Of adultery. — Literally, of an adulteress. This verse has no counterpart in Jude.
That cannot cease from sin. — Literally, that cannot be made to cease from sin. (Comp. attentively 1 Peter 4:1.) It was precisely because these men refused to “suffer in the flesh,” but, on the contrary, gave the flesh all possible licence on principle, that they could not “cease from sin.”
Beguiling. — Strictly, enticing with bait. We have the same word in 2 Peter 2:18; James 1:14, and nowhere else. If “deceits” be the right reading in 2 Peter 2:13, this clause throws some light on it. In any case, the metaphor from fishing, twice in this Epistle and only once elsewhere, may point to a fisherman of Galilee. (Comp. Matthew 17:27.)
With covetous practices. — Better, in covetousness. The word is singular, as in 2 Peter 2:3, according to all the best MSS. and versions.
Cursed children. — Rather, children of malediction. So Rheims; Wiclif has “sones of cursynge.” They are devoted to execration; malediction has adopted them as its own. (Comp. “son of perdition,” John 17:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:3.)