complete verse (2 Peter 3:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Peter 3:17:

  • Uma: “But you, my relatives whom I love, you already know all of this. So be-on-the-watch for those lying religious teachers, don’t you be-carried-off with their error, to the point that you fall from your strong standing-place.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore my friends, I instruct/warn you. You know already/now about this, therefore be careful/watchful perhaps/lest you will be carried aside/influenced to-go-astray by the teaching of these bad people and you will no longer be steadfast towards the true teaching.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Beloved brothers, since you know about these things beforehand, be on your guard so that you will not believe the lies which are taught by wicked people, and you will forget the true doctrine which you believed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But as for you friends, I have already warned you concerning the evil people who are teaching what is not true. Be-careful then so you won’t go-astray into where-they -have-erred and go-far-away-from your firm faith,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well now, my dear ones, since you now/already know these things, you had better be careful so that you aren’t misled by the false teaching of those evil people. So that you don’t drop/give-up the truth which you really have comprehended very well.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But listen, my dear brethren, you already know the word which was told you before about there being lying teachers. Therefore take care that you are not convinced by these deceivers to do the evil that they live in. Don’t let your faith you have be spoiled by joining them.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Peter 3:17

Here again Peter addresses his readers directly, spelling out for them the consequences of what he has just said regarding the distortion and misinterpretation of scripture. Once again he addresses his readers with the intimate term beloved. Revised Standard Version retains the Greek form here and begins the verse with You therefore. It is clear from the context, however, that Peter is contrasting the attitude of the people he mentions in verse 16 with that of his own readers; therefore beginning the verse as Good News Translation does (“But you”) is much more appropriate.

Knowing this beforehand may also be expressed as “know in advance,” hence Good News Translation “you … already know this.” It is possible that what is meant by this is the content of the present letter; it is more likely, however, this this refers to what has been mentioned in the last part of verse 16, namely, that people destroy themselves by misinterpreting scripture.

Beware is literally “to guard” and is a term that has its origin in the military. It includes a sense of being on guard, watching out, being very careful, taking extra precaution. Carried away is literally “led away” in a negative sense; in this context it can be rendered as “to be overwhelmed,” “to be seduced,” “to succumb,” “to be lured.” Lest is no longer used very much in contemporary English; it is an expression that introduces a negative purpose. So lest you is equivalent to “so that you will not” (Good News Translation). Lest you be carried away may also be expressed as “so that lawless people do not lead you astray.”

Error recalls the previous verse, particularly the misinterpretation of the meaning of Paul’s ideas and the consequences of such distortions. Lawless was used to describe the people of Sodom in 2.7; here it gives a picture of the false teachers and their followers going beyond the restraints and limits of Christian moral and ethical teaching, hence “unprincipled” (Phillips).

Lose is literally “fall” (Good News Translation) with the idea of losing or being separated from something. Stability is the opposite of the term “unstable” in the previous verse. The Greek word describes not an abstract state or quality (“steadfastness”) but a firm, stable position, as that of a mountain or a large rock, for example. So Jerusalem Bible has “the firm ground that you are standing on,” and Phillips “your proper foothold.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• But you, friends, are already aware of this. Be very careful then, that lawless people will not lead you astray with their false teachings and you fall from your present stable condition.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Second Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .