Ephesians 6:5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

◄ Ephesians 6:5 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

English Standard Version
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,

New American Standard Bible
Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;

King James Bible
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ.

International Standard Version
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey the Messiah.

American Standard Version
Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Servants, be obedient to them that are your lords according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to Christ:

Darby Bible Translation
Bondmen, obey masters according to flesh, with fear and trembling, in simplicity of your heart as to the Christ;

Young's Literal Translation
The servants! obey the masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to the Christ;

Cross References

Romans 9:3
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

1 Corinthians 2:3
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

Ephesians 5:22
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Colossians 3:22
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

1 Timothy 6:1
Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

Titus 2:9
Exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;

Philemon 1:16
Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

1 Peter 2:18
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the fraudulent.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

6:5-9 The duty of servants is summed up in one word, obedience. The servants of old were generally slaves. The apostles were to teach servants and masters their duties, in doing which evils would be lessened, till slavery should be rooted out by the influence of Christianity. Servants are to reverence those over them. They are to be sincere; not pretending obedience when they mean to disobey, but serving faithfully. And they must serve their masters not only when their master's eye is upon them; but must be strict in the discharge of their duty, when he is absent and out of the way. Steady regard to the Lord Jesus Christ will make men faithful and sincere in every station, not grudgingly or by constraint, but from a principle of love to the masters and their concerns. This makes service easy to them, pleasing to their masters, and acceptable to the Lord Christ. God will reward even the meanest drudgery done from a sense of duty, and with a view to glorify him. Here is the duty of masters. Act after the same manner. Be just to servants, as you expect they should be to you; show the like good-will and concern for them, and be careful herein to approve yourselves to God. Be not tyrannical and overbearing. You have a Master to obey, and you and they are but fellow-servants in respect to Christ Jesus. If masters and servants would consider their duties to God, and the account they must shortly give to him, they would be more mindful of their duty to each other, and thus families would be more orderly and happy.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

5. Servants—literally, "slaves."

masters according to the flesh—in contrast to your true and heavenly Master (Eph 6:4). A consolatory him that the mastership to which they were subject, was but for a time [Chrysostom]; and that their real liberty was still their own (1Co 7:22).

fear and trembling—not slavish terror, but (See on [2374]1Co 2:3; 2Co 7:15) an anxious eagerness to do your duty, and a fear of displeasing, as great as is produced in the ordinary slave by "threatenings" (Eph 6:9).

singleness—without double-mindedness, or "eye service" (Eph 6:6), which seeks to please outwardly, without the sincere desire to make the master's interest at all times the first consideration (1Ch 29:17; Mt 6:22, 23; Lu 11:34). "Simplicity."