II Peter 2:7 · Bible study
2 Peter 2:7 Commentary: Lot, Righteous in a Corrupt World
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examines how Peter calls Lot 'righteous' despite his failures in Genesis, looking at the Greek terms, the historical context, and the theological significance for
Research Summary
- Meaning: Peter uses Lot as a case study: God rescues the righteous person who is internally grieved by surrounding wickedness, even when that person has obvious moral flaws.
- Key words: δίκαιον (righteous/just, used 3x in vv. 7-8); καταπονούμενον (being worn down, present passive participle); ἀσέλγεια (unbridled lust, licentiousness); ἄθεσμος (lawless, one who breaks restraint).
- Main debate: Can Lot truly be called 'righteous' in light of his failures in Genesis (offering his daughters, drunkenness with his daughters)? Some see imputed righteousness; others see a genuine but imperfect character.
- Theological theme: The sovereignty of God in deliverance, God knows how to rescue the godly out of temptation (v. 9) and judges the ungodly, even when the godly are imperfect.
- Best use: A pastoral reassurance for believers who feel morally exhausted living in a corrupt culture; also a sobering reminder that persistent sin torments a righteous soul.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless
WEB World English Bible 2000
and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked
KJV King James Version 1769
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and righteous Lot, worn down by the conduct in lasciviousness of the impious, He did rescue,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and saved righteous Lot, distressed with the abandoned conversation of thegodless,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And delivered just Lot, oppressed by the injustice and lewd conversation of the wicked:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y libró al justo Lot, acosado por la nefanda|strong="G1722, G0766" conducta de los malvados;
E livrou ao justo Ló, que estava cansado do corrupto modo de viver dos maus.
et s’ il a délivré le juste Lot, profondément attristé de la conduite de ces hommes sans frein dans leur dissolution
und hat erlöst den gerechten Lot, welchem die schändlichen Leute alles Leid taten mit ihrem unzüchtigen Wandel;
En den rechtvaardigen Lot, die vermoeid was van den ontuchtigen wandel der gruwelijken mensen, daaruit verlost heeft;
e se salvò il giusto Lot che era contristato dalla lasciva condotta degli scellerati
A sprawiedliwego Lota, onych niezbożników rozpustnem obcowaniem strapionego, wyrwał.
а праведного Лота, утомленного обращением между людьми неистово развратными, избавил
只 搭救了 那常為 惡人 淫 行 憂傷 的義人 羅得。
And kept safe Lot, the upright man, who was deeply troubled by the unclean life of the evil-doers
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Peter 2:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Peter calls Lot 'righteous' (δίκαιον) not because he was sinless, but because he was grieved by the wickedness around him and God delivered him. Barnes notes that Lot 'preserved himself uncontaminated amidst the surrounding wickedness,' and Matthew Henry stresses that God 'does not account men just or unjust from one single act, but from their general course of life.' The Greek verb kataponoumenon (καταπονούμενον) means 'worn down' or 'sore distressed', Vincent observes that the prefix kata- intensifies the idea of being burdened. This distress, Gill adds, proves Lot's righteousness: 'to a good man, not only his own sins, but the sins of others, are a burden.' The phrase 'filthy conversation' (the licentious behavior of people who were lawless, athesmōn) describes the open shamelessness of Sodom, which tormented Lot daily. All sources see this verse as part of Peter's argument in verses 4-9: God knows how to rescue the godly and punish the wicked.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Imputed righteousness view: Reformed commentators (Gill, Calvin) argue that Lot was 'just' because of God's imputed righteousness through faith, not his own moral record—supported by Paul's teaching on justification (Romans 4) and Peter's statement that God 'knows how to deliver the godly.'
- Inherent integrity view: Arminian and Wesleyan traditions (e.g., Adam Clarke, Wesley) emphasize that Lot's daily distress proves an inward righteousness that, while imperfect, was genuine—supported by 2 Peter 2:8 where he 'vexed his righteous soul.'
- Relational/ covenantal view: Some recent commentators see 'righteous' as describing Lot's covenant relationship with God: he was part of Abraham's family and thus under God's protection—supported by Genesis 19:29 ('God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out').
What is clear: Peter unambiguously calls Lot 'righteous' and uses him as a positive example of God's deliverance, regardless of the moral ambiguities in the Genesis narrative.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Lot's righteousness in light of his moral failures | All traditions see Lot as having a genuine relationship with God that distinguished him from the Sodomites. His distress over their sin is the evidence Peter points to. God delivered him because of His mercy. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions tend to see Lot's righteousness as a mixture of grace and personal cooperation, he remained just despite falling. Reformed traditions emphasize that his righteousness is ultimately imputed; he was saved in spite of his failures, not because of his virtue. Some Arminian traditions stress his inward integrity: he did not join in sin, even if he acted badly out of fear. |
| Interpretation of 'day to day' distress | All agree that Lot's daily grief proves he was not complicit in Sodom's sin. His sensitivity to evil was ongoing, not occasional. | Some (e.g., Matthew Henry) argue this daily anguish is a normal mark of genuine righteousness. Others caution that chronic distress without action can become passive, Lot never left until forced. The debate is about whether his grief was enough, or whether he should have fled sooner. |
| The nature of 'lasciviousness' (aselgeia) in the passage | All agree the word denotes shameless, unrestrained sexual immorality, as seen in Genesis 19. It is the hallmark of Sodom's culture. | No significant debate on definition, but some (e.g., Cambridge Bible) note that the phrase 'in lasciviousness' is adverbial, modifying 'conduct', making the phrase 'conduct in lasciviousness.' Others see it as simply 'licentious behavior.' The difference is slight. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Lot appears in Genesis 13-19 as Abraham's nephew who chose to settle near Sodom, a city whose men were 'exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh' (Genesis 13:13). The traditional account of Sodom's destruction (Genesis 19) shows Lot offering his daughters to protect his angelic guests, a morally disturbing action. Jewish tradition after the Old Testament often vilified Lot. Gill cites rabbinic sources that called Lot 'a perfect wicked man' and 'the evil imagination.' Philo the Jew gave a more balanced view, saying Lot 'did not embrace and delight in the iniquities of the inhabitants, though he did not arrive to the perfection of wisdom.' Peter directly counters this negative tradition, calling Lot 'righteous' three times in verses 7-8.
Peter uses Lot as the third of three examples, the fallen angels, the flood generation, and Sodom, to show that God punishes sin but rescues the faithful. Lot's deliverance (Genesis 19:16, 29) is attributed to God's mercy, not Lot's own merit. The Greek verb errusato (ἐρρύσατο, 'he rescued') is the same root used for being drawn from danger, emphasizing God's active intervention. The setting of Sodom would have resonated with Peter's readers: they too lived in a culture of open licentiousness (aselgeia, debauchery). Peter's point is that godly people can be preserved even in the most corrupt environments, and their internal anguish over sin is a mark of genuine righteousness.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 2 Peter 2:7. The wording is stable across the major Greek manuscripts. A few later manuscripts add the article before 'Lot' (τὸν Λώτ), but this does not change the meaning. The verb errusato (ἐρρύσατο) appears in the aorist indicative, consistent across the tradition.
Reception History
In early Jewish tradition, Lot was often vilified, rabbinic sources as late as the medieval period called him a 'perfect wicked man' (cited by Gill). The author of the Wisdom of Solomon (first century BC) took a different line, calling Lot 'the righteous man' who fled the fire. Peter stands firmly in that latter tradition. The early church (e.g., Clement of Rome) used Lot as an example of hospitality and of God's sparing the righteous. In the Reformation, Luther and Calvin saw Lot as an illustration of the justified sinner, righteous by faith yet still flawed. Later commentators like Matthew Henry and Barnes focused on the pastoral application: the pain of living in a corrupt society. In modern evangelical preaching, Lot is often presented as a warning: one can be saved 'yet so as through fire' (1 Corinthians 3:15), rescued by grace despite poor choices.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Righteousness defined by grief over sin. Peter calls Lot 'righteous' (δίκαιον) not because he was flawless, but because his soul was vexed daily by the lawlessness around him. True righteousness mourns evil.
- The cost of proximity to corruption. Lot was 'worn down' (kataponoumenon), a participle describing continuous, crushing weight. Living in sin-saturated culture took a toll on his soul. It still does.
- God's rescue of the godly amid judgment. The Lord 'knows how to deliver' (oiden … rhuesthai). Lot was not saved by his own scrambling; angelic hands grabbed his, 'Yahweh being merciful to him' (Genesis 19:16). Grace saved him.
Five-point outline
- Character of Lot: Called 'just', the prevailing bent of his life was toward God.
- Context of Sodom: Open, shameless aselgeia, unbridled lust and insolence.
- Conviction of conscience: He was 'sore distressed' day after day; sin never became normal to him.
- Conflict of culture: He felt trapped, like the psalmist who cried 'Woe is me, that I live in Meshech' (Psalm 120:5).
- Conclusion of deliverance: God's mercy and power rescue the righteous even when they linger (Genesis 19:16).
Illustration hooks
- A nurse working in a unit where profanity and gossip are the norm, feels the daily drain, but chooses not to join in.
- A teacher who is the only colleague refusing to laugh at degrading jokes about students; the loneliness of moral dissent.
- A family living next door to a noisy, morally chaotic household, they can't move, but they pray and try to be a quiet witness.
Questions your congregation is asking
- 'Does a single bad decision cancel my standing with God?' Lot made terrible choices (offering his daughters, lingering), but Peter still calls him righteous. How does that work?
- 'Is it a sin to be stuck in a toxic environment?' The verse shows Lot was distressed but not condemned for staying. Sometimes God leaves us in hard places to preserve a witness, or to teach us dependence.
- 'How do I keep my soul sensitive to sin without becoming bitter or overwhelmed?' Lot's daily anguish was real, yet he remained faithful. What keeps a believer from burnout?
Leading a Discussion
Peter reminds his readers, and us, that God 'knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation' (v. 9). But the example of Lot raises hard questions: Can a morally compromised person still be called righteous? What does it mean to be 'worn down' by the sin around you? This passage invites a group to explore the relationship between daily anguish, personal failure, and the mercy that pulls us out.
Discussion questions
- Read 2 Peter 2:4-9 out loud. What is Peter proving with his three examples (angels, flood, Sodom)? How does Lot fit into that argument?
- Peter calls Lot 'righteous' three times (verses 7, 8). Why is this surprising, given the stories in Genesis 13 and 19? What does this tell us about how God sees people?
- The Greek word kataponoumenon ('vexed' or 'worn down') is used only here and in Acts 7:24. What does the prefix kata- add to the meaning? How does 'worn down' differ from 'slightly annoyed'?
- In verse 8, Lot is tormented 'day to day', his distress was chronic. Share an example (without naming names) of a situation where you felt that kind of long-term pressure from living around ungodliness.
- Some Jewish traditions completely blackened Lot's character. Why do you think Peter deliberately describes him as 'righteous'? What was at stake for Peter's original readers?
- How does Genesis 19:16, 'Yahweh being merciful to him', shape the way we understand Lot's rescue? Was it his own merit or God's mercy?
- This passage ends in verse 9 with the Lord knowing how to deliver the godly. How does that promise help you face a 'Sodom' in your own life, a situation where doing right feels exhausting?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 13:13 | Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh. |
| Genesis 19:7 | He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t act so wickedly. |
| Genesis 19:8 | See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.” |
| Genesis 19:16 | But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city. |
| Genesis 19:22 | Hurry, escape there, for I can’t do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. |
| Genesis 19:29 | When God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived. |
| Psalms 120:5 | Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! |
| Jeremiah 9:1 | Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights that the original Greek word for "vexed" means "exceedingly pained," underscoring the deep inner distress Lot felt. This torment came from the openly lawless, immoral behavior of those around him, as recorded in Genesis 19.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that God's rescue of Lot proves He distinguishes the righteous from the wicked, saving the former while destroying the latter. Lot is called just because he kept himself unstained amid Sodom's open, shameless corruption. His heart was wearied and burdened by the licentious conduct he was forced to witness daily.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools note clarifies that the phrase commonly rendered as “filthy conversation” more precisely describes distress over the lawless people’s conduct, specifically their lasciviousness. The word “conversation” here refers to one’s overall mode of life, not merely speech.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that Lot was a righteous man who was inwardly tormented by the immoral conduct around him. God’s deliverance came not despite but because of this vexation, showing that righteous souls can be deeply distressed by surrounding wickedness and yet be rescued by God.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill defends Lot's character against Jewish traditions that portray him as wicked, insisting instead that Lot was a righteous man justified by Christ's righteousness. He argues that Scripture calls Lot just precisely because he was grieved by the filthy behavior of the Sodomites, even though he was not sinless.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Scripture highlights Lot's faithfulness while passing over his later sin in the cave, a pattern also seen with Rahab. The point is that God records the righteous conduct that matters for the passage, not every moral failure.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that Lot's righteousness was proven by his ongoing, daily grief over the wickedness around him, which familiarity never dulled. For Henry, this shows God does not judge by single acts but by the general bent of a person's life, and that such grief is the mark of a just soul preserved by God.