1 Peter 2:16

1 Peter 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
• New International Version (NIV)Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

Context of 1 Peter 2:16

14Also obey governors. They are people the emperor has sent to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right. Live as free people, but don’t hide behind your freedom when you do evil. Instead, use your freedom to serve God. 17Honor everyone. Love your brothers and sisters in the faith. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18Slaves, place yourselves under the authority of your owners and show them complete respect. Obey not only those owners who are good and kind, but also those who are unfair.

1 Peter 2:16 word by word

ὡς ἐλεύθεροι καὶ μὴ ὡς ἐπικάλυμμα ἔχοντες τῆς κακίας τὴν ἐλευθερίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς θεοῦ δοῦλοι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• freeἐλεύθεροςeleutheros · free/freedomG1658
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• notμήmē · notG3361
• usingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• libertyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• libertyἐλευθερίαeleutheria · freedomG1657
• a clokeἐπικάλυμμαepikaluma · coveringG1942
• of maliciousnessκακίαkakia · evilG2549
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• the servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for 1 Peter 2:16

• John 8:32You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
• Romans 6:18Freed from sin, you were made slaves who do what God approves of.
• 1 Corinthians 7:22If the Lord called you when you were a slave, you are the Lord’s free person. In the same way, if you were free when you were called, you are Christ’s slave.
• Galatians 5:1Christ has freed us so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. Therefore, be firm ⌞in this freedom⌟, and don’t become slaves again.
• James 1:25However, the person who continues to study God’s perfect laws that make people free and who remains committed to them will be blessed. People like that don’t merely listen and forget; they actually do what God’s laws say.
• James 2:12Talk and act as people who are going to be judged by laws that bring freedom.
• 2 Peter 2:19They promise these people freedom, but they themselves are slaves to corruption. A person is a slave to whatever he gives in to.
• Jude 1:4Some people have slipped in among you unnoticed. Not long ago they were condemned in writing for the following reason: They are people to whom God means nothing. They use God’s kindness as an excuse for sexual freedom and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
• John 15:22If I hadn’t come and spoken to them, they wouldn’t have any sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:5As you know, we never used flattery or schemes to make money. God is our witness!
• Ephesians 6:6Don’t obey them only while you’re being watched, as if you merely wanted to please people. But obey like slaves who belong to Christ, who have a deep desire to do what God wants them to do.
• Colossians 3:24You know that your real master will give you an inheritance as your reward. It is Christ, your real master, whom you are serving.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 2:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16As free - The Jews pretended that they were a free people, and owed allegiance to God alone; hence they were continually rebelling against the Roman government, to which God had subjected them because of their rebellion against him: thus they used their liberty for a cloak of maliciousness - for a pretext of rebellion, and by it endeavored to vindicate their seditious and rebellious conduct. But as the servants of God - These were free from sin and Satan…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16As free - That is, they were to consider themselves as freemen, as having a right to liberty. The Jews boasted much of their freedom, and regarded it as a birthright privilege that they were free, John 8:33. They never willingly acknowledged their subjection to any other power, but claimed it as an elementary idea of their civil constitution that God only was their Sovereign. They were indeed conquered by the Romans, and paid tribute, but they did it…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 A Christian conversation must be honest; which it cannot be, if there is not a just and careful discharge of all relative duties: the apostle here treats of these distinctly. Regard to those duties is the will of God, consequently, the Christian's duty, and the way to silence the base slanders of ignorant and foolish men. Christians must endeavour, in all relations, to behave aright, that they do not make their liberty a cloak or covering for…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-25This section focuses on the key instruction to submit to all human authority. Peter applies this instruction to several relationships: Christians should accept the authority of those in government (2:13–17). Christian slaves should accept the authority of their masters (2:18–25). Christian wives should accept the authority of their husbands (3:1–6). Peter appears to follow an early Christian use of the traditional household code. This code gave a series…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. As free--as "the Lord's freemen," connected with 1Pe 2:15, doing well as being free. "Well-doing" (1Pe 2:15) is the natural fruit of being freemen of Christ, made free by "the truth" from the bondage of sin. Duty is enforced on us to guard against licentiousness, but the way in which it is to be fulfilled, is by love and the holy instincts of Christian liberty. We are given principles, not details. not using--Greek, "not as having your liberty for a…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 2:16

• Citizens
• Cloak
• Commandments
• Example
• Government
• Hypocrisy
• Self-Denial
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bishop
• Chosen
• Cloke
• Disallow
• Fleshly
• Offer
• Sincere
• Spiritual

Commentaries on 1 Peter 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings