1 Peter 2:16 kjv
As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
1 Peter 2:16 nkjv
as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
1 Peter 2:16 niv
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves.
1 Peter 2:16 esv
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
1 Peter 2:16 nlt
For you are free, yet you are God's slaves, so don't use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.
1 Peter 2 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Christian Freedom Defined | ||
| Jn 8:36 | If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. | True freedom in Christ. |
| Rom 6:18 | Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. | Freedom from sin leads to service. |
| Rom 6:22 | But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God... | Serving God as liberated ones. |
| Rom 8:2 | For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free... | Freedom from sin and death's law. |
| Gal 5:1 | Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free... | Hold firm to Christ-given liberty. |
| 1 Cor 7:22 | For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freedman... | Spiritually free in Christ, regardless of status. |
| Christian Freedom Misused/Abused | ||
| Gal 5:13 | For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh... | Liberty is not license for fleshly desires. |
| Rom 6:1 | What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. | Grace is not an excuse for ongoing sin. |
| Jude 1:4 | ...turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness... | Warning against turning grace into immorality. |
| Rom 14:15-20 | For if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably... | Liberty should not cause others to stumble. |
| Servanthood to God/Christ | ||
| Rom 1:1 | Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ... | Self-identification as God's servant. |
| Tit 1:1 | Paul, a servant of God... | Apostles often identified as servants. |
| Jas 1:1 | James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ... | Common declaration of allegiance. |
| Php 2:7 | But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant... | Christ's example of servanthood. |
| 2 Cor 4:5 | For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. | Preachers are servants for Christ. |
| Matt 6:24 | No man can serve two masters... Ye cannot serve God and mammon. | Exclusive devotion to God as Master. |
| Living Righteously Before Others | ||
| 1 Pet 2:12 | Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles... | Live honorably before unbelievers. |
| 1 Pet 2:15 | For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men... | Doing good as God's will to silence critics. |
| Phil 2:15 | That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation... | Be blameless lights in a dark world. |
| Eph 2:10 | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works... | Created in Christ for good works. |
| Rom 13:1-7 | Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers... | Submission to authority as an act of service to God. |
1 Peter 2 verses
1 Peter 2 16 Meaning
Christians are liberated by Christ, experiencing true freedom from sin's bondage and the Law's condemnation. However, this profound liberty is not to be exploited as a pretext or disguise for wicked intentions or actions. Instead, it obligates believers to willingly live as dedicated bondservants of God, demonstrating their freedom through righteous living and submission to divine will. This paradox highlights that genuine freedom in Christ is found in serving Him.
1 Peter 2 16 Context
This verse is embedded within Peter's broader exhortations for Christian conduct in society, specifically from 1 Peter 2:11-17, which follows his teaching on the identity of believers as a "spiritual house," a "holy priesthood," and "peculiar people" (1 Pet 2:5, 9). Having established their new identity in Christ, Peter now calls them to live out this identity practically among unbelievers. Verses 13-15 explicitly command submission to governing authorities as God's will, doing good to silence foolish critics. Verse 16 then elaborates on the spirit in which this submission should occur: not as those restricted, but as the truly free people of God, who choose to serve Him by honoring authorities. Historically, this counsel was crucial for early Christians, who were often viewed with suspicion or accused of disloyalty to the state due to their allegiance to Christ over Caesar, and whose freedom in Christ could easily be misunderstood or abused.
1 Peter 2 16 Word analysis
- As free (Greek: eleutheroi - ἐλεύθεροι): Refers to the spiritual liberation experienced by believers through Christ. This freedom is primarily from the dominion of sin (Rom 6:18, 22), the curse and demands of the Law (Gal 5:1, Rom 8:2), and the power of death. It is an internal, spiritual reality.
- and not using liberty (Greek: kai mē hōs epikalymma - καὶ μὴ ὡς ἐπικάλυμμα): "Not as a covering" or "not as a pretext." Epikalymma denotes a veil, cloak, or disguise. It implies using something honorable (Christian liberty) to conceal something dishonorable (maliciousness). The freedom given by Christ is a profound privilege, not a convenient excuse for moral laxity or rebellion against rightful order.
- for a cloke of maliciousness (Greek: tēs kakias - τῆς κακίας): "Of evil," "wickedness," or "malice." This term encompasses a broad range of moral badness, ill-will, or base conduct. It warns against using Christian freedom as a cover to practice evil, whether that be disobedience to authorities, general immorality, or any action motivated by ill intent.
- but as the servants (Greek: all' hōs douloi - ἀλλ᾽ ὡς δοῦλοι): "But as slaves" or "bondservants." This is a profound paradox. The truly free are those who willingly submit themselves as bondservants to God. Douloi implies complete devotion and subservience to a master, not out of compulsion but out of a willing heart born from love and gratitude for liberation. It redefines servitude from a position of oppression to one of highest honor and privilege under the true Lord.
- of God (Greek: Theou - Θεοῦ): Specifies the Master to whom Christians are bondservants. Their ultimate allegiance is to God Himself, which supersedes any earthly authority while also defining how they interact with those authorities (by honoring them, 1 Pet 2:17). This unique relationship with God prevents freedom from devolving into lawlessness.
- As free, and not using liberty: This phrase highlights the nature of Christian liberty, which is not an absolute freedom to do anything one desires, but a freedom with a specific purpose and moral boundary. It's a freedom for something (service to God) not merely a freedom from something.
- for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God: This contrasts the illegitimate use of liberty with its true purpose. The opposition between using freedom to hide evil and using freedom to serve God succinctly captures Peter's main point. True Christian freedom leads to active, righteous service to the ultimate Authority.
1 Peter 2 16 Bonus section
The concept of being "free yet slaves" is a profound theological paradox fundamental to Christian living. It underscores that liberation from one master (sin) leads to willing bondage to a higher, benevolent Master (God). This is not a return to oppression but an entry into a superior form of existence where true flourishing is found in aligning one's will with the divine. This echoes Christ's own example, who, being God, "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant" (Php 2:7). Therefore, Christian liberty is defined not by autonomy from all external restraints, but by cheerful obedience and dependence on God's will. It reframes what true power and control are, not in self-assertion but in self-giving for God's glory and the good of others.
1 Peter 2 16 Commentary
Peter addresses the potential misunderstanding and abuse of Christian freedom. Believers, truly liberated by Christ from sin and its consequences, might mistakenly believe this spiritual freedom exempts them from societal responsibilities or offers a license for immoral behavior. Peter decisively rejects this, asserting that genuine freedom in Christ expresses itself not as rebellion or indulgence, but as voluntary submission and dedicated service to God. This service includes honoring civil authorities and living righteously, thereby demonstrating the transformative power of their faith and silencing those who slander their good deeds. It's a call to paradoxically embrace the role of a "bondservant" as the ultimate expression of Christian liberty, choosing active obedience to God as their supreme Master. For example, a Christian's freedom from religious dietary laws (Acts 10) should not be used to eat in a way that deliberately causes a weaker brother to stumble (Rom 14:15-20), but rather used to serve God by showing love and building up others.