--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It would have been better for them not to…" description: "\"“It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back. 2 Peter 2:21”\" — Beth Moore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/beth-moore-212_justice_it-would-have-been-better-for-them-not-t_2589946.png" --- # It would have been better for them not to have known the… ![“It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back. 2 Peter 2:21” quote by Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/beth-moore-212_justice_it-would-have-been-better-for-them-not-t_2589946.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/beth-moore-212_justice_it-would-have-been-better-for-them-not-t_2589946.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/beth-moore-212_justice_it-would-have-been-better-for-them-not-t_2589946.png) > ““It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back. 2 Peter 2:21”” [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowing righteousness and then abandoning it is worse than never knowing it. **In simple terms:** Turning away after learning is harmful. Key Takeaway Hold fast to learned values. Themes faith righteousness commitment Mood solemn cautionary Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - religious practice - personal growth - education - leadership Key Concepts spiritual integrity moral decay Questions to Reflect On - What prevents you from returning to old ways? - How to stay committed after setbacks? 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Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-price/) > [“the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-people-of-israel-who-pursued-the-law-as-the-way-of-righteousness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Remember Matthew 6:33? “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/remember-matthew-6-33-seek-first-his-kingdom-and-his-righteousness/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“So it’s clear that nothing good can come from our good works. 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When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/righteousness-is-faith-in-motion-it-is-the-work-of-faith-the-faith-we/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [“Jesus came to give his righteousness not to condemn the unrighteous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-canoza/jesus-came-to-give-his-righteousness-not-to-condemn-the-unrighteous/) [Mac Canoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-canoza/) > [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Two Things that measure Righteousness: The Way You Manage when You Have Nothing & Way You Behave when You Have Everything!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sultan/two-things-that-measure-righteousness-the-way-you-manage-when-you/) [Sultan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sultan/) > [Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains - if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteousness-and-faith-certainly-are-instrumental-in-moving/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Not simply the righteousness of our Saviour, not simply the beauty of His holiness or the graces of His character, are we to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adoniram-judson-gordon/not-simply-the-righteousness-of-our-saviour-not-simply-the-beauty-of/) [Adoniram Judson Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adoniram-judson-gordon/) > [The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david/the-lord-is-my-shepherd-i-shall-not-want-he-maketh-me-to-lie-down-in/) [David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) ## More by Beth Moore > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [Nothing will kill what you've been called to do more than comparing yourself to someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/nothing-will-kill-what-you-ve-been-called-to-do-more-than-comparing/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [Soothing words can become just another drug we swallow to dull our pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/soothing-words-can-become-just-another-drug-we-swallow-to-dull-our/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“If your expectation of God’s Word in your life has been small, I ask you to consider giving it far more credit. Second Timothy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/if-your-expectation-of-god-s-word-in-your-life-has-been-small-i-ask/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [You cannot keep doing the same thing, the same way, and keep expecting something different to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/you-cannot-keep-doing-the-same-thing-the-same-way-and-keep-expecting/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“How like Jesus to start stitching a heart back together even as the knife was tearing it apart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/how-like-jesus-to-start-stitching-a-heart-back-together-even-as-the/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“I will meditate on Your precepts and think about Your ways. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. Psalm 119:15–16”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/i-will-meditate-on-your-precepts-and-think-about-your-ways-i-will/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“God reserves the right to say what gets to enter the gates and what does not. Revelation 21 concludes with these words: “Nothing impure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/god-reserves-the-right-to-say-what-gets-to-enter-the-gates-and-what/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens. Ephesians 1:20”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/he-demonstrated-this-power-in-the-messiah-by-raising-him-from-the/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Let us be glad, rejoice, and give Him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself. Revelation 19:7”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/let-us-be-glad-rejoice-and-give-him-glory-because-the-marriage-of-the/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Being created in the image of our omnipotent God, our spoken words are potent. Speaking what we believe—even from ourselves to ourselves—is like inviting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/being-created-in-the-image-of-our-omnipotent-god-our-spoken-words-are/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Faith is not just something you have. Faith is something you do. It can turn a noun into a verb quicker than you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/faith-is-not-just-something-you-have-faith-is-something-you-do-it-can/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Remember Matthew 6:33? “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/remember-matthew-6-33-seek-first-his-kingdom-and-his-righteousness/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him like that. 2 Corinthians 5:16”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/even-if-we-have-known-christ-in-a-purely-human-way-yet-now-we-no/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Don’t get discouraged if you don’t have or don’t presently practice everything God desires of you. Pray for what you lack! When you pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/don-t-get-discouraged-if-you-don-t-have-or-don-t-presently-practice/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) [Explore all 892 Beth Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) ## More Justice quotes > [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/) [Lilian Salan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-salan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [“Why do so many people do nothing? I think it’s because most of us look at the evils and injustice around us, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/why-do-so-many-people-do-nothing-i-think-it-s-because-most-of-us-look/) [John C. 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Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-p-ryan/) > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [At minimum, we must recognize that there are legitimate, unanswered questions about whether the Obama Justice Department involved themselves in a political project targeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/at-minimum-we-must-recognize-that-there-are-legitimate-unanswered/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [We need to incorporate that age-old concept of redemption into the work that we do in the criminal justice system in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-need-to-incorporate-that-age-old-concept-of-redemption-into-the/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [There is no freedom without justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/there-is-no-freedom-without-justice/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [“The absence of judgment becomes a catalyst and an enabler for greater injustice. 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