Servants and Masters: Mutual Duties
Ephesians 6:5-9
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
Jude
Revelation
Eph.6.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δουλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- υπακουετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- κατα: PREP
- σαρκα: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- κυριοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- μετα: PREP
- φοβου: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- τρομου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- απλοτητι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- καρδιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- ως: ADV
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- Χριστω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Colossians 3:22 (verbal): Directly parallels language and instruction to slaves—obey your earthly masters with sincerity of heart and regard your service as to the Lord.
- Colossians 3:23 (thematic): Develops the same principle: whatever you do, do it heartily/as for the Lord rather than for men—frames obedience to masters as service to Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:18 (verbal): Addresses servants/slaves submitting to masters, urging submission with proper respect and endurance—similar ethical instruction for Christian slaves.
- Titus 2:9-10 (structural): Gives household-code instruction to slaves to be submissive and to maintain good conduct so that the teaching of God is not discredited—parallels the practical and communal concerns behind Ephesians 6:5.
- Philippians 2:12 (verbal): Shares the phrase “with fear and trembling,” linking the attitude advised in service/obedience to a reverent, Christ-centered seriousness in the Christian life.
Alternative generated candidates
- Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with sincerity of heart, as to Christ.
- Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, and with a sincere heart, as to Christ.
Eph.6.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μη: PART
- κατ᾽οφθαλμοδουλιαν: ADV
- ως: ADV
- ανθρωπαρεσκοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- αλλ᾽ως: CONJ
- δουλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- Χριστου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ποιουντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- θελημα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εκ: PREP
- ψυχης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Ephesians 6:5 (structural): Immediate context: commands bondservants to obey their earthly masters 'as to Christ,' providing the same framework of service 'as servants of Christ' rather than merely as men-pleasers.
- Ephesians 6:7 (verbal): Close parallel in wording and intent: 'with good will render service, as to the Lord and not to men' echoes 'not by way of eyeservice... but as servants of Christ' and emphasizes inner motive.
- Colossians 3:22-24 (verbal): Very similar instruction to slaves: obey in fear and sincerity, 'whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,' and 'you will receive the inheritance from the Lord'—same focus on serving Christ and doing God's will from the heart.
- 1 Peter 2:18-20 (thematic): Adapts the theme of servant conduct under authority: servants are urged to submit (even to harsh masters) and to endure suffering when doing good, highlighting inner disposition and pleasing God rather than seeking human approval.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do not serve by way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
- Do not serve by way of mere eye‑service, as those who seek human approval, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Eph.6.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μετ᾽ευνοιας: PREP+NOUN,gen,sg,f
- δουλευοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- ως: ADV
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- κυριω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ανθρωποις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Colossians 3:23 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: 'whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men' echoes Ephesians 6:7's command to serve with goodwill as to the Lord rather than people.
- Ephesians 6:6 (structural): Immediate contextual parallel within the same passage: contrasts 'eye-service' and instructs servants to serve 'as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,' reinforcing the motive of serving the Lord.
- Colossians 3:22 (thematic): Household-slave instruction similar to Ephesians 6:7—calls slaves to obey earthly masters with the heart, grounding behavior in their relationship to the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 (thematic): Broad ethical principle: 'whether you eat or drink... do all to the glory of God' provides the same Lord-directed motive for wholehearted action described in Ephesians 6:7.
- Titus 2:9-10 (thematic): Household code for slaves urging respectful, trustworthy conduct 'to adorn the doctrine of God'—parallels the exhortation to serve as unto the Lord to honor God and commend the faith.
Alternative generated candidates
- Render service with goodwill, as to the Lord and not to men,
- Render service with goodwill, as to the Lord and not to people,
Eph.6.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ειδοτες: PTCP,perf,act,nom,pl,m
- οτι: CONJ
- εκαστος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- αν: PART
- ποιηση: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- αγαθον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- κομισεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- παρα: PREP
- κυριου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ειτε: CONJ
- δουλος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειτε: CONJ
- ελευθερος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Colossians 3:23-24 (verbal): Directly parallels the idea of working 'as for the Lord' and receiving from the Lord an inheritance/reward for what one does, addressing servants and masters in similar household ethics.
- Romans 2:6 (verbal): States the same principle of divine recompense—God 'will render to each one according to his works'—echoing the idea that good deeds are received by the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 3:8 (verbal): Uses similar language about each person 'receiv[ing] his wages' or what he has earned according to his labor, linking human work and divine reward.
- Matthew 16:27 (thematic): Jesus' eschatological declaration that the Son of Man will repay everyone 'according to what he has done' parallels the theme of divine recompense for deeds.
- Revelation 22:12 (thematic): The Lord's announcement that he is coming 'to repay each one for what he has done' expresses the same final assurance that deeds will be recompensed by the Lord.
Alternative generated candidates
- knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive it back from the Lord—whether he is a bondservant or is free.
- knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
Eph.6.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- κυριοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- αυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- ποιειτε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- προς: PREP
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- ανιεντες: PART,aor,act,nom,pl,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- απειλην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ειδοτες: PTCP,perf,act,nom,pl,m
- οτι: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κυριος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- ουρανοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- προσωπολημψια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- παρ᾽αυτω: PREP+PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Colossians 4:1 (verbal): Masters are told to give justice/fairness because they too have a Master in heaven—language and argument closely parallel ('you also have a Master in heaven').
- Ephesians 6:5-8 (structural): Immediate context: servants instructed to serve 'as to the Lord', linking both servants' and masters' behavior to accountability before the heavenly Master.
- Romans 2:11 (verbal): 'For there is no respect of persons with God' echoes the same theological claim as 'προσωπολημψια ουκ ἐστιν παρ᾽ αὐτῷ'—God's impartiality.
- Acts 10:34 (verbal): Peter's statement 'God shows no partiality' (οὐκ ἔστιν πρόσωπονδεξία παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ) parallels the refusal of favoritism attributed to the heavenly Lord in Ephes. 6:9.
Alternative generated candidates
- Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
- And masters, do the same to them. Stop your threats, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, and with singleness of heart, as to Christ.
Do not serve by mere outward show, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
With goodwill render service, as to the Lord and not to men.
For you know that whatever good anyone does, he will receive it back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or free. And you masters, do the same to them, refraining from threats, for your Master is also in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.