2 Peter 3:16

‘As also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsteadfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.'

However, he acknowledges that some of what Paul says is ‘hard to understand', being open to false manipulation. This may well have been referring to his doctrine of justification by faith alone without works as especially found in Romans and Galatians. Such teaching in unwise and unscrupulous hands could be twisted to mean that men could live as they liked. This may well have been what these false teachers were doing.

Some twist God's word because they are ‘ignorant'. They are ill-taught. Others do it because they are unscrupulous. But they should all beware, for it could result in their own destruction. The word ‘wrest' is very vivid and means to ‘subject to torture'.

The comparison of Paul's letters (such as had come to Peter's attention at the time) with ‘the other Scriptures' (the word graphai always means the Scriptures) demonstrates in what high regard apostolic letters were held. They were seen as Scripture (compare 2 Peter 3:1 above where the teaching of the prophets and the Apostles is spoken of in the same breath). This is not surprising. Paul had made quite clear when he was writing that his letters were of great authority, and that he expected his readers to recognise the fact (2 Thessalonians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 2:16; 1Co 7:17; 1 Corinthians 14:37; see also Colossians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:27). And Jesus had Himself emphasised that His Apostles would be guided into all truth (John 16:13). These Apostolic men were the founders of the new teaching. That was why the later church sought to separate their writings off from all others.