The Nugget:
2Pe 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. (KJV)
2Pe 2:19 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, (YLT, Young’s Literal Translation)
2Pe 2:19 promising them freedom, though they are slaves of destruction themselves; for a man is the slave of anything that conquers him. (Williams NT)
2Pe 2:19 They promise freedom to everyone. But they are merely slaves of filthy living, because people are slaves of whatever controls them. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)
2Pe 2:19 They promise these people freedom, but they themselves are slaves to corruption. A person is a slave to whatever he gives in to. (GW, God’s Word Bible)
2Pe 2:19 Although these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality. For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved. (NET Bible) Grk “for by what someone is overcome, to this he is enslaved.”
2Pe 2:19 Saying that they will be free, while they themselves are the servants of destruction; because whatever gets the better of a man makes a servant of him. (BBE, Bible in Basic English)
2Pe 2:19 These false teachers promise those people freedom, but they themselves are not free. They are slaves to a mind that has been ruined by sin. Yes, people are slaves to anything that controls them. (ERV, Easy-to-Read Version)
2Pe 2:19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. (ESV, English Standard Version)
2Pe 2:19 They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of destructive habits—for we are slaves of anything that has conquered us. (GNB, Good News Bible)
My Comment:
Perhaps all of us have discovered how easy it is to slip into what turns out to be a bad habit. Sometimes bad habits are virtually addictive. We can become so locked into the habit that it seems impossible to escape its grasp or power. Nicotine, caffeine, and other substances can have such power over us that we become dependent upon them. We need to recognize that “we are slaves of anything that has conquered us.” There can be quite strong “withdrawal pains” when we work to break that dependency. I have lately read that gradually reducing our intake of such substances can make withdrawal easier. The Bible is very clear about our need and duty to conquer any such dependencies we may have, as the cross references shared below demonstrate.
CROSS REFERENCE STUDY FOR 2 PETER 2:19 FROM:
A. The original Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
2 Peter 2:19
they promise: Gal 5:1, Gal 5:13; 1Pe 2:16
they themselves: Jhn 8:34; Rom 6:12, 13, 14, Rom 6:16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22; Tit 3:3
overcome: 2Pe 2:20; Isa 28:1; Jer 23:9; 2Ti 2:26
B. The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
2 Peter 2:19
they promise. 2Pe 2:18, 2Sa 15:4, 1Ki 12:28; 1Ki 13:19, Jer 6:14, *Ezk 13:22, Luk 14:30, *Gal 5:1; *Gal 5:13; Gal 6:13, 1Pe 2:16,
liberty. Promising “personal liberty,” that is license, not the freedom of truth in Christ (Jhn 8:32, Gal 5:1; Gal 5:13) [see Robertson]. 2Pe 3:15, 16, Gen 3:5, Lev 25:10, +*Psa 119:45, Jhn 8:34, Rom 3:8; Rom 6:15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 1Co 8:9, *Gal 2:4; Gal 5:1; Gal 5:13, *+Jas 1:25, 1Pe 2:16, Jud 1:4,
they themselves. FS31, +Isa 1:21, Pro 13:7, Isa 5:20, Mat 7:15, *+Jhn 8:34, Rom 2:19, 20, 21, 22, 23; *Rom 6:12, 13, 14; *Rom 6:16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, Tit 3:3,
are. or, being. Gr. huparchō (S# G5225, Luk 9:48).
servants. or, slaves. Gr. doulos (S# G1401). Rom 6:16; Rom 6:20,
corruption. 2Pe 2:12; 2Pe 2:18, 2Pe 1:4, Lev 13:8, Ezk 47:11, Luk 12:45, *Rom 7:5, 1Co 15:42, Gal 6:8, Eph 6:24, Php 3:19, 2Ti 1:10,
overcome. Gr. hēttaō (S# G2774, 2Co 12:13). Perfect tense, passive voice, indicative mood verb. 2Pe 2:20 g. 1Sa 17:9, Isa 28:1, Jer 23:9, Rom 7:21, 2Ti 2:26; 2Ti 3:3, Heb 10:38,
brought in bondage. or, enslaved. Perfect tense, passive voice, indicative mood verb. Jhn 8:34, Act 8:23, Rom 6:16; Rom 6:18; Rom 8:21, 1Jn 3:8.