Ephesians 6:5

Amplified Bible

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with respect for authority, and with a sincere heart [seeking to please them], as [service] to Christ—

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Slaves, obey your masters here on earth with fear and respect. And do this with a heart that is true, just as you obey Christ.

Revised Standard Version
Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Servautes be obedient vnto youre carnall masters with feare and trimblinge in singlenes of youre hertes as vnto Christ:

Hebrew Names Version
Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Messiah;

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;

New Century Version
Slaves, obey your masters here on earth with fear and respect and from a sincere heart, just as you obey Christ.

Update Bible Version
Slaves, be obedient to those that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;

Webster's Bible Translation
Servants, be obedient to them that are [your] masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;

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

World English Bible
Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as unto the Lord:

Weymouth's New Testament
Slaves, be obedient to your earthly masters, with respect and eager anxiety to please and with simplicity of motive as if you were obeying Christ.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Seruauntis, obeische ye to fleischli lordis with drede and trembling, in simplenesse of youre herte, as to Crist;

English Revised 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;

Berean Standard Bible
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would show to Christ.

Contemporary English Version
Slaves, you must obey your earthly masters. Show them great respect and be as loyal to them as you are to Christ.

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;

Bible in Basic English
Servants, do what is ordered by those who are your natural masters, having respect and fear for them, with all your heart, as to Christ;

Complete Jewish Bible
Slaves, obey your human masters with the same fear, trembling and single-heartedness with which you obey the Messiah.

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

International Standard Version
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, with trembling, and along with sincerity,With sincerity">[fn] as when you obey Christ.as to Christ">[fn]1 Chronicles 29:17; 2 Corinthians 7:15; Philippians 2:12; Colossians 3:22; 1 Timothy 6:1; Titus 2:9; 1 Peter 2:18;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Servants, be subject to your masters who are according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, and with simplicity of heart, as unto the Meshiha:

Murdock Translation
Servants, be obedient to your masters after the flesh, with fear, and with trepidation, and with simplicity of heart, as unto the Messiah.

King James Version (1611)
Seruants, bee obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with feare and trembling, in singlenesse of your heart, as vnto Christ:

New Living Translation
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.

New Life Bible
You servants who are owned by someone must obey your owners. Work for them as hard as you can. Work for them the same as if you were working for Christ.

New Revised Standard
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ;

Geneva Bible (1587)
Seruants, be obedient vnto them that are your masters, according to the flesh, with feare & trembling in singlenesse of your hearts as vnto Christ,

George Lamsa Translation
Servants, be obedient to your masters according to the flesh, with reverence and trembling, and with a sincere heart, as to Christ;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Ye servants, be obedient unto them who, after the flesh, are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto the 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.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Seruauntes obey them that are your bodyly maisters, with feare and tremblyng, in singlenesse of your heart, as vnto Christe.

Good News Translation
Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling; and do it with a sincere heart, as though you were serving Christ.

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

King James Version
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;

Lexham English Bible
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ,

Literal Translation
Slaves, obey your lords according to flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to 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;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ye seruauntes, obey youre bodely masters, with feare and tremblynge, in synglenes of youre hert, euen as vnto Christ,

Mace New Testament (1729)
Servants, be obedient to your legal masters, with awful reverence and sincerity of heart, as unto Christ:

THE MESSAGE
Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don't just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ's servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.

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

New King James Version
Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;

Simplified Cowboy Version
Slaves, do what your bosses tell you to do. If you have to, just think of it like you are serving Christ.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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;

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

Contextual Overview

¹Children, obey your parents in the Lord [that is, accept their guidance and discipline as His representatives], for this is right [for obedience teaches wisdom and self-discipline]. ²HONOR [esteem, value as precious] YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER [and be respectful to them]—this is the first commandment with a promise— ³SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY HAVE A LONG LIFE ON THE EARTH. ⁴Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. ⁵Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with respect for authority, and with a sincere heart [seeking to please them], as [service] to Christ—⁶not in the way of eye-service [working only when someone is watching you and only] to please men, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart; ⁷rendering service with goodwill, as to the Lord, and not [only] to men, ⁸knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, whether [he is] slave or free. ⁹You masters, do the same [showing goodwill] toward them, and give up threatening and abusive words, knowing that [He who is] both their true Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with Him [regardless of one's earthly status].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

be: Genesis 16:9, Psalms 123:2, Malachi 1:6, Matthew 6:24, Matthew 8:9, Acts 10:7, Acts 10:8, Colossians 3:22, 1 Timothy 6:1-3, Titus 2:9, Titus 2:10, 1 Peter 2:18-21

according: Philemon 1:16

with: 1 Corinthians 2:3, 2 Corinthians 7:15, Philippians 2:12, 1 Peter 3:2

in: Ephesians 6:24, Joshua 24:14, 1 Chronicles 29:17, Psalms 86:11, Matthew 6:22, Acts 2:46, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians 11:2, 2 Corinthians 11:3

as: Ephesians 1:1-23, 1 Corinthians 7:22, Colossians 3:17-24

Reciprocal: Genesis 16:8 - Sarai's maid Genesis 24:33 - General Genesis 30:29 - General Genesis 31:6 - General Luke 11:34 - single Romans 12:8 - with simplicity Romans 12:11 - serving Romans 13:7 - fear to Ephesians 5:22 - as Ephesians 6:1 - in Ephesians 6:7 - as Ephesians 6:9 - the same Hebrews 10:22 - a true

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
Now it happened, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:3
Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive and remain with man forever, because he is indeed flesh [sinful, corrupt—given over to sensual appetites]; nevertheless his days shall yet be a hundred and twenty years."

Genesis 6:4
There were Nephilim (men of stature, notorious men) on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God lived with the daughters of men, and they gave birth to their children. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown (great reputation, fame).

Genesis 6:9
These are the records of the generations (family history) of Noah. Noah was a righteous man [one who was just and had right standing with God], blameless in his [evil] generation; Noah walked (lived) [in habitual fellowship] with God.

Genesis 6:19
"And of every living thing [found on land], you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.

Genesis 6:20
"Of fowls and birds according to their kind, of animals according to their kind, of every crawling thing of the ground according to its kind—two of every kind shall come to you to keep them alive.

Genesis 6:21
"Also take with you every kind of food that is edible, and you shall collect and store it; and it shall be food for you and for them."

Genesis 8:21
The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma [a soothing, satisfying scent] and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intent (strong inclination, desire) of man's heart is wicked from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.

Genesis 13:13
But the men of Sodom were extremely wicked and sinful against the LORD [unashamed in their open sin before Him].

Deuteronomy 29:19
"It will happen that when he (a renegade) hears the words of this oath, and he imagines himself as blessed, saying, 'I will have peace and safety even though I walk within the stubbornness of my heart [rejecting God and His law], in order that the watered land dwindles away along with the dry [destroying everything],'

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Servants, be obedient to them that are [your] masters,.... The apostle enlarges on the duty of servants, as well as frequently inculcates it in his epistles; because, generally speaking, they were more rude and ignorant, and less pains were taken with them to instruct them; they were apt to be impatient and weary of the yoke; and scandal was like to arise from servants in the first ages of Christianity through some libertines, and the licentiousness of the false teachers, who insinuated, that servitude was inconsistent with Christian freedom: the persons exhorted are "servants", bond servants, and hired servants; who are to be subject to, and obey their "masters", of each sex, whether male or female, of every condition, whether poor or rich, believers or unbelievers, good or bad humoured, gentle or froward: such as are their masters

according to the flesh; or "carnal masters", as the Vulgate Latin version renders it; even though they are unregenerate men, and are in a state of nature, and only mind the things of the flesh, yet they are to be obeyed in their lawful commands; or "in things pertaining to the flesh", as the Arabic version renders it; in things temporal, which concern the body, and this temporal life; not in things spiritual and religious, or that belong to conscience, and which are contrary to them: or "according to your flesh", as the Ethiopic version renders it; signifying that they are only masters over their bodies, not their consciences; and that their power only extends to corporeal things, and can last no longer than while they are in the flesh; see Job 3:19; and obedience is to be yielded to them

with fear and trembling; with great humility and respect, with reverence of them, and giving honour to them, with carefulness not to offend them, with submission to their reproofs and corrections, and with fear of punishment; but more especially with the fear of God, being by that influenced and constrained to obedience;

in singleness of heart; with readiness and cheerfulness, without hypocrisy and dissimulation, and with all integrity and faithfulness:

as unto Christ; it being agreeable to his will, and what makes for his glory, and serves to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Servants - οἵ δοῦλοι hoi douloi. The word used here denotes one who is bound to render service to another, whether that service be free or voluntary, and may denote, therefore, either a slave, or one who binds himself to render service to another. It is often used in these senses in the New Testament, just as it is elsewhere. It cannot be demonstrated that the word here necessarily means “slaves;” though, if slavery existed among those to whom this Epistle was written - as there can be little doubt that it did - it is a word which would apply to those in this condition; compare notes on 1 Corinthians 7:21; Galatians 3:28, note. On the general subject of slavery, and the Scripture doctrine in regard to it; see notes on Isaiah 58:6. Whether the persons here referred to were slaves, or were those who had bound themselves to render a voluntary servitude, the directions here given were equally appropriate. It was not the design of the Christian religion to produce a rude sundering of the ties which bind man to man, but to teach all to perform their duties aright in the relations in which Christianity found them, and gradually to modify the customs of society, and to produce ultimately the universal prevalence of that which is right.

Be obedient to them - This is the uniform direction in the New Testament; see 1 Peter 2:18; 1 Timothy 6:1-3; notes 1 Corinthians 7:21. The idea is that they were to show in that relation the excellence of the religion which they professed. If they could be made free, they were to prefer that condition to a state of bondage 1 Corinthians 7:21, but while the relation remained, they were to be kind, gentle, and obedient, as became Christians. In the parallel place in Colossians Colossians 3:22, it is said that they were to obey their masters “in all things.” But evidently this is to be understood with the limitations implied in the case of wives and children (see the notes on Ephesians 5:24; Ephesians 6:1, note), and a master would have no right to command that which was morally wrong.

According to the flesh - This is designed, evidently, to limit the obligation to obedience. The meaning is, that they had control over “the body, the flesh.” They had the power to command the service which the body could render; but they were not lords of the spirit. The soul acknowledged God as its Lord, and to the Lord they were to be subject in a higher sense than to their masters.

With fear and trembling - With reverence and with a dread of offending them. They have authority and power over you, and you should be afraid to incur their displeasure. Whatever might be true about the propriety of slavery, and whatever might be the duty of the master about setting the slave free, it would be more to the honor of religion for the servant to perform his task with a willing mind than to be contumacious and rebellions. He could do more for the honor of religion by patiently submitting to even what he felt to be wrong, than by being punished for what would be regarded as rebellion. It may be added here, that it was presumed that servants then could read. These directions were addressed to them, not to their masters. Of what use would be directions like these addressed to American slaves - scarce any of whom can read?

In singleness of your heart - With a simple, sincere desire to do what ought to be done.

As unto Christ - Feeling that by rendering proper service to your masters, you are in fact serving the Lord, and that you are doing that which will be well-pleasing to him; see the notes on 1 Corinthians 7:22. Fidelity, in whatever situation we may be in life, is acceptable service to the Lord. A Christian may as acceptably serve the Lord Jesus in the condition of a servant, as if he were a minister of the gospel, or a king on a throne. Besides, it will greatly lighten the burdens of such a situation, and make the toils of an humble condition easy, to remember that we are then “serving the Lord.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ephesians 6:5. Servants, be obedient — Though δουλος frequently signifies a slave or bondman, yet it often implies a servant in general, or any one bound to another, either for a limited time, or for life. Even a slave, if a Christian, was bound to serve him faithfully by whose money he was bought, howsoever illegal that traffic may be considered. In heathen countries slavery was in some sort excusable; among Christians it is an enormity and a crime for which perdition has scarcely an adequate state of punishment.

According to the flesh — Your masters in secular things; for they have no authority over your religion, nor over your souls.

With fear and trembling — Because the law gives them a power to punish you for every act of disobedience.

In singleness of your heart — Not merely through fear of punishment, but from a principle of uprightness, serving them as you would serve Christ.