2Pe 2:19 | NETfull | STEP | 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.

2 Peter 2:19

19 Although these false teachers promise ^{▼▼ Verse 19 is a subordinate clause in Greek. The masculine nominative participle “promising” (ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, epangellomenoi) refers back to the subject of vv. 17–18. At the same time, it functions subordinately to the following participle, ὑπάρχοντες (huparchontes, “while being”).} such people ^{▼▼ Grk “them.”} freedom, they themselves are enslaved to ^{▼▼ Grk “slaves of.” See the note on the word “slave” in 1:1.} immorality. ^{▼▼ Or “corruption,” “depravity.” Verse 19 constitutes a subordinate clause to v. 18 in Greek. The main verbal components of these two verses are: “uttering…they entice…promising…being (enslaved).” The main verb is (they) entice. The three participles are adverbial and seem to indicate an instrumental relation (by uttering), a concessive relation (although promising), and a temporal relation (while being [enslaved]). For the sake of English usage, in the translation of the text this is broken down into two sentences.} For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved. ^{▼▼ Grk “for by what someone is overcome, to this he is enslaved.”}