2 Peter 2:19

2 Peter 2:19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage.

Expanded Translation

promising those whom they deceive liberty and freedom, while they themselves live as bondservants (slaves) of corruption, decay, and ruin; for by whatever (thing or person) anyone is conquered or vanquished (and thus brought into a worse condition), by the same (thing or person) he is also brought into bondage and slavery.

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promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption

The young or short-time Christians were being promised freedom by those in a far worse condition! From what would such persons offer them freedom? Probably from those elements of the Christian religion that the unregenerate regard as rigorous and restraining. Perhaps they taught their followers that the Apostles-' teaching was too severe to be the truth and, therefore, should be abandoned. Peter warned against such abuse in his first epistle (1 Peter 2:16, where see notes). The liberty these men offered was not real liberty at all, but license to sin! Lawlessness is not true liberty. True freedom always involves an element of law and restraint, even in the government of countries. Our country would be in chaos if freedom meant license to break the law at will.

The truth of the matter was that they themselves did not have what was promised, being slaves to corruption (phthora)that which brings moral and spiritual decay, and ruins the soul. Christians have escaped from this corruption (2 Peter 1:4), but they may certainly return to it, as this and the following verses show.

for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage

Further proof that these liberty-promisers did not themselves possess what they offered to others. The word translated overcome (hettao), which appears again in 2 Peter 2:20, meant primarily to be inferior (2 Corinthians 12:13 were made inferior). It carries here, then, not only the thought of being subdued by a thing, but of being in a worse or inferior condition because of being conquered. The term was anciently employed when an army was worsted or vanquished in a war: 2Ma. 10:24.

When a man serves sin (whether it be pride, sensuality, jealousy, anger or whatever might get the mastery of him) he is certainly in no condition to proclaim freedom to others! He is in bondagecruel bondage!

All people are servantseither of sin or righteousness. See John 8:34, Romans 7:15-23. Paul said, concerning indifferent things, I will not be brought under the power of any (or, more fully, I will not be brought under the authority, rule, or dominion of any). Let us volunteer ourselves as bondservants of Christhappy and joyous that in this position we are free from both the curse and the dominion of sin.