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Slaves and Masters. Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ,(A) not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,(B) willingly serving the Lord and not human beings, knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Masters, act in the same way toward them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality.(C)

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Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect(A) and fear, and with sincerity of heart,(B) just as you would obey Christ.(C) Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ,(D) doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,(E) because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,(F) whether they are slave or free.

And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours(G) is in heaven, and there is no favoritism(H) with him.

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11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian,[a] slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 3:11 Scythian: a barbarous people from north of the Black Sea.

11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew,(A) circumcised or uncircumcised,(B) barbarian, Scythian, slave or free,(C) but Christ is all,(D) and is in all.

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16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man[a] and in the Lord.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 16 As a man: literally, “in the flesh.” With this and the following phrase, Paul describes the natural and spiritual orders.

16 no longer as a slave,(A) but better than a slave, as a dear brother.(B) He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

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