Ephesians 6:9

Ephesians 6:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
• New International Version (NIV)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 is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

Context of Ephesians 6:9

7rendering service with goodwill, as to the Lord, and not [only] to men, 8knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, whether [he is] slave or free. You masters, do the same [showing goodwill] toward them, and give up threatening and abusive words, knowing that [He who is] both their true Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with Him [regardless of one’s earthly status]. 10In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. 11Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil.

Ephesians 6:9 word by word

Καὶ οἱ κύριοι, τὰ αὐτὰ ποιεῖτε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἀνιέντες τὴν ἀπειλήν, εἰδότες ὅτι καὶ αὐτῶν καὶ ὑμῶν ὁ κύριός ἐστιν ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ προσωπολημψία οὐκ ἔστιν παρ᾽ αὐτῷ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• yeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• mastersκύριοςkurios · lord: masterG2962
• the same thingsαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• forbearingἀνίημιaniēmi · to loosen/leaveG447
• threateningἀπειλήapeilē · threatG547
• knowingεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• neitherοὐou · noG3756
• respect of personsπροσωποληψίαprosōpolēpsia · favoritismG4382
• withπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844

Cross-references for Ephesians 6:9

• Leviticus 19:13‘You shall not oppress or exploit your neighbor, nor rob him. You shall not withhold the wages of a hired man overnight until morning.
• Leviticus 25:39‘And if your fellow countryman becomes so poor [in his dealings] with you that he sells himself to you [as payment for a debt], you shall not let him do the work of a slave [who is ineligible for redemption],
• Deuteronomy 15:11For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor in your land.’
• Deuteronomy 24:14“You shall not take advantage of a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether [he is] one of your countrymen or one of the strangers (resident aliens, foreigners) who is in your land inside your cities.
• Nehemiah 5:5Now our flesh (skin) is the same as that of our brothers (relatives), and our children are like their children, yet here we are forcing (selling) our sons and our daughters to be slaves; and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are powerless [to redeem them] because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
• Job 24:10They cause the poor to go about naked without clothing, And they take away the sheaves [of grain] from the hungry.
• Job 31:13“If I have despised and rejected the claim of my male or female servants When they filed a complaint against me,
• Isaiah 47:6I was angry with My people, I profaned [Judah] My inheritance And gave them into your hand [Babylon]. You showed them no mercy; You made your yoke very heavy on the aged.
• Isaiah 58:3‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You do not see it? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’ Hear this [O Israel], on the day of your fast [when you should be grieving for your sins] you find something you desire [to do], And you force your hired servants to work [instead of stopping all work, as the law teaches].
• Amos 8:4Hear this, you who trample down the needy, and do away with the poor of the land,
• Malachi 3:5“Then I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, and against those who oppress the laborer in his wages and widows and the fatherless, and against those who turn away the alien [from his right], and those who do not fear Me [with awe-filled reverence],” says the Lord of hosts.
• Colossians 4:1Masters, [on your part] deal with your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
• James 5:4Look! The wages that you have [fraudulently] withheld from the laborers who have mowed your fields are crying out [against you for vengeance]; and the cries of the harvesters have come to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
• Ephesians 6:5Slaves, 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—
• Matthew 7:12“So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.
• Luke 6:31Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.

Commentaries on Ephesians 6:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Ye masters, do the same things unto them - Act in the same affectionate, conscientious manner towards your slaves and servants, as they do towards you. Forbearing threatening - If they should transgress at any time, lean more to the side of mercy than justice; and when ye are obliged to punish, let it be as light and as moderate as possible; and let revenge have no part in the chastisement, for that is of the devil, and not of God. The words, forbearing…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And, ye masters - The object of this is, to secure for servants a proper treatment. It is evident, from this, that there were in the Christian church those who were “masters;” and the most obvious interpretation is, that they were the owners of slaves. Some such persons would be converted, as such are now. Paul did not say that they could not be Christians. He did not say that they should he excluded at once from the communion. He did not hold them up to…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. 9do the same: Act with integrity and care for the well-being of others (see Colossians 4:1). Give up your use of threats: Christian masters will also answer to the same Master in heaven for their actions on earth. Pleasing God means treating their slaves humanely and kindly. there is no favoritism with Him: God judges everyone by the same standard (see Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Colossians 3:25). God’s justice affirms the dignity of all…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. the same things--Mutatis mutandis. Show the same regard to God's will, and to your servants' well-being, in your relation to them, as they ought to have in their relation to you. Love regulates the duties both of servants and masters, as one and the same light attempers various colors. Equality of nature and faith is superior to distinctions of rank [Bengel]. Christianity makes all men brothers: compare Le 25:42, 43; De 15:12; Jr 34:14 as to how the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 6:9

• Employer
• Example
• God Continued...
• Master
• Respect of Persons
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Respect of Persons
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Nurture
• Obey
• Provoke
• Wrestle
• Ephesians, Epistle to the
• Forbear
• God, Names of
• Justification

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