1 Peter 2:16

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Live as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Rom 6:22 : 22 But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.
  • 1 Cor 7:22 : 22 For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. In the same way, the one who was called as a free person is Christ’s slave.
  • Jas 1:25 : 25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out– he will be blessed in what he does.
  • Gal 5:13 : 13 Practice Love For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
  • Eph 6:6 : 6 not like those who do their work only when someone is watching– as people-pleasers– but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.
  • Col 3:24 : 24 because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.
  • 1 Thess 2:5 : 5 For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed– God is our witness–
  • Matt 23:13 : 13 “But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.
  • John 8:32-36 : 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” they replied,“and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say,‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them,“I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the family forever, but the son remains forever. 36 So if the son sets you free, you will be really free.
  • John 15:22 : 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But they no longer have any excuse for their sin.
  • Rom 6:18 : 18 and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.
  • Jas 2:12 : 12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom.
  • 2 Pet 2:19 : 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.
  • Jude 1:4 : 4 For certain men have secretly slipped in among you– men who long ago were marked out for the condemnation I am about to describe– ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
  • Gal 5:1 : 1 Freedom of the Believer For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Gal 5:13
    79%

    13Practice Love For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.

  • 1 Pet 2:12-15
    4 verses
    78%

    12and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.

    13Submission to Authorities Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme

    14or to governors as those he commissions to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do good.

    15For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.

  • Eph 6:5-7
    3 verses
    78%

    5Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ,

    6not like those who do their work only when someone is watching– as people-pleasers– but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.

    7Obey with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord and not people,

  • 1 Pet 2:17-18
    2 verses
    76%

    17Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.

    18Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are perverse.

  • Col 3:22-23
    2 verses
    76%

    22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching– like those who are strictly people-pleasers– but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

    23Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people,

  • Titus 2:8-10
    3 verses
    75%

    8and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, because he has nothing evil to say about us.

    9Slaves are to be subject to their own masters in everything, to do what is wanted and not talk back,

    10not pilfering, but showing all good faith, in order to bring credit to the teaching of God our Savior in everything.

  • Rom 6:18-20
    3 verses
    75%

    18and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.

    19(I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

    20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness.

  • Gal 5:1
    75%

    1Freedom of the Believer For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.

  • 1 Tim 6:1-2
    2 verses
    75%

    1Those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent the name of God and Christian teaching from being discredited.

    2But those who have believing masters must not show them less respect because they are brothers. Instead they are to serve all the more, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved. Summary of Timothy’s DutiesTeach them and exhort them about these things.

  • 1 Cor 7:21-23
    3 verses
    74%

    21Were you called as a slave? Do not worry about it. But if indeed you are able to be free, make the most of the opportunity.

    22For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. In the same way, the one who was called as a free person is Christ’s slave.

    23You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of men.

  • 2 Pet 2:19
    74%

    19Although these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality. For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved.

  • 1 Pet 1:14
    73%

    14Like obedient children, do not comply with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance,

  • 1 Thess 2:5-6
    2 verses
    72%

    5For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed– God is our witness–

    6nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others,

  • Rom 6:15-16
    2 verses
    72%

    15The Believer’s Enslavement to God’s Righteousness What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!

    16Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness?

  • Rom 6:22
    72%

    22But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.

  • Jas 2:12
    72%

    12Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom.

  • Gal 2:4
    72%

    4Now this matter arose because of the false brothers with false pretenses who slipped in unnoticed to spy on our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, to make us slaves.

  • Rom 14:16
    72%

    16Therefore do not let what you consider good be spoken of as evil.

  • 2 Cor 6:3
    71%

    3We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry.

  • 1 Pet 5:2-3
    2 verses
    71%

    2Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly.

    3And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock.

  • Phil 2:15
    70%

    15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world

  • 1 Pet 4:4
    70%

    4So they are astonished when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you.

  • Titus 3:3
    70%

    3For we too were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another.

  • 2 Cor 2:17
    70%

    17For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God.

  • Phlm 1:16
    70%

    16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a dear brother. He is especially so to me, and even more so to you now, both humanly speaking and in the Lord.

  • 2 Cor 4:2
    70%

    2But we have rejected shameful hidden deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God.

  • Col 4:1
    70%

    1Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

  • 1 Thess 2:3
    70%

    3For the appeal we make does not come from error or impurity or with deceit,

  • 1 Cor 10:29
    70%

    29I do not mean yours but the other person’s. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience?

  • 1 Pet 4:2
    70%

    2in that he spends the rest of his time on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires.

  • Phil 1:16
    70%

    16The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel.

  • 1 Pet 3:16
    70%

    16Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you.

  • 1 Cor 8:9
    70%

    9But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak.