2Pe 2:6 | NETfull | STEP | and if he turned to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when he condemned them to destruction, having appointed them to serve as an example to future generations of the ungodly,

2 Peter 2:6

6 and if he turned to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when he condemned them to destruction, ^{▼▼ Several important witnesses omit καταστροφῇ (katastrofē, “destruction”; such as Ƥ^72* B C* 1241 1739 1881 pc), but this is probably best explained as an accidental omission due to homoioarcton (the word following is κατέκρινεν [katekrinen, “he condemned“]).} ^{▼▼ Or “ruin,” or “extinction.” The first part of this verse more literally reads “And [if] he condemned to annihilation the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, by turning them to ashes.”} ^{▼▼ The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is detailed in Gen 18:16—19:29.} having appointed ^{▼▼ The perfect participle τεθεικώς (tetheikōs) suggests an antecedent act. More idiomatically, the idea seems to be, “because he had already appointed them to serve as an example.”} them to serve as an example ^{▼▼ “To serve as” is not in Greek but is implied in the object-complement construction.} to future generations of the ungodly, ^{▼▼ Grk “an example of the things coming to the ungodly,” or perhaps “an example to the ungodly of coming [ages].”}