##### "It has become for them worse than at the first." #####
From the context, "them" probably refers to false teachers. These people were not Christians but came to hear the gospel message and understood it enough to further their own selfish desires. It is unlikely this passage teaches that Christians who begin to live sinful lives will lose their salvation because of their actions. This is because all Christians remain sinful after they are saved. The context favors this passage as referencing unsaved false teachers. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/sin]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/save]])
#### Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter ####
##### Flesh #####
This is a complex issue and it is possible that "flesh" is a metaphor for a person's sinful nature. It is not the physical part of man that is sinful and it appears that while man remains alive ("in the flesh"), he will remain sinful regardless of his effort, but his new nature will be fighting against his old nature. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/flesh]])
##### Implicit knowledge #####
There are several analogies that are difficult to understand if the Old Testament has not yet been translated. Further explanation may be necessary. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
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