2 Peter 2:19

2 Peter 2:19 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
• New King James Version (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.

Context of 2 Peter 2:19

17These false teachers are dried-up springs. They are a mist blown around by a storm. Gloomy darkness has been kept for them. 18They arrogantly use nonsense to seduce people by appealing to their sexual desires, especially to sexual freedom. They seduce people who have just escaped from those who live in error. They promise these people freedom, but they themselves are slaves to corruption. A person is a slave to whatever he gives in to. 20People can know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and escape the world’s filth. But if they get involved in this filth again and give in to it, they are worse off than they were before. 21It would have been better for them never to have known the way of life that God approves of than to know it and turn their backs on the holy life God told them to live.

2 Peter 2:19 word by word

ἐλευθερίαν αὐτοῖς ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, αὐτοὶ δοῦλοι ὑπάρχοντες τῆς φθορᾶς· ᾧ γάρ τις ἥττηται, τούτῳ δεδούλωται.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• While they promiseἐπαγγέλλωepaggellō · to professG1861
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• libertyἐλευθερίαeleutheria · freedomG1657
• areὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
• the servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• of corruptionὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of corruptionφθοράphthora · corruptionG5356
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• of whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• a manτιςtis · oneG5100
• is overcomeἡσσάομαιhēttaō · be lesserG2274
• of the sameοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• ·καίkai · andG2532
• is he brought in bondageδουλόωdouloō · to enslaveG1402

Cross-references for 2 Peter 2:19

• 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.
• 1 Peter 2:16Live as free people, but don’t hide behind your freedom when you do evil. Instead, use your freedom to serve God.
• John 8:34Jesus answered them, “I can guarantee this truth: Whoever lives a sinful life is a slave to sin.
• Romans 6:12Therefore, never let sin rule your physical body so that you obey its desires.
• 2 Peter 2:20People can know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and escape the world’s filth. But if they get involved in this filth again and give in to it, they are worse off than they were before.
• Isaiah 28:1How horrible it will be for the arrogant drunks of Ephraim. Their glorious beauty is ⌞like⌟ a withered flower. They are at the entrance to a fertile valley where they lie drunk from wine.
• Jeremiah 23:9“⌞Say this⌟ about the prophets: I am deeply disturbed. All my bones tremble. I am like a drunk, like a person who has had too much wine, because of the Lord and his holy words.
• 2 Timothy 2:26Then they might come back to their senses and God will free them from the devil’s snare so that they can do his will.

Commentaries on 2 Peter 2:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19While they promise them liberty - Either to live in the highest degrees of spiritual good, or a freedom from the Roman yoke; or from the yoke of the law, or what they might term needless restraints. Their own conduct showed the falsity of their system; for they were slaves to every disgraceful lust. For of whom a man is overcome - This is an allusion to the ancient custom of selling for slaves those whom they had conquered and captivated in war. The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19While they promise them liberty - True religion always promises and produces liberty (see the notes at John 8:36), but the particular liberty which these persons seem to have promised, was freedom from what they regarded as needless restraint, or from strict and narrow views of religion. They themselves are the servants of corruption - They are the slaves of gross and corrupt passions, themselves utter strangers to freedom, and bound in the chains of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-22Verses 17-22 The word of truth is the water of life, which refreshes the souls that receive it; but deceivers spread and promote error, and are set forth as empty, because there is no truth in them. As clouds hinder the light of the sun, so do these darken counsel by words wherein there is no truth. Seeing that these men increase darkness in this world, it is very just that the mist of darkness should be their portion in the next. In the midst of their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19False teaching often attracts people by promising freedom from authority. But this kind of freedom is not real (Romans 6:16). The false teachers celebrated what they thought was freedom (see 2 Peter 2:10). In truth, they were slaves to sin and corruption.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. promise ... liberty--(Christian)--These promises are instances of their "great swelling words" (2Pe 2:18). The liberty which they propose is such as fears not Satan, nor loathes the flesh. Pauline language, adopted by Peter here, and 1Pe 2:16; see on 1Pe 2:16; (compare 2Pe 3:15; Ro 6:16-22; 8:15, 21; Ga 5:1, 13; compare Joh 8:34). corruption--(See on 2Pe 2:12); "destroyed ... perish ... corruption." of whom--"by whatever ... by the same," &c.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Peter 2:19

• Anarchy
• Corruption
• Doctrines
• Fellowship
• Hypocrisy
• Minister, Christian
• Servant
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Chain
• Damnable
• Nicolaitanes
• Perish
• Privily
• Railing
• Reserve
• Riot
• Swift
• Wantonness

Commentaries on 2 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
• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings