Those who twist the Scriptures bring destruction on themselves and mislead those who follow their distorted teaching.
Second Peter 3:16 warns that the unlearned and unstable twist Paul's writings, as they do the other Scriptures, "unto their own destruction." Les Feldick connects this twisting to cults and perversions of the gospel, showing that it is not a harmless difference of opinion.
2 Peter 3:16 — This verse directly answers the question by stating that those who twist Paul's writings do so to their own destruction.
Galatians 1:7 — It shows that twisting the gospel is a perversion that Paul confronted in the Galatian churches.
Acts 17:11 — It gives the biblical pattern for guarding against twisted teaching: searching the Scriptures daily.
In 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter acknowledges that Paul's epistles contain "some things hard to be understood." He then warns: "which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." The Bible's verdict is clear: twisting Scripture is not a harmless difference of opinion; it leads to the destruction of those who do it. Paul makes a related point in Galatians 1:7, where he describes those who would "pervert the gospel of Christ." The word "pervert" means to twist the message of salvation out of its true shape. The Bible also gives the remedy. Acts 17:11 says the Bereans "searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." And 2 Peter 1:20 declares that no Scripture is of any private interpretation, so the message must be compared with the whole of Scripture rather than twisted in isolation.
Les Feldick begins with 2 Peter 3:16, noting that Peter wrote by inspiration that some things in Paul's letters are hard to be understood. Yet the "unlearned and unstable" twist those writings, and Les observes that people become masters at it. That is where the cults come in, and their end result is "their own destruction" (Clip 1). Les defines Scripture twisting as perversion. He says a perversion is truth twisted far enough off-center that it misleads people (Clip 6). When teachers add to, take from, or twist the pure gospel, it becomes another gospel — the same problem Paul confronted in Galatia (Clip 7). As the remedy, Les urges believers to search the Scriptures daily like the Bereans (Clip 5), compare Scripture with Scripture instead of building doctrine on isolated verses (Clip 4), and move from the milk of the Word to the stronger meat found in Paul's epistles (Clip 0).
Peter says that in all of Paul's epistles there are "some things hard to be understood." Those who are "unlearned and unstable wrest" these writings "as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." Les points out that even Peter, as a well-taught Jew, could not fully comprehend all that Paul wrote.
Les says people twist Scripture so that it fits what they think it should say. He calls this perversion: truth twisted off-center until it misleads people. The Scripture itself says the end result for those who twist is "their own destruction," which Les calls hard language.
Paul told the Galatians that some were troubling them and would "pervert the gospel of Christ." Les explains that a perversion twists the gospel out of shape — people use the same basic message but add to it, take from it, or twist it until it becomes "another gospel." This is exactly what Les says has happened with higher criticism and modern teaching.
Les points to the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul taught was true. He also teaches that no Scripture is of private interpretation, so believers should compare all of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. The goal, he says, is to move beyond the milk of the Word and get into the strong meat of Paul's epistles, where salvation is revealed for today.
Milk to Meat
Les urges believers to throw away the 'milk bottle' and get into the strong meat of Paul's letters so they can grow instead of remaining on elementary teaching.
Unlearned and Unstable Twist to Destruction
Peter says unlearned and unstable people twist the hard parts of Paul's writings; Les notes that cults are masters at this and their end is their own destruction.
Twisting Scripture to Fit Human Thinking
Peter admitted he could not comprehend all that Paul wrote; since Peter's day people have twisted Scripture so that it fits what they think it should say.
Peter Points to Paul's Epistles for Salvation
Les shows Peter directing readers to Paul's epistles for salvation, and he reiterates that those who twist the writings do so to their own destruction.
Compare Scripture With Scripture
Because no Scripture is a private interpretation, Les says believers must compare Scripture with Scripture and use all of Genesis through Revelation.
Search the Scriptures Like the Bereans
Les holds up the Bereans as the pattern: after hearing teaching, they searched the Scriptures daily to test what was said.
Perversion Twists Off-Center
Les defines perversion as truth twisted off-center; he shows that the Galatians were already being perverted by those who insisted on keeping the Mosaic Law.
Twisted Gospel Becomes Another Gospel
Les explains that when people add to or take from the gospel, it becomes another gospel, which is the perversion Paul warned about.
2 Peter 3:16: As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
This is the key verse describing what happens when people twist Scripture.
2 Peter 3:15: And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
Peter identifies Paul's writings as the subject of the warning about hard-to-understand things.
Galatians 1:7: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Paul describes the twisting/perverting of the gospel as the work of troublers.
Acts 17:11: These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
The Bereans show the proper response to any teaching: test it against Scripture.
2 Peter 1:20: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
Les uses this verse to explain why believers must compare all of Scripture rather than interpret isolated verses.
Hebrews 5:14: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Les references the strength of the Word as what believers should grow into.
Yes. Second Peter 3:16 says the unlearned and unstable 'wrest' Paul's writings, as they do the other Scriptures, 'unto their own destruction.' Les calls this hard language and takes it literally as the end result for those who twist Scripture.
He defines perversion as truth twisted far enough off-center that it misleads people. When teachers add to the gospel, take from it, or twist it out of shape, it becomes another gospel.
Les says to search the Scriptures daily like the Bereans, compare Scripture with Scripture, and get into Paul's epistles. He tells people not to argue with him but to open the book and see whether these things are so.
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