2 Peter 2:19

2 Peter 2:19

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.

a. NLT: They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: 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. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Liberty to them promising, themselves being servants of the corruption, for by whom any one hath been overcome, to this one also he hath been brought to servitude, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: They promise them liberty, when they themselves are the slaves of depravity and defilement—for by whatever anyone is made inferior or worse or is overcome, to that [person or thing] he is enslaved. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “While they promise them liberty…”

a. [While they] promise [Strong: 1861. epaggello ep-ang-el'-lo from 1909 and the base of 32; to announce upon (reflexively), that is, (by implication) to engage to do something, to assert something respecting oneself: - profess, (make) promise.] [Zodhiates: to proclaim as public announcements or decrees; hence to announce a message, summons or a promise.]

b. them [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.] 

c. liberty [Strong: 1657. eleutheria el-yoo-ther-ee'-ah from 1658;] freedom (legitimate or licentious, chiefly moral or ceremonial): - liberty.]

1). [People’s New Testament Commentary] Liberty from all restraint, complete freedom to serve their own wills, such liberty as those who rail against God's law are wont to offer.

2). True liberty comes from being obedient to the word of God.

a). John 8:31, 32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

3). These false teachers are promising liberty, but the liberty they are promising is liberty from being obedient to the word of God. The Apostle Paul exhorts us not to use liberty as an opportunity to sin.

a). Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

4). Or as Peter exhorts us in his first letter, we are to use our liberty to be servants of God.

a). 1 Peter 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

2. “…they themselves are the servants of corruption…”

a. [they] themselves [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

b. [are] the [Strong: 3588. [tous] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tous] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

c. servants [Strong: 1401. doulos doo'-los from 1210; slave (literally or figuratively, involuntarily or voluntarily; frequently therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency): - bond (-man), servant.]

1). Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

2). Whatever or whomever we yield ourselves servants to, we are their slaves. 

d. [of] corruption [Strong: 5356. phthora fthor-ah' from 5351; decay, that is, ruin (spontaneous or inflicted, literally or figuratively): - corruption, destroy, perish.]

3. “…for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”

a. for [Strong: 1063. gar gar a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.

b. [of] whom [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.] 

c. [a] man [Strong: 5100. tis tis an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:--a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, - thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith, whom(-soever), whose(-soever).]

d. [is] overcome [Strong: 2274. hettao hayt-tah'-o from the same as 2276; to make worse, that is, vanquish (literally or figuratively); by implication to rate lower: - be inferior, overcome.

e. [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

f. [of the] same [Strong: 5129. toutoi too'-to dative case singular masculine or neuter of 3778; to (in, with or by) this (person or thing):--here(-by, -in), him, one, the same, there(-in), this.]

g. [is he brought into] bondage [Strong: 1402. douloo doo-lo'-o from 1401; to enslave (literally or figuratively): - bring into (be under) bondage, X given, become (make) servant.]

1). Consistently yielding to temptations will eventually cause us to be in bondage to that sin.

a). Romans 6:16-18 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

b). Proverbs 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

c). take [Strong: 3920 lakad law-kad' a primitive root; to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere:--X at all, catch (self), be frozen, be holden, stick together, take.]

2). The sins that people play with eventually bring them into bondage to that sin. It is basically the same for believer and unbeliever. The difference is that God will deal more strongly with the believer than with the unbeliever. The wrath of God is God giving them up to the sin. God deals with the person, letting them know that without a doubt they are not doing what is wrong, but the individual continues in their path knowing full well what they are doing is wrong. God in his wrath gives them up to the sin and they are captured and brought into bondage to it. 

a). Romans 1:22-24 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: