Many shall follow their pernicious ways. — “Pernicious ways” is a translation of the plural of the word just rendered “destruction.” (See fourth Note on 2 Peter 2:1.) But here the reading is undoubtedly wrong. The margin has the right reading — lascivious ways (or better, wanton ways) — being the plural of the word translated “wantonness” in 2 Peter 2:18. Wiclif has “lecheries;” Rheims “riotousnesses.”
The connexion between false doctrine and licentiousness was often real, and is so still in some cases — e.g., Mormonism. But it was often asserted and believed without foundation. Impurity was the common charge to bring against those of a different creed, whether between heathen and Christian or between different divisions of Christians.
By reason of whom. — The many who are led astray are meant, rather than the original seducers. (Comp. Romans 2:24.)
The way of truth. — (See Note on Acts 9:2.) “The way of truth” occurs in Clement of Alexandria (Cohort. ad Gentes, x.), the only near approach to anything in 2 Peter in all the writings of his that have come down to us. This is strong evidence that he did not know the Epistle, especially as references are frequent to 1 Peter, which is sometimes quoted thus: “Peter in his Epistle says” (Strom. iv. 20).
Shall be evil spoken of. — By the heathen, who will judge of the way of truth by the evil lives of the many who have really been seduced from it, though they profess still to follow it. In the homily commonly called the Second Epistle of Clement (13) there is a remarkable amplification of this statement. Our Epistle was probably known to the writer of the homily, who to a considerable extent preaches against similar evils.