb has a verb, as so often in such sayings--a dog that has returned to his own vomit; a washed sow to wallowing in the mire; just as we say "the dog in the manger," "a fool and his money." . . . Verse 22. - But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb. The conjunction "but" is omitted in the best manuscripts. The literal translation is, "There hath happened unto them that of the true proverb (τὸ τῆς παροιμίας);" comp. Matthew 21:21, τὸ τῆς συκῆς. The dog is turned to his own vomit again. The construction is participial; literally, a dog having turned. See Wirier (3:45, 6, b), who says that in such proverbial expressions there is no reason for changing the participle into a finite verb: "They are spoken δεικτικῶς as it were, with reference to a case actually observed." St. Peter may be quoting Proverbs 26:11; but his words are very different from the Septuagint Version of that passage; perhaps it is more probable that the expression had become proverbial, and that the apostle is referring to a form of it in common use with his readers; like that which follows, which is not in the Book of Proverbs. And the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire; literally, the sow that had washed to her wallowing; or, according to some ancient manuscripts, "her wallowing-place." St. Peter compares the lives of the false teachers to the habits of those animals which were regarded as unclean, and were most despised by the Jews (compare our Lord's words in Matthew 7:6). The words ἐξέραμα, vomit; κυλισμός, wallowing; and βόρβορος, mire, are not found elsewhere in the New Testament.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Of them
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

proverbs
παροιμίας (paroimias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3942: A cryptic saying, an allegory; a proverb, figurative discourse.

are
συμβέβηκεν (symbebēken)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4819: To happen, occur, meet. From sun and the base of basis; to walk together, i.e. Concur.

true:
ἀληθοῦς (alēthous)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 227: Unconcealed, true, true in fact, worthy of credit, truthful. TRUE.

“A dog
Κύων (Kyōn)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2965: A dog, universally despised in the East. A primary word; a dog.

returns
ἐπιστρέψας (epistrepsas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1994: From epi and strepho; to revert.

to
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

[its]
ἴδιον (idion)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2398: Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication, private or separate.

vomit,”
ἐξέραμα (exerama)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1829: Vomit. From a comparative of ek and a presumed erao; vomit, i.e. Food disgorged.

and,
καί (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

“A sow
Ὗς (Hys)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5300: A hog, boar, or sow. Apparently a primary word; a hog.

that is washed
λουσαμένη (lousamenē)
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3068: A primary verb; to bathe.

[goes back] to [her]
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

wallowing
κυλισμὸν (kylismon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2946: A place of wallowing. From kulioo; a wallow, i.e. Filth.

in [the] mud.”
βορβόρου (borborou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1004: Mud, mire, filth. Of uncertain derivation; mud.


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NT Letters: 2 Peter 2:22 But it has happened to them according (2 Pet. 2P iiP ii Pet)
2 Peter 2:21
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