A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

BIBLE QUESTION DOSSIER

Does the Bible endorse slavery?

Short answer

The Bible contains laws and instructions regulating forms of slavery and servitude rather than a simple modern abolition statute. It also contains texts that limit abuse, condemn kidnapping, stress shared status in Christ, and eventually supplied arguments used by both abolitionists and defenders of slavery.

Ancient Israelite debt-servitude, household slavery in the Roman world, war captives and modern race-based chattel slavery are not identical institutions. The ethical question requires reading the legal, narrative, prophetic and New Testament material together instead of treating one English word as a single social system.

1. What do the English translations actually say?

The five translations below are stored locally on Born Again Daily, so you can see the wording before anyone tells you what to think about it.

Exodus 21:2-6

Hebrew debt-servitude legislation.

KJV

2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.

BSB

2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything. 3 If he arrived alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free. 5 But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to go free,’ 6 then his master is to bring him before the judges. And he shall take him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he shall serve his master for life.

WEB

2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years and in the seventh he shall go out free without paying anything. 3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 But if the servant shall plainly say, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free;’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.

ASV

2 If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3 If he come in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he be married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master give him a wife and she bear him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 But if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 then his master shall bring him unto God, and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.

YLT

2 ‘When thou buyest a Hebrew servant—six years he doth serve, and in the seventh he goeth out as a freeman for nought; 3 if by himself he cometh in, by himself he goeth out; if he is owner of a wife, then his wife hath gone out with him; 4 if his lord give to him a wife, and she hath borne to him sons or daughters—the wife and her children are her lord’s, and he goeth out by himself. 5 ‘And if the servant really say: I have loved my lord, my wife, and my sons—I do not go out free; 6 then hath his lord brought him nigh unto God, and hath brought him nigh unto the door, or unto the side-post, and his lord hath bored his ear with an awl, and he hath served him—to the age.

Exodus 21:16

Kidnapping a person for sale is a capital offense.

KJV

And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

BSB

Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.

WEB

“Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

ASV

And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

YLT

‘And he who stealeth a man, and hath sold him, and he hath been found in his hand, is certainly put to death.

Leviticus 25:39-46

Distinguishes Israelite poverty-servitude from foreign slaves.

KJV

39 And if thy brother [that dwelleth] by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: 40 [But] as an hired servant, [and] as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, [and] shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: 41 And [then] shall he depart from thee, [both] he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. 42 For they [are] my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. 43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God. 44 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, [shall be] of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. 45 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that [are] with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. 46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit [them for] a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.

BSB

39 If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor. 40 Let him stay with you as a hired worker or temporary resident; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. 41 Then he and his children are to be released, and he may return to his clan and to the property of his fathers. 42 Because the Israelites are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, they are not to be sold as slaves. 43 You are not to rule over them harshly, but you shall fear your God. 44 Your menservants and maidservants shall come from the nations around you, from whom you may purchase them. 45 You may also purchase them from the foreigners residing among you or their clans living among you who are born in your land. These may become your property. 46 You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But as for your brothers, the Israelites, no man may rule harshly over his brother.

WEB

39 “‘If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you; you shall not make him to serve as a slave. 40 As a hired servant, and as a temporary resident, he shall be with you; he shall serve with you until the Year of Jubilee: 41 then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and shall return to his own family, and to the possession of his fathers. 42 For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. 43 You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God. 44 “‘As for your male and your female slaves, whom you may have; of the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. 45 Moreover of the children of the aliens who live among you, of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they have conceived in your land; and they will be your property. 46 You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them may you take your slaves forever: but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.

ASV

39 And if thy brother be waxed poor with thee, and sell himself unto thee; thou shalt not make him to serve as a bond-servant. 40 As a hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee; he shall serve with thee unto the year of jubilee: 41 then shall he go out from thee, he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. 42 For they are my servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. 43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor, but shalt fear thy God. 44 And as for thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, whom thou shalt have; of the nations that are round about you, of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. 45 Moreover of the children of the strangers that sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they have begotten in your land: and they shall be your possession. 46 And ye shall make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them shall ye take your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel ye shall not rule, one over another, with rigor.

YLT

39 ‘And when thy brother becometh poor with thee, and he hath been sold to thee, thou dost not lay on him servile service; 40 as an hireling, as a settler, he is with thee, till the year of the jubilee he doth serve with thee,— 41 then he hath gone out from thee, he and his sons with him, and hath turned back unto his family; even unto the possession of his fathers he doth turn back. 42 For they are My servants, whom I have brought out from the land of Egypt: they are not sold with the sale of a servant; 43 thou rulest not over him with rigour, and thou hast been afraid of thy God. 44 And thy man-servant and thy handmaid whom thou hast are of the nations who are round about you; of them ye buy man-servant and handmaid, 45 and also of the sons of the settlers who are sojourning with you, of them ye buy, and of their families who are with you, which they have begotten in your land, and they have been to you for a possession; 46 and ye have taken them for inheritance to your sons after you, to occupy for a possession; to the age ye lay service upon them, but upon your brethren, the sons of Israel, one with another, thou dost not rule over him with rigour.

Philemon 1:15-17

Paul asks Philemon to receive Onesimus as more than a slave—a beloved brother.

KJV

15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; 16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? 17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

BSB

15 For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

WEB

15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

ASV

15 For perhaps he was therefore parted from thee for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever; 16 no longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.

YLT

15 for perhaps because of this he did depart for an hour, that age-duringly thou mayest have him, 16 no more as a servant, but above a servant—a brother beloved, especially to me, and how much more to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord! 17 If, then, with me thou hast fellowship, receive him as me,

Galatians 3:28

Slave/free status does not determine standing in Christ.

KJV

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

BSB

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

WEB

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

ASV

There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.

YLT

there is not here Jew or Greek, there is not here servant nor freeman, there is not here male and female, for all ye are one in Christ Jesus;

1 Timothy 1:10

Slave traders/kidnappers appear in a vice list.

KJV

For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

BSB

for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching

WEB

for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;

ASV

for fornicators, for abusers of themselves with men, for menstealers, for liars, for false swearers, and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;

YLT

whoremongers, sodomites, men-stealers, liars, perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that to sound doctrine is adverse,

2. What do the Hebrew and Greek words say?

Important: a lexicon gives a word’s possible senses and usage; it does not magically choose the correct sense without context. “The true meaning” of a biblical word is the meaning it carries in its actual sentence and historical usage.

עֶבֶד (eved)

Hebrew servant/slave; its range includes household servants, royal servants, subjects and enslaved persons.

H5650 • עֶ֫בֶדe.ved — servant/slave

1) slave, servant 1a) slave, servant, man-servant 1b) subjects 1c) servants, worshippers (of God) 1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc) 1e) servant (of Israel) 1f) servant (as form of address between equals) Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)

δοῦλος (doulos)

Greek slave/servant; the usual term for an enslaved person and also used metaphorically for service to God/Christ.

G1401 • δοῦλοςdoulos — slave

δοῦλος, -η, -ον, [in LXX, ὁ δ. nearly always for עֶבֶד; ὁ δ. chiefly for שִׁפְחָה ,אָמָה ;] 1. in bondage to, subject to: Rom.6:19. 2. As subst., ὁ, ἡ δ., a slave; (a) fem., ἡ δ., a female slave, bondmaid (Cremer, 702; DB, iii, 215): Luk.1:38, 48 Act.2:18" (LXX) ; (b) masc., ὁ δ., a slave, bond-man: Mat.8:9 18:23, al.; opposite to ἐλεύθερος, 1Co.7:22 12:13, Gal.3:28, Eph.6:8, Col.3:11, Rev.6:15 13:16 19:18; opposite to κύριος, δεσπότης, οἰκοδεσπότης, Mat.10:24 13:27, 28 Luk.12:46, Jhn.15:15, Eph.6:5, Col.3:22 4:1, al.; metaphorically, δ. Χριστοῦ, τοῦ Χρ., Ἰησοῦ Χρ., Rom.1:1, 1Co.7:22, Gal.1:10, Eph.6:6, Php.1:1, Col.4:12, Jas.1:1, 2Pe.1:1, Ju 1; δ. τ. θεοῦ, τ. κυρίου, Act.16:17, 2Ti.2:24, Tit.1:1, 1Pe.2:16, Rev.7:3 15:3; δ. πονηρός, ἀχρεῖος, κακός, Mat.18:32 24:48 25:26, 30, Luk.17:10 19:22; δ. ἁμαρτίας, Jhn.8:34, Rom.6:17, 20; τ. φθορᾶς, 2Pe.2:19. SYN.: διάκονος (q.V.), θεράπων, ὐπηρέτης (see DB, iii, 377; iv, 461, 469; DCG, i, 221; ii, 613; Cremer, 215, 702). (AS)

ἀνδραποδιστής (andrapodistēs)

Slave-dealer/kidnapper; appears in 1 Timothy 1:10.

G405 • ἀνδραποδιστήςandrapodistēs — slave-trader

ἀνδραποδιστής, -οῦ, ὁ (ἀνδράποδον, a slave, captured in war) a slave-dealer, kidnapper: 1Ti.1:10 (see MM, VGT, see word).† (AS)

3. Where interpretation begins

Historical-regulation reading

Many interpreters say biblical law regulates existing ancient institutions without presenting slavery as an ideal, while the gospel plants principles that undermine ownership of persons.

Critical reading

Critics note that some biblical laws explicitly permit ownership of slaves and that New Testament household codes tell slaves how to live within the institution rather than commanding immediate abolition.

Abolitionist Christian reading

Christian abolitionists emphasized human creation in God’s image, the Exodus, anti-kidnapping texts, the Golden Rule and equality in Christ as incompatible with race-based chattel slavery.

4. A careful conclusion

The evidence does not support saying “the Bible never permits slavery,” nor does it justify pretending ancient slavery was simply the same as nineteenth-century race slavery. The texts regulate real systems of human bondage while also containing moral trajectories that Christians have interpreted in sharply different ways.

Further study

Compare historical commentaries on Exodus 21:2-6 →

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