VERSE STUDY • KJV

Colossians 3:22

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

Read it in 5 translations

KJV 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:

BSB 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.

WEB 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.

ASV 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:

YLT 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;

Surrounding context — Colossians 3

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.

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Cross-references

Ephesians 6:5-7Servants, be obedient to them that are [your] masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;1 Timothy 6:1-2Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and [his] doctrine be not blasphemed.Galatians 1:10For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.1 Peter 2:18-19Servants, [be] subject to [your] masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.Titus 2:9-10[Exhort] servants to be obedient unto their own masters, [and] to please [them] well in all [things]; not answering again;Colossians 3:20Children, obey [your] parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.1 Thessalonians 2:4But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.Ecclesiastes 5:7For in the multitude of dreams and many words [there are] also [divers] vanities: but fear thou God.Luke 6:46And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?Matthew 8:9For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this [man], Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth [it].Psalm 123:2Behold, as the eyes of servants [look] unto the hand of their masters, [and] as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes [wait] upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.Matthew 6:22The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.Malachi 1:6A son honoureth [his] father, and a servant his master: if then I [be] a father, where [is] mine honour? and if I [be] a master, where [is] my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?Nehemiah 5:15But the former governors that [had been] before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.Ecclesiastes 12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.Philemon 1:16Not 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?Luke 7:8For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth [it].2 Corinthians 7:1Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

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