The Meaning of 1 Peter 2:16 Explained

1 Peter 2:16

KJV: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

YLT: as free, and not having the freedom as the cloak of the evil, but as servants of God;

Darby: as free, and not as having liberty as a cloak of malice, but as God's bondmen.

ASV: as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As  free,  and  not  using  [your] liberty  for  a cloke  of maliciousness,  but  as  the servants  of God. 

What does 1 Peter 2:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Christians are free in the sense of being under no obligations to God to gain His acceptance. He has accepted us because of what Jesus Christ did for us. Also we are free from the tyranny of Satan. We are no longer his slaves. We should not use this freedom to sin but to refrain from sinning.
"Liberty misused is like a mighty river flooding its banks and bringing terrible destruction upon all in its path. Liberty used as service is like a mighty river flowing within its banks bringing life and refreshment to all who drink of its waters." [1]

Context Summary

1 Peter 2:11-17 - The Christian Pilgrim's Walk
Strong desires must be kept under the stronger hand of the Christian soul-not extirpated but turned into right directions as God's providence points the way. Our desires ultimately rule our prayers and our life. We must therefore keep them above all else, for out of the heart are the issues of life. "Cleanse thou the thoughts of our heart by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee." God does not wish the extirpation of any element of our nature, but its consecration. We must not allow wrong things; and we must not allow the abuse or excess of right ones. The silent witness of a holy life or a well-ordered home is of incalculable worth. Oh that people in contact with us may turn from us to glorify God! See 1 Peter 2:12.
Though we do not belong to this world, but are passing through it to our home, we should show ourselves willing to conform to the institutions and customs of the world around us, so far as we can do so without injury to conscience or betrayal of the rights of Christ. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Peter 2

1  He exhorts to put away wickedness;
4  showing that Christ is the foundation whereupon they are built
11  He beseeches them also to abstain from sinful desires;
13  to be obedient to authorities;
18  and teaches servants how to obey their masters;
20  patiently suffering for well doing, after the example of Christ

Greek Commentary for 1 Peter 2:16

As free [ως ελευτεροι]
Note nominative again connected with υποταγητε — hupotagēte in 1 Peter 2:13, not with πιμοιν — phimoin in 1 Peter 2:14 (a parenthesis in fact). For this ethical sense of ελευτερος — eleutheros see Galatians 4:26. [source]
And not using your freedom [και μη εχοντες την ελευτεριαν]
“And not holding your liberty” (present active participle of εχω — echō with usual negative μη — mē with participle.For a cloke of wickedness (ως επικαλυμμα της κακιας — hōs epikalumma tēs kakias). Επικαλυμμα — Epikalumma (from επικαλυπτω — epikaluptō Romans 4:7) is a rare word (Aristotle, lxx) for veil, here only in N.T. and in figurative sense for pretext to do wickedness under, a thing, alas, that sometimes happens.But as bondservants of God Paul‘s proud title. There is no such thing as absolute freedom (personal freedom), for that is anarchy. Cf. Romans 6:22 “enslaved to God.” [source]
For a cloke of wickedness [ως επικαλυμμα της κακιας]
Επικαλυμμα — Epikalumma (from επικαλυπτω — epikaluptō Romans 4:7) is a rare word (Aristotle, lxx) for veil, here only in N.T. and in figurative sense for pretext to do wickedness under, a thing, alas, that sometimes happens. [source]
But as bondservants of God [αλλ ως τεου δουλοι]
Paul‘s proud title. There is no such thing as absolute freedom (personal freedom), for that is anarchy. Cf. Romans 6:22 “enslaved to God.” [source]
Using [ἔχοντες]
Lit., having or holding. [source]
Cloke [ἐπικάλυμμα]
Only here in New Testament. Lit., a veil. The idea is that of using Christian freedom as a mask for ungodly license. Paul uses the kindred verb (Romans 4:7) of the covering of sins. On the sentiment, compare Galatians 5:13. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Peter 2:16

Luke 2:34 Is set for the falling and the rising up of many in Israel [Κειται εις πτωσιν και αναστασιν πολλων εν τωι Ισραηλ]
Present indicative of the old defective verb appearing only in present and imperfect in the N.T. Sometimes it is used as the passive of τιτημι — tithēmi as here. The falling of some and the rising up of others is what is meant. He will be a stumbling-block to some (Isaiah 8:14; Matthew 21:42, Matthew 21:44; Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:16.) who love darkness rather than light (John 3:19), he will be the cause of rising for others (Romans 6:4, Romans 6:9; Ephesians 2:6). “Judas despairs, Peter repents: one robber blasphemes, the other confesses” (Plummer). Jesus is the magnet of the ages. He draws some, he repels others. This is true of all epoch-making men to some extent. [source]
Acts 8:22 Wickedness [κακιας]
Only here in Luke‘s writings, though old word and in lxx (cf. 1 Peter 2:1, 1 Peter 2:16). [source]
Galatians 5:13 To the flesh [τῃ σαρκί]
See on Romans 7:5. The flesh here represents lovelessness and selfishness. Christian freedom is not to be abused for selfish ends. Paul treats this subject at length in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 1 Corinthians 12:25, 1 Corinthians 12:26. Individual liberty is subject to the law of love and mutual service. Comp. 1 Peter 2:16. [source]
1 Timothy 1:19 Faith and a good conscience [πίστιν καὶ ἀγαθὴν συνείδησιν]
The phrase good conscience is not in Paul, although συνείδησις is a Pauline word. The phrase appears once in Acts (Acts 23:1), and twice in 1Peter (1 Peter 2:16, 1 Peter 2:21). In Hebrews evil ( πονηρᾶς ) conscience and fair ( καλὴν ) conscience; Hebrews 10:22; Hebrews 13:18. The combination faith and good conscience is peculiar to the Pastorals. Comp. 1 Timothy 3:9. [source]
James 1:21 Superfluity of naughtiness [περισσείαν κακίας]
A translation which may be commended to the attention of indiscriminate panegyrists of the A. V. Περισσεία is an unclassical word, and occurs in three other New-Testament passages - Romans 5:17; 2 Corinthians 8:2; 2 Corinthians 10:15. In all these it is rendered abundance, both by A. V. and Rev. There seems to be no need of departing from this meaning here, as Rev., overjoying. The sense is abounding or abundant wickedness. For haughtiness Rev. gives wickedness, as in 1 Peter 2:1, 1 Peter 2:16, where it changes malice to wickedness. It is mostly rendered malice in both A. V. and Rev. In this passage, as in the two from Peter, Rev. gives malice, in margin. Malice is an adequate translation, the word denoting a malevolent disposition toward one's neighbor. Hence it is not a general term for moral evil, but a special form of vice. Compare the wrath of man, James 1:20. Naughtiness has acquired a petty sense in popular usage, as of the mischievous pranks of children, which renders it out of the question here. [source]
Jude 1:4 Set forth [προγεγραμμενοι]
Perfect passive participle of προγραπω — prographō to write of beforehand, for which verb see Galatians 3:1; Romans 15:4.Unto this condemnation (εις τουτο το κριμα — eis touto to krima). See 2 Peter 2:3 for κριμα — krima and εκπαλαι — ekpalai Παλαι — Palai here apparently alludes to Judges 1:14, Judges 1:15 (Enoch).Ungodly men Keynote of the Epistle (Mayor), in Judges 1:15 again as in 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 3:7.Turning (μετατιτεντες — metatithentes). Present active participle of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi to change, for which verb see Galatians 1:6. For the change of “grace” (χαριτα — charita) into “lasciviousness” (εις ασελγειαν — eis aselgeian) see 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:3; 2 Peter 2:19; 2 Peter 3:16.Our only Master and Lord For the force of the one article for one person see note on 2 Peter 1:1. For δεσποτην — despotēn of Christ see 2 Peter 2:1.Denying (αρνουμενοι — arnoumenoi). So 2 Peter 2:1. See also Matthew 10:33; 1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:22. [source]
Jude 1:4 Ungodly men [ασεβεις]
Keynote of the Epistle (Mayor), in Judges 1:15 again as in 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 3:7.Turning (μετατιτεντες — metatithentes). Present active participle of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi to change, for which verb see Galatians 1:6. For the change of “grace” (χαριτα — charita) into “lasciviousness” (εις ασελγειαν — eis aselgeian) see 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:3; 2 Peter 2:19; 2 Peter 3:16.Our only Master and Lord For the force of the one article for one person see note on 2 Peter 1:1. For δεσποτην — despotēn of Christ see 2 Peter 2:1.Denying (αρνουμενοι — arnoumenoi). So 2 Peter 2:1. See also Matthew 10:33; 1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:22. [source]
Jude 1:4 Turning [μετατιτεντες]
Present active participle of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi to change, for which verb see Galatians 1:6. For the change of “grace” (χαριτα — charita) into “lasciviousness” (εις ασελγειαν — eis aselgeian) see 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:3; 2 Peter 2:19; 2 Peter 3:16. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Peter 2:16 mean?

as free and not a cover-up having for evil the freedom but of God servants
ὡς ἐλεύθεροι καὶ μὴ ἐπικάλυμμα ἔχοντες τῆς κακίας τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀλλ’ Θεοῦ δοῦλοι

ἐλεύθεροι  free 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐλεύθερος  
Sense: freeborn.
ἐπικάλυμμα  a  cover-up 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἐπικάλυμμα  
Sense: a covering, veil.
κακίας  evil 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: κακία  
Sense: malignity, malice, ill-will, desire to injure.
ἐλευθερίαν  freedom 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐλευθερία  
Sense: liberty to do or to omit things having no relationship to salvation.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
δοῦλοι  servants 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: δοῦλοσ1 
Sense: a slave, bondman, man of servile condition.