Colossians 3:22

King James Version

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Seruants, be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh, in all things, not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenes of heart, fearing God.

Christian Standard Bible®
Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.

Hebrew Names Version
Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

Darby Translation
Bondmen, obey in all things your masters according to flesh; not with eye-services, as men-pleasers, but in simplicity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Easy-to-Read Version
Servants, obey your masters in everything. Obey all the time, even when they can't see you. Don't just pretend to work hard so that they will treat you well. No, you must serve your masters honestly because you respect the Lord.

Amplified Bible
Servants, in everything obey those who are your masters on earth, not only with external service, as those who merely please people, but with sincerity of heart because of your fear of the Lord.

American Standard Version
Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:

Berean Standard Bible
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
Slaves, you must always obey your earthly masters. Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. Honor the Lord and serve your masters with your whole heart.

Complete Jewish Bible
Slaves, obey your human masters in everything, not serving only when they are watching you, to win their favor, but single-heartedly, fearing the Lord.

International Standard Version
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched in order to please them, but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 2:20; 1 Timothy 6:1; Titus 2:9; 1 Peter 2:18;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Servants, obey in every thing your masters according to the flesh, not in the sight of the eye (only), as those who please men, but from a simple heart, and in the fear of the Lord.

Murdock Translation
Servants, obey in all things your bodily masters; not in the sight of the eye only, as those who please men, but with a simple heart, and in the fear of the Lord.

King James Version (1611)
Seruants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh: not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenesse of heart, fearing God:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Seruauntes, obey in all thynges to your bodyly maisters: not with eye seruice, as men pleasers, but in singlenesse of heart, fearyng God.

English Revised Version
Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:

Lexham English Bible
Slaves, obey your human masters in everything, not while being watched, as people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Literal Translation
Slaves, obey the lords according to flesh in all respects, not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

New American Standard Bible
Slaves, obey those who are your human masters in everything, not with eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

New Century Version
Slaves, obey your masters in all things. Do not obey just when they are watching you, to gain their favor, but serve them honestly, because you respect the Lord.

New English Translation
Slaves, 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.

New King James Version
Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.

New Living Translation
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.

New Revised Standard
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Ye servants! be obedient, in all things, unto them who, according to the flesh, are your masters, - not with eye-service, as man-pleasers, but with singleness of heart, revering the Lord, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh: not serving to the eye, as pleasing men: but in simplicity of heart, fearing God.

George Lamsa Translation
Servants, obey your human masters in all things, not with eyeservice, as men pleasers; but with a sincere heart, in fear of the LORD.

Good News Translation
Slaves, obey your human masters in all things, not only when they are watching you because you want to gain their approval; but do it with a sincere heart because of your reverence for the Lord.

World English Bible
Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
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.

Weymouth's New Testament
Slaves, be obedient in everything to your earthly masters; not in acts of eye service, as aiming only to please men, but with simplicity of purpose, because you fear the Lord.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Seruauntis, obeie ye bi alle thingis to fleischli lordis, not seruynge at iye, as plesynge to men, but in symplenesse of herte, dredinge the Lord.

Webster's Bible Translation
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:

Revised Standard Version
Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Servauntes be obedient vnto youre bodyly masters in all thynges: not with eye service as men pleasers but in synglenes of herte fearynge god.

Update Bible Version
Slaves, obey in all things those that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:

Young's Literal Translation
The servants! obey in all things those who are masters according to the flesh, not in eye-service as men-pleasers, but in simplicity of heart, fearing God;

Bible in Basic English
Servants, in all things do the orders of your natural masters; not only when their eyes are on you, as pleasers of men, but with all your heart, fearing the Lord:

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ye seruauntes, be obedient vnto youre bodely masters in all thinges, not with eye seruyce as men pleasers, but in synglenes of hert, fearinge God.

Mace New Testament (1729)
servants, be entirely obedient to those, whom the laws have made your masters, and not meerly out of regard to their observation, as designing only to please men, but from a principle of integrity, as fearing God:

THE MESSAGE
Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work.

New Life Bible
You who are servants who are owned by someone, obey your owners. Work hard for them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Work for them as you would for the Lord because you honor God.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Day hands, do everything the wagon boss tells you to do. Do the right thing whether or not they're watching you. Make a good impression in all you do, not for them, but out of your respect for God.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Contextual Overview

¹⁸ Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. ²² Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; ²³ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; ²⁴ Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

obey: Colossians 3:20, Psalms 123:2, Malachi 1:6, Matthew 8:9, Luke 6:46, Luke 7:8, Ephesians 6:5-7, 1 Timothy 6:1, 1 Timothy 6:2, Titus 2:9, Titus 2:10, Philemon 1:16, 1 Peter 2:18, 1 Peter 2:19

menpleasers: Galatians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:4

in singleness: Matthew 6:22, Acts 2:46, Ephesians 6:5

fearing: Genesis 42:18, Nehemiah 5:9, Nehemiah 5:15, Ecclesiastes 5:7, Ecclesiastes 8:12, Ecclesiastes 12:13, 2 Corinthians 7:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 30:29 - General Genesis 31:6 - General 2 Chronicles 30:8 - serve Psalms 86:11 - unite Psalms 116:6 - preserveth Psalms 119:10 - my whole Proverbs 27:18 - so Zechariah 14:20 - shall there Matthew 6:18 - appear Luke 7:2 - who Luke 11:34 - single Romans 12:8 - with simplicity Romans 12:11 - serving 1 Corinthians 7:22 - is the Ephesians 5:22 - as Ephesians 5:24 - in Ephesians 6:6 - eyeservice 1 Thessalonians 4:11 - and to do 1 Peter 3:2 - with

Cross-References

Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 3:5
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Psalms 22:26
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

Proverbs 3:18
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

Jeremiah 22:23
O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Servants, obey in all things your masters,.... That is, in all things relating to the body, and bodily service; not to the conscience, and religious worship; in things worldly, and not spiritual; in all things that are within a master's power, and it is lawful for him to command; and in all things that are fitting and proper that a servant should do; and even in such things as may be difficult, troublesome, and disagreeable to the flesh unto them; see

Luke 17:7 who those servants are that are to obey, and who their masters, said to be according to the flesh, to whom they are to be subject, Luke 17:7- :.

not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in singleness of heart;

Luke 17:7- :,

Luke 17:7- :.

fearing God; who sees and knows all things, what servants do when their masters are absent from them, and to whom they are accountable; and a servant that fears God will make conscience of discharging his service faithfully, will not misspend his master's time, nor embezzle his goods, or waste his substance; but from a principle of reverential affection for God, and fear of him, with a concern for his name, and a view to his glory, will with all diligence, uprightness, faithfulness, and sincerity, do his duty, seek his master's good and interest, and cheerfully obey all his lawful commands. The Alexandrian copy reads, "fearing the Lord"; and so the Syriac version, "in the fear of the Lord".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Servants, obey in all things ... - ; see the notes at Ephesians 6:5-8.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 22. Servants, obey — See on Ephesians 6:5-8.