They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
Parallel translations
- WEB promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him.
- KJV While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
- NKJV While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
- NASB promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved.
- NLT They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They promise freedom while being themselves slaves of corruption, for whatever masters a person enslaves him. It matters because sin disguised as liberty actually enslaves both teacher and follower.
Overview
The false teachers advertise liberty but are themselves in bondage to the very corruption they spread. Peter states a timeless principle: a person is enslaved by whatever overcomes him. True freedom is found only in Christ, not in the licentiousness these teachers promote.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- John 8:34Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
- Rom 6:16–22Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?
- Gal 5:1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
- Gal 5:13For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
- 1 Pet 2:16Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
- Titus 3:3For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
- 2 Tim 2:26Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.
- Jer 23:9As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones tremble. I have become like a drunkard, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD, because of His holy words.
- Rom 6:12–14Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.
- 2 Pet 2:20If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.
- Isa 28:1Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower of his glorious splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, the pride of those overcome by wine.
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Christ at the center
The sure word of the prophets and the promise of the coming day of the Lord anchor the believer in the knowledge of 'our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.'
How 2 Peter 2:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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