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 go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. 4Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as you would Christ. 6Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing God’s will from your heart. 7Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people,

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 to her authority.”
• Psalms 123:2Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand, like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand, so our eyes are on the Lord our God until he shows us favor.
• Malachi 1:6“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of me? says the Lord of Armies to you priests, who despise my name.” Yet you ask, “How have we despised your name?”
• Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
• Matthew 8:9For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
• Acts 10:7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, who was one of those who attended him.
• Colossians 3:22Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.
• 1 Timothy 6:1All who are under the yoke as slaves should regard their own masters as worthy of all respect, so that God’s name and his teaching will not be blasphemed.
• 1 Peter 2:18Household slaves, submit to your masters with all reverence not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel.
• Philemon 1:16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave — as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
• 1 Corinthians 2:3I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
• 2 Corinthians 7:15And his affection toward you is even greater as he remembers the obedience of all of you, and how you received him with fear and trembling.
• Philippians 2:12Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
• 1 Peter 3:2when they observe your pure, reverent lives.
• Ephesians 6:24Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Joshua 24:14“Therefore, fear the Lord and worship him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship 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