2 Peter 2:5
New International Version
if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;

New Living Translation
And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.

English Standard Version
if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Berean Standard Bible
if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight;

Berean Literal Bible
and He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, one of eight, having brought the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

King James Bible
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;

New King James Version
and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

New American Standard Bible
and did not spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

NASB 1995
and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

NASB 1977
and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Legacy Standard Bible
and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Amplified Bible
and if He did not spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought [the judgment of] a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Christian Standard Bible
and if he didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others, when he brought the flood on the world of the ungodly;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and if He didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others, when He brought a flood on the world of the ungodly;

American Standard Version
and spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Contemporary English Version
And during Noah's time, God did not have pity on the ungodly people of the world. He destroyed them with a flood, though he did save eight people, including Noah, who preached the truth.

English Revised Version
and spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God didn't spare the ancient world either. He brought the flood on the world of ungodly people, but he protected Noah and seven other people. Noah was his messenger who told people about the kind of life that has God's approval.

Good News Translation
God did not spare the ancient world, but brought the flood on the world of godless people; the only ones he saved were Noah, who preached righteousness, and seven other people.

International Standard Version
and if he did not spare the ancient world but protected Noah, a righteous preacher, along with seven others when he brought the flood on the world of ungodly people;

Majority Standard Bible
if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight;

NET Bible
and if he did not spare the ancient world, but did protect Noah, a herald of righteousness, along with seven others, when God brought a flood on an ungodly world,

New Heart English Bible
and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a proclaimer of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly;

Webster's Bible Translation
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Weymouth New Testament
And He did not spare the ancient world, although He preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a deluge on the world of the ungodly.

World English Bible
and didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and did not spare the old world, but kept the eighth person, Noah, a preacher of righteousness, having brought a flood on the world of the impious,

Berean Literal Bible
and He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, one of eight, having brought the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Young's Literal Translation
and the old world did not spare, but the eighth person, Noah, of righteousness a preacher, did keep, a flood on the world of the impious having brought,

Smith's Literal Translation
And spared not the old world, but Noah the eighth, a herald of justice, he watched, having brought an inundation upon the world of the irreligious;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And spared not the original world, but preserved Noe, the eighth person, the preacher of justice, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he did not spare the original world, but he preserved the eighth one, Noah, the herald of justice, bringing the flood upon the world of the impious.

New American Bible
and if he did not spare the ancient world, even though he preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, together with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the godless world;

New Revised Standard Version
and if he did not spare the ancient world, even though he saved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood on a world of the ungodly;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And did not spare the old world, but saved Noah the preacher of righteousness, with his family, eight in all, when he brought the flood upon the wicked people;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he did not spare The First World but he preserved Noah, the eighth man, a Preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood over the world of the wicked,
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
and if he spared not the old world, but brought a flood on the world of the ungodly, and saved Noah, the eighth person, who was a preacher of righteousness;

Godbey New Testament
and spared not the old world, but delivered Noah the eighth person, the preacher of righteousness, brings the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Haweis New Testament
and spared not the old world, but guarded safely Noah the eighth person, the preacher of righteousness, when he brought a deluge on the world of the ungodly:

Mace New Testament
since he did not spare the old world, having preserved only eight persons, including Noah, that preacher of virtue, when he brought the deluge upon the impious world:

Weymouth New Testament
And He did not spare the ancient world, although He preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a deluge on the world of the ungodly.

Worrell New Testament
and spared not the old world; but preserved Noah, an eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing a flood upon a world of ungodly people;

Worsley New Testament
(but preserved Noah an eighth person, a preacher of righteousness,) bringing a deluge upon the world of the ungodly;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Deliverance from False Prophets
4For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight; 6if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly;…

Cross References
Genesis 6:5-8
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time. / And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. / So the LORD said, “I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—every man and beast and crawling creature and bird of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” ...

Genesis 7:1-24
Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. / You are to take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate; a pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate; / and seven pairs of every kind of bird of the air, male and female, to preserve their offspring on the face of all the earth. ...

Genesis 8:1-22
But God remembered Noah and all the animals and livestock that were with him in the ark. And God sent a wind over the earth, and the waters began to subside. / The springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained. / The waters receded steadily from the earth, and after 150 days the waters had gone down. ...

Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Matthew 24:37-39
As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. / For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. / And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Luke 17:26-27
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man: / People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

1 Peter 3:20
who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water.

Genesis 9:8-17
Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, / “Behold, I now establish My covenant with you and your descendants after you, / and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth—every living thing that came out of the ark. ...

1 Thessalonians 5:3
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Jude 1:6-7
And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day. / In like manner, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, who indulged in sexual immorality and pursued strange flesh, are on display as an example of those who sustain the punishment of eternal fire.

Ezekiel 14:14
then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 14:20
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.

Job 22:15-17
Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod? / They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood. / They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’

Isaiah 54:9
“For to Me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you.

Romans 2:5
But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.


Treasury of Scripture

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

spared.

Genesis 6:1-8:22
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, …

Job 22:15,16
Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? …

Matthew 24:37-39
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be…

the eighth.

Genesis 7:1
And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

1 Peter 3:20
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

a preacher.

1 Peter 3:19
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Jude 1:14,15
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, …

bringing.

2 Peter 3:6
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

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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.














if He did not spare
This phrase emphasizes God's justice and His willingness to execute judgment. The Greek word for "spare" is "pheidomai," which implies withholding or refraining from action. In this context, it underscores that God, in His righteousness, does not withhold judgment from those who persist in ungodliness. This serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of sin and the certainty of divine justice.

the ancient world
The term "ancient world" refers to the pre-flood civilization described in Genesis. This period is marked by widespread corruption and violence, as noted in Genesis 6:5, where "every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time." Archaeological findings, such as ancient flood narratives from various cultures, support the historical reality of a cataclysmic flood event, aligning with the biblical account.

when He brought the flood
The flood is a pivotal event in biblical history, symbolizing God's judgment against sin. The Greek word "kataklysmos" is used here, from which we derive the English word "cataclysm." This event is not only a historical judgment but also serves as a typological foreshadowing of future divine judgments, as seen in the eschatological teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

on its ungodly people
The "ungodly people" refers to those who lived in defiance of God's commands. The Greek word "asebēs" denotes a lack of reverence or piety towards God. This highlights the moral and spiritual decay that necessitated divine intervention. It serves as a warning to all generations about the consequences of living in opposition to God's will.

but preserved Noah
Noah's preservation is a testament to God's grace and faithfulness. The Greek word "phylassō" means to guard or keep safe. Noah found favor in God's eyes due to his righteousness and obedience (Genesis 6:8-9). This preservation is a powerful illustration of God's ability to protect and deliver those who remain faithful amidst widespread corruption.

a preacher of righteousness
Noah is described as a "preacher of righteousness," indicating his role in proclaiming God's truth to a rebellious generation. The Greek word "kērux" refers to a herald or proclaimer. Despite the world's wickedness, Noah stood as a beacon of righteousness, calling others to repentance. His life and message serve as an enduring example of faithfulness and courage in the face of opposition.

among the eight
The phrase "among the eight" refers to Noah and his family, the only survivors of the flood. This small remnant underscores the theme of God's selective preservation of the righteous. It also highlights the importance of family and the transmission of faith across generations. The number eight, often associated with new beginnings in biblical numerology, signifies the start of a renewed creation post-flood.

(5) And spared not the old world.--The fact that the Flood is taken as the second instance of divine vengeance gives us no clue as to the source of the first instance. In the Book of Enoch the Flood follows closely upon the sin of the angels, as in Genesis 6 upon that of the sons of God, so that in either case the first instance would naturally suggest the second.

Noah the eighth person.--According to a common Greek idiom, this means Noah and seven others; and the point of it is that the punishment must have been signal indeed if only eight persons out of a whole world escaped. The coincidence with 1Peter 3:20 must not pass unobserved, especially as there the mention of "spirits in prison" immediately precedes, just as here, the angels in "caves of darkness." The suggestion that eight is here a mystical number (the sabbatical seven and one over) is quite gratuitous; as also that "eighth" may mean eighth from Enos, which would be utterly pointless, there being neither mention of Enos nor the faintest allusion to him. (Comp. Clement I. vii. 6; ix. 4; and see Note on 2Peter 2:9.)

Bringing in the flood upon the world.--"In" should be omitted. The phrase is exactly parallel to "bring upon themselves swift destruction "in 2Peter 2:1. The word for "bring" is the same in both cases.

Verse 5. - And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person; rather, as in the Revised Version, the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others. "The eighth" is a common classical idiom (generally with the pronoun αὐτός) for a with seven others." Mark the close parallelism with 1 Peter 3:20, where, as here, the apostle impresses upon his readers the fewness of the saved. A preacher of righteousness. The Old Testament narrative does not directly assert this; but "a just man and perfect," who "walked with God" (Genesis 6:9), must have been a preacher (literally, "herald ") of righteousness to the ungodly among whom he lived. Josephus, in a well-known passage ('Ant.,' 1:03, 1), says that Noah tried to persuade his neighbours to change their mind and their actions for the better. Bringing in the Flood upon the world of the ungodly. The Revised Version renders, when he brought a Flood upon the world. In the Greek there is no article throughout this verse. In verse 1 the ungodly are represented as bringing upon themselves swift destruction; here God brings the punishment upon them. The same Greek verb is used in both places. In one place St. Peter gives the human, in the other the Divine, aspect of the same events (comp. Clement I, 7 and 9).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[if]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

He did not spare
ἐφείσατο (epheisato)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5339: To spare, abstain, forbear. Of uncertain affinity; to be chary of, i.e. to abstain or to treat leniently.

[the] ancient
ἀρχαίου (archaiou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 744: Original, primitive, ancient. From arche; original or primeval.

world
κόσμου (kosmou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889: Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).

when He brought
ἐπάξας (epaxas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1863: To bring upon; meet: I cause to be imputed to. From epi and ago; to superinduce, i.e. Inflict, charge.

[the] flood
κατακλυσμὸν (kataklysmon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2627: A deluge, flood. From katakluzo; an inundation.

[on its]
κόσμῳ (kosmō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889: Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).

ungodly [people],
ἀσεβῶν (asebōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 765: Impious, ungodly, wicked. Irreverent, i.e. impious or wicked.

but
ἀλλὰ (alla)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

preserved
ἐφύλαξεν (ephylaxen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5442: Probably from phule through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. Be on guard; by implication, to preserve, obey, avoid.

Noah,
Νῶε (Nōe)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3575: (Hebrew) Noah. Of Hebrew origin; Noe, a patriarch.

a preacher
κήρυκα (kēryka)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2783: A herald, preacher, proclaimer. From kerusso; a herald, i.e. Of divine truth.

of righteousness,
δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosynēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1343: From dikaios; equity; specially justification.

among the eight;
ὄγδοον (ogdoon)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3590: The eighth, one of eight, with seven others. From oktos; the eighth.


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NT Letters: 2 Peter 2:5 And didn't spare the ancient world (2 Pet. 2P iiP ii Pet)
2 Peter 2:4
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