"after they have escaped the defilements of the world" and "they are again entangled therein".
:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
no where, does it say either the leaders or the followers were saved. It says they had knowledge of the truth and forsook it
That verse does not say they were saved. Scripture does not contradict itself.