Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Peter 2:20

"For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first." — 2 Peter 2:20 (ASV)

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world.—This applies the general statement of the preceding verse to the case of these false teachers. In the Shepherd of Hermas (Book 1, Vision 4, Chapter 3, Section 2), it says, “the black there is the world in which we dwell, and the fire-and-blood-color (indicates) that this world must perish through blood and fire; but the golden part are you who have escaped this world.” This is another possible reminiscence of our Epistle. (See above on 2 Peter 2:1; 2 Peter 3:13; 2 Peter 3:15; and below, on 2 Peter 3:5.)

Through the knowledge.—Better, in knowledge; the preposition “in” points to that in which the escape consists. (See the note on 2 Peter 2:18, and compare to Luke 1:77.) The knowledge is of the same mature and complete kind as that spoken of in 2 Peter 1:2–3; 2 Peter 1:8 (where see the Notes), showing that these men were well-instructed Christians.

Entangled therein, and overcome.—Or, entangled and overcome thereby, which, from the latter part of 2 Peter 2:19, seems to be the more probable construction.

The latter end is worse with them than the beginning.—Most certainly this should be made to correspond with Matthew 12:45, of which it is almost an exact reproduction—their last state is worse than the first. The only difference is that the word for “is” in Matthew 12:45 literally means “becomes,” and here “has become.” (Compare to the Shepherd, Similitude 9, Chapter 17, Section 5.)