2 Peter 2

2 Peter · Chapter 2

2 Peter 2:19

1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.11Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.12But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;13And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:15Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;16But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.18For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.19While 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.20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
19While 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.They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.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.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

They promise freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption. Whatever overcomes a person, that person is its slave. They cannot give what they do not have. 2 Peter 2:182 Peter 2:19

SpeakingSimon Peter, "a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ," who saw Christ's majesty on the holy mount. 2 Peter overview

To"Them that have obtained like precious faith"; traditionally the same believers as 1 Peter, in Asia Minor. 2 Peter overview

Also involvedThe false teachers, and those they lure with promises of liberty. 2 Peter 2:182 Peter 2:19

Peter exposes the false teachers' central lie (2:19). Verses 20-22 describe what happens to those who go back to sin. 2 Peter 2:192 Peter 2:20

The letter names no place. If the readers are those of 1 Peter, they were in Asia Minor; tradition places Peter in Rome at the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

The eventsThe verse gives no date of its own. Peter writes near the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

WrittenTraditional: about AD 64-68, shortly before Peter's death. Scholarly: many hold a follower wrote it in Peter's name, perhaps AD 100-150; others accept that Peter wrote it near the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

HerePeter shows that "freedom" to sin is really slavery. 2 Peter 2:19

In the whole of ScriptureJesus said, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:34). "To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are" (Romans 6:16). "Ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh" (Galatians 5:13). Peter wrote, "As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness" (1 Peter 2:16). John 8:34Romans 6:16Galatians 5:131 Peter 2:16

For readersTrue freedom is freedom from sin, not freedom to sin. 2 Peter 2:19John 8:34

  • libertyἐλευθερία
    Greek · eleutheria · G1657

    The word means freedom, liberty. The lexicon lists 1 Corinthians 10:29 among its uses. Strong's G1657

  • servantsδούλη
    Greek · doulē · G1401

    The word means a slave. Strong's G1401

  • corruptionφθορά
    Greek · phthora · G5356

    The word means decay, corruption. Strong's G5356

  • overcomeἡσσάομαι
    Greek · hēssaomai · G2274

    The word means to be made less, to be defeated. The same word is used in 2:20. Strong's G22742 Peter 2:20

  • bondageδουλόω
    Greek · douloō · G1402

    The word means to enslave. The lexicon lists Romans 6:18 and 6:22 among its uses. Strong's G1402

Takeaway

False teachers promise freedom but are slaves of corruption, for whatever overcomes a person enslaves him. 2 Peter 2:19John 8:34

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
freedomἐλευθερίανeleutherianG1657
freedom

ἐλευθερία (eleutheria) ἐλευθερία, -ας, ἡ [in LXX: Lev.19:20 (חֻפְשָׁה), 1Es.4:49 Est.4:53, Sir.7:21, Sir.33:25, 1Ma.14:27, 3Ma.3:28 * ;] liberty: with reference to the religious life, 1Co.10:29, 2Co.3:17, Gal.2:4 5:1, 1Pe.2:16, 2Pe.2:19; ὁ νόμος τῆς ἐ., Jas.1:25 2:12; ἡ ἐ. τῆς δόξης, Rom.8:21; ἐπ᾽ ἐ., Gal.5:13 (on which formula, cf. Deiss., LAE, 327 ff.; Cremer, 251).† (AS)

themαὐτοῖςautoisG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

promising,ἐπαγγελλόμενοι,epangellomenoiG1861
to profess

ἐπαγγέλλω (epangellō) ἐπ-αγγέλλω [in LXX: Est.4:8 (אָמַר), Pro.13:12, Wis.2:13, al. ;] 1. to announce, proclaim. 2. (a) to promise; (b) to profess. Mid., also frequently in both these senses; (with) to promise: with dab. of person(s), Heb.6:13; with accusative of thing(s), Rom.4:21, Tit.1:2; with dative of person(s) and accusative of thing(s), Jas.1:12 2:5, 2Pe.2:19; ἐπαγγελίαν, 1Jn.2:25; with inf., Mrk.14:11, Act.7:5; before λέγων, Heb.12:26; ptcp., Heb.10:23 11:11; (d) to profess: θεοσέβειαν, 1Ti.2:10; γνῶσιν, 1Ti.6:21. Pass., Gal.3:19 (cf. προ-επαγγέλλω; and see Cremer, 26).† (AS)

themselvesαὐτοὶautoiG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

slavesδοῦλοιdouloiG1401
female slave

δούλη (doulē) δούλη, ἡ, see: δοῦλος. δοῦλος, -η, -ον, [in LXX, ὁ δ. nearly always for עֶבֶד; ὁ δ. chiefly for שִׁפְחָה ,אָמָה ;] 1. in bondage to, subject to: Rom.6:19. 2. As subst., ὁ, ἡ δ., a slave; (a) fem., ἡ δ., a female slave, bondmaid (Cremer, 702; DB, iii, 215): Luk.1:38, 48 Act.2:18" (LXX) ; …

beingὑπάρχοντεςhuparchontesG5225
possession

ὑπάρχοντα (huparchonta) to have, possess; (n.) possessions; to be, exist to begin; to come into existence; to exist; to be, subsist, Acts 19:40; 28:18; to be in possession, to belong, Acts 3:6; 4:37; goods, possessions, property, Mt. 19:21; Lk. 8:3; to be, Lk. 7:25; 8:41

of corruption;φθορᾶς·phthorasG5356
corruption

φθορά (phthora) φθορά, -ᾶς, ἡ (φθείρω) [in LXX for שַׁחַת, חֶבֶל, etc. ;] destruction, corruption, decay (see Mayor on 2Pe, App.,175 ff.): Rom.8:21, 1Co.15:42, Col.2:22, 2Pe.2:12; opposite to ζωὴ αἰώνιος, Gal.6:8; by meton., of that which is subject to corruption, 1Co.15:50; of moral decay, 2Pe.1:4 2:12 2:19 (cf. Wis.14:12).† (AS)

By whatᾧhōG3739
which

ὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. …

forγάρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

anyoneτιςtisG5100
one

τις (tis) τις, neut., τι, genitive, τινός, enclitic indefinite pron., related to interrog. τίς as πού, πως, ποτέ to ποῦ, πῶς, πότε. I. As subst., 1. one, a certain one: Luk.9:49, Jhn.11:1, Act.5:25, al.; pl., τίνες, certain, some: Luk.13:1, Act.15:1, Rom.3:8, al. 2. someone, anyone, something, anything: Mat.12:29, Mrk.9:30, Luk.8:46, Jhn.2:25, Act.17:25, Rom.5:7, al.; = indef., one (French on), Mrk.8:4, Jhn.2:25, Rom.8:24, al.; pl., τινες, some, Mrk.14:4, al. II. II. As adj., …

has been subdued,ἥττηται,hēttētaiG2274
be lesser

ἡσσάομαι (hēssaomai) ἡττάω, -ῶ (ἡσσ-, 2Co.12:13, see: ἥσσων) [in LXX for חָתַת, etc. ;] pass., 1. to be inferior: before ὑπέρ, 2Co.12:13. 2. to be overcome: absol., 2Pe.2:20; with dative, 2Pe.2:19.† (AS)

by thatτούτῳtoutōG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

he has been enslaved.δεδούλωται.dedoulōtaiG1402
to enslave

δουλόω (douloō) δουλόω, -ῶ (δοῦλος), [in LXX for עָבַד ;] to enslave, bring into bondage: Act.7:6 (LXX), 2Pe.2:19; metaphorically, 1Co.9:19; pass., before ἐν, 1Co.7:15; τ. θεῷ, Rom.6:22; τ. δικαιοσύνῃ, Rom.6:18; οἴνῳ, Tit.2:3; ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τ. κόσμου, Gal.4:3 (Cremer, 217).† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.