Ephesians 6:5
3 “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.”
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
6 And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
7 Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men,
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
- KJV
- 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;
- WEB
- 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,
- ASV
- 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;
- DARBY
- Bondmen, obey masters according to flesh, with fear and trembling, in simplicity of your heart as to the Christ;
- BLB
- Slaves, obey the masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in sincerity of your⁺ heart, as to Christ,
- ÅB
- Dere tjenere! vær lydige mot deres herrer etter kjødet, med frykt og beven, i deres hjertes enfold, som mot Kristus,
- OTB
- Slaver, adlyd deres jordiske herrer med respekt og frykt, og med hjertets oppriktighet, som dere ville adlyde Kristus.
- B1930
- I tjenere! vær lydige mot eders herrer efter kjødet, med frykt og beven, i eders hjertes enfold, som mot Kristus,
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Peter 2:18–21
Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable.
Read in contextTitus 2:9–10
Slaves are to submit to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,
Read in contextColossians 3:17–24
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Read in contextPsalms 86:11
Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.
Read in contextEphesians 5:22
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
Read in contextMalachi 1:6
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’
Read in contextPhilippians 2:12
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Read in context1 Timothy 6:1–3
All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited.
Read in context