promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved.
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.
- BSB They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
- 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.
- 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 answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin.
- Rom 6:16–22Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?
- Gal 5:1Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
- Gal 5:13For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.
- 1 Pet 2:16as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.
- Titus 3:3For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
- 2 Tim 2:26and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.
- Jer 23:9Concerning the prophets: My heart within me is broken. All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of Yahweh, and because of his holy words.
- Rom 6:12–14Therefore don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
- 2 Pet 2:20For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
- Isa 28:1Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with 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.'
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Original language
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