For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.
They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
‘You are to say, “This is what the Lord God says: Will it flourish? Will he not tear out its roots and strip off its fruit so that it shrivels? All its fresh leaves will wither! Great strength and many people will not be needed to pull it from its roots.
But you are thrown out without a grave, like a worthless branch, covered by those slain with the sword and dumped into a rocky pit like a trampled corpse.
For the fortified city will be desolate, pastures deserted and abandoned like a wilderness. Calves will graze there, and there they will spread out and strip its branches.
But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars #– #their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.’