This phrase refers to people who recently became believers. The phrase "those who live in error" refers to unbelievers who still live in sin. Alternate translation: "people who try to live rightly, instead of living sinfully as they used to and as other people do" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit]])
Peter speaks of people who live sinfully as if they are slaves to sin who need to be released from their captivity. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])