1. 2 Peter 2:10 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Who are the glorious ones?

2 Peter 2:10 (ESV)

10 and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,

Glorious ones (celestial beings in the NIV) is likely a reference to angels in general, or archangels such as Michael (Daniel 10:13, Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1; Revelation 12:7–9) or Gabriel (Daniel 8:16). In light of the fact that Peter freely adapts material from Jude to suit his own purposes,1 he could perhaps also be referring to the devil (see Jude 1:8–10).2 Elsewhere in the Bible fear rather than arrogance is deemed to be the appropriate human response to angels (see Matthew 28:5; Luke 1:13, Luke 1:30; Luke 2:9–10).