Ephesians 6:5

Ephesians 6:5 in other versions

• King James Version (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;
• New International Version (NIV)Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;

Context of Ephesians 6:5

3so that it may be well with you, and that you may have a long life on the earth. 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with respect for authority, and with a sincere heart [seeking to please them], as [service] to Christ— 6not in the way of eye-service [working only when someone is watching you and only] to please men, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart; 7rendering service with goodwill, as to the Lord, and not [only] to men,

Ephesians 6:5 word by word

Οἱ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε τοῖς κατὰ σάρκα κυρίοις μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου ἐν ἁπλότητι τῆς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὡς τῷ Χριστῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Servantsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• be obedient toὑπακούωhupakouō · to obeyG5219
• mastersκύριοςkurios · lord: masterG2962
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• fearφόβοςphobos · fearG5401
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• tremblingτρόμοςtromos · tremblingG5156
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• singlenessἁπλότηςhaplotēs · opennessG572
• of yourσύsu · youG4771
• heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• unto ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for Ephesians 6:5

• Genesis 16:9The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress, and submit humbly to her authority.”
• Psalms 123:2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, And as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He is gracious and favorable toward us.
• Malachi 1:6“ ‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is the [reverent] fear and respect due Me?’ says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise My name. But you say, ‘How and in what way have we despised Your name?’
• Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].
• Matthew 8:9For I also am a man subject to authority [of a higher rank], with soldiers subject to me; and I say to one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
• Acts 10:7When the angel who was speaking to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among his own personal attendants;
• Colossians 3:22Servants, in everything obey those who are your masters on earth, not only with external service, as those who merely please people, but with sincerity of heart because of your fear of the Lord.
• 1 Timothy 6:1All who are under the yoke as bond-servants (slaves) are to regard their own masters as worthy of honor and respect so that the name of God and the teaching [about Him] will not be spoken against.
• 1 Peter 2:18Servants, be submissive to your masters with all [proper] respect, not only to those who are good and kind, but also to those who are unreasonable.
• Philemon 1:16no longer as a slave, but [as someone] more than a slave, as a brother [in Christ], especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh [as a servant] and in the Lord [as a fellow believer].
• 1 Corinthians 2:3I came to you in [a state of] weakness and fear and great trembling.
• 2 Corinthians 7:15His affection is greater than ever as he remembers the obedience [to his guidance] that all of you exhibited, and how you received him with the greatest respect.
• Philippians 2:12So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].
• 1 Peter 3:2when they see your modest and respectful behavior [together with your devotion and appreciation—love your husband, encourage him, and enjoy him as a blessing from God].
• Ephesians 6:24Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible love.
• Joshua 24:14“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; remove the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the [Euphrates] River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.

Commentaries on Ephesians 6:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Servants, be obedient - Though frequently signifies a slave or bondman, yet it often implies a servant in general, or any one bound to another, either for a limited time, or for life. Even a slave, if a Christian, was bound to serve him faithfully by whose money he was bought, howsoever illegal that traffic may be considered. In heathen countries slavery was in some sort excusable; among Christians it is an enormity and a crime for which perdition has…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Servants - ̔́ ͂ hoi douloiThe word used here denotes one who is bound to render service to another, whether that service be free or voluntary, and may denote, therefore, either a slave, or one who binds himself to render service to another. It is often used in these senses in the New Testament, just as it is elsewhere. It cannot be demonstrated that the word here necessarily means “slaves;” though, if slavery existed among those to whom this Epistle was…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-9Verses 5-9 The duty of servants is summed up in one word, obedience. The servants of old were generally slaves. The apostles were to teach servants and masters their duties, in doing which evils would be lessened, till slavery should be rooted out by the influence of Christianity. Servants are to reverence those over them. They are to be sincere; not pretending obedience when they mean to disobey, but serving faithfully. And they must serve their masters…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Obeying human masters shows a Christian slave's service to Christ (see Colossians 3:22–23; 1 Timothy 6:1–2; Titus 2:9–10; 1 Peter 2:18–23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Servants--literally, "slaves." masters according to the flesh--in contrast to your true and heavenly Master (Ep 6:4). A consolatory him that the mastership to which they were subject, was but for a time [Chrysostom]; and that their real liberty was still their own (1Co 7:22). fear and trembling--not slavish terror, but (See on 1Co 2:3; 2Co 7:15) an anxious eagerness to do your duty, and a fear of displeasing, as great as is produced in the ordinary…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 6:5

• Fear of God
• Heart
• Servant
• Sincerity

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Nurture
• Obey
• Provoke
• Wrestle
• Ephesians, Epistle to the
• Justification
• Master

Commentaries on Ephesians 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings