This verse speaks of the effects the false teachers have in the Christian community. The first effect is that many will follow their licentiousness. The Greek word translated licentiousness is a general term for immorality (as in Good News Translation “immoral ways”), with special emphasis on sexual excesses, hence “sensuality,” “indecency.” We should, however, avoid using a term for a particular kind of sexual sin in translating this word. Two other ways of rendering the expression licentiousness are “evil sexual practices” or “indecent conduct.”

It should be noted that in Jude 4 licentiousness is related to the perversion of God’s grace; such a statement is absent in 2 Peter.

Many may refer either to people in general, or more likely to some members of the Christian community. If this second alternative is chosen, then it can be made clear in the translation; for example, “many Christians” or “many of God’s people.”

The word translated follow is used only in this letter (here and in 1.16; 2.15) and nowhere else in the New Testament. It means doing the same thing, acting in the same manner, imitating someone.

A second effect of the activities of the false teachers is expressed in the second half of the verse: the Christian way of life will be open to ridicule from those outside the Christian community. Them is ambiguous, since it can refer either to the false teachers or to the many who follow them. Many translations keep the ambiguity, but most commentaries interpret them as referring to the false teachers. If this interpretation is correct, translators in some languages will need to expand Good News Translation‘s rendering slightly and say “and because of what these teachers do.”

The way of truth is a Hebrew expression that means “the true way” or “the right way” (see Gen 24.48). In the book of Acts the Christian faith is known as “the Way” (meaning “path” or “road”; see, for example, Acts 9.2; 19.9), “the way of salvation” (Acts 16.17), and “the way of the Lord” (Acts 18.25). It is in this light that we can take the way of truth as a technical term for the Christian way of life. Other ways of expressing it are “the true way,” “the true path,” “the way that leads to God” (where “truth” is interpreted as having the meaning “God”). In addition to the way of truth, 2 Peter also uses “the way of righteousness” (2.21) and “the right way” (2.15). All three of these expressions are used to refer to the Christian way of life with its moral and ethical demands.

Reviled translates a Greek word that is literally translated “blaspheme,” and means here “speak against,” “speak evil of” (Good News Translation), “slander,” “insult,” “ridicule.” The text does not say who will do the blaspheming, but it is clear that non-Christians are meant. As a result of Christians imitating the false teachers, the Christian community as a whole receives a bad name from non-Christians. Reviled may also be rendered as “say evil things about” or “speak bad about (or, against).”

An alternative translation model of this verse is:
• Even so, many of God’s people will imitate the evil practices of these teachers, and because of the things that they do, people will say bad things about the True Way (or, the Way that leads to God).

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 .