Contradiction with John 10:28
This verse suggests eternal security, indicating that true believers will never perish, contradicting the idea in 2 Peter 2:20 that one can be worse off after knowing the way of righteousness.
John 10:28: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.
Contradiction with Romans 8:38-39
These verses assert that nothing can separate believers from the love of God, contrasting with 2 Peter 2:20 which implies falling away after knowing Christ.
Romans 8:38-39: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Contradiction with Hebrews 6:4-6
These verses talk about the impossibility of renewal to repentance for those who fall away, differing from 2 Peter 2:20 that concerns being entangled again in the world's corruption.
Hebrews 6:4-6: For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Contradiction with 1 John 5:18
This verse states that anyone born of God does not continue to sin, conflicting with 2 Peter 2:20 where individuals return to their sinful ways.
1 John 5:18: We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. [is born: Gr. has been born]
Contradiction with Philippians 1:6
This verse expresses confidence that God will complete the good work in believers, which opposes the notion in 2 Peter 2:20 of reverting to a worse state after knowing righteousness.
Philippians 1:6: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ: [perform: or, finish]
Contradiction with Jude 1:24
This verse claims that God is able to keep believers from falling, contrasting with 2 Peter 2:20 which talks about escaping and then returning to entanglement in the world.
Jude 1:24: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Paradox #1
2 Peter 2:20 might raise questions about the permanence of salvation. Some Christian beliefs hold that once a person is saved, they cannot lose their salvation. However, this verse suggests that it is possible to fall back into a worse state after initially accepting Christ. This can seem inconsistent with the idea of "once saved, always saved."
Paradox #2
The potential conflict in 2 Peter 2:20 might be with the idea of eternal security or "once saved, always saved." This verse suggests that if a person who has escaped the world's corruption through knowing Jesus returns to it, their situation becomes worse than before. This seems to contradict the belief that once a person is truly saved, they cannot lose their salvation and their eternal state is secure, regardless of future actions or choices.
Paradox #3
The contradiction or inconsistency in 2 Peter 2:20 could be the idea that people who have come to know what is right and good, but then turn away and return to their old bad ways, end up being worse off than they were before. This might seem unfair or harsh, as it suggests that trying to change can lead to a worse outcome if not maintained, which could discourage people from attempting to improve themselves in the first place.