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2Pe_2:3. καὶ ἐν πλεονεξίᾳ ] i.e. as it were encompassed by covetousness, living in it, governed by it; it is incorrect to translate ἐν by διά . πλαστοῖς λόγοις ] ἅπ . λεγ ., i.e. “with deceitfully invented words,”[63] which are not in accordance with truth; incorrectly Hofmann: “artfully contrived doctrines.”
ὑμᾶς ἐμπορεύσονται ] “they will seek gain of you;” Gerhard: quaestum ex vobis facient, ad quaestum suum vobis abutentur; thus, too, Wiesinger, Schott, de Wette-Brückner; cf. also Winer, p. 209 [E. T. 279]; this meaning of the verb c. acc. in classical Greek is sufficiently assured.[64] The ΠΛΑΣΤΟῚ ΛΌΓΟΙ are not, as Hofmann supposes, “to be thought of as the merchandise which they bring to the market, in order to be repaid for such instruction,” but as the means by which they carry on the ἘΜΠΟΡΕΎΕΣΘΑΙ . Steinfass translates ἘΜΠΟΡΕΎΕΣΘΑΙ as equivalent to: to buy, and ὙΜᾶς as the direct object of purchase; thus Pott too: vos sectae suae conciliare conantur. It is undeniable that the object traded in may stand in the accusative (cf. Pro_3:14, LXX.), but the context here is opposed to this, partly on account of the ἘΝ ΠΛΕΟΝΕΞΊᾼ , partly because this thought is already contained in the preceding verse. Fronmüller incorrectly renders the word by “to deceive.”
By deceitful words as to Christian freedom, etc., they sought to delude others, and, in accordance with their covetous desires, to make gain of them; cf. 2Pe_2:13-14, and Jud_1:16.
οἷς τὸ κρῖμα ἔκπαλαι οὐκ ἀργεῖ ] ΟἿς : dat. incommodi; refers to the subj. in ἘΜΠΟΡΕΎΣΟΝΤΑΙ . ΤῸ ΚΡῖΜΑ is the judgment of God ordering the ἈΠΏΛΕΙΑ . ἜΚΠΑΛΑΙ is not to be combined with ΤῸ ΚΡῖΜΑ into one idea, equal to: ΚΡῖΜΑ ἜΚΠΑΛΑΙ ΑὐΤΟῖς ΠΡΟΓΕΓΡΑΜΜΈΝΟΝ ; cf. Jud_1:4 (Pott, de Wette); such a mode of combination is to be found nowhere in the N. T. It belongs rather to ΟὐΚ ἈΡΓΕῖ . There is not, as de Wette insists, any contradiction involved in this connection, especially as ΟὐΚ ἈΡΓΕῖ is a positive idea; strictly: “is not inactive, does not tarry;” the idea of haste is not implied in it (de Wette). ἔκπαλαι sets forth prominently that for a long time the judgment has, as it were, been approaching, that is, ever since it was given and pronounced; it is living, and will come in due time. It is possible that ἜΚΠΑΛΑΙ refers to the judgments mentioned in 2Pe_2:4, formerly put into execution (Dietlein, Scott, Wiesinger), which, however, Hofmann disputes.
ΚΑῚ Ἡ ἈΠΏΛΕΙΑ ΑὐΤῶΝ (2Pe_2:1) Οὐ ΝΥΣΤΆΖΕΙ ] ΝΥΣΤΆΖΕΙΝ , strictly: “to nod,” then: to slumber (only elsewhere in Mat_25:5; there, however, in its literal meaning), is used in the classics in a figurative sense; Plato, de repub. iii. 405 C: μηδὲν δεῖσθαι νυστάζοντος δικαστοῦ . Steinfass inexactly: “to become sleepy.”
[63] Plato, Apol. Socrat.: πλάττειν λόγους ; Artemidor. i. 23: πλάσσειν δόκει … ἀγαθὸν ῥήτορσι … διὰ τὸ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα δεικνύειν τὰς τέχνας ταύτας .
[64] Cf. Athenag. xiii. 569: Ἀσπασία ἐνεπορεύετο πλήθη γυναικῶν . Philo in Flacc. p. 984: ἐνεπορεύετο τὴν λήθην τῶν δικαστῶν . J. Chrysostom: τὴν πενίαν τοῦ πλησίου ἐμπορεύεσθαι . The translation of the Vulg. is inexact: de vobis negotiabuntur, as also that of Luther: “they will trade with you.”