English Standard Version
Colossians 3:22
22Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
Colossians 3:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
- New International Version (NIV)Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.
Context of Colossians 3:22
20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Read all of Colossians 3Colossians 3:22 word by word
Οἱ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε κατὰ πάντα τοῖς κατὰ σάρκα κυρίοις, μὴ ἐν ὀφθαλμοδουλίᾳ ὡς ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἁπλότητι καρδίας φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
- obeyὑπακούωhupakouō · to obeyG5219
- inκατάkata · according toG2596
- all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
- mastersκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- notμήmē · notG3361
- withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- eyeserviceὀφθαλμοδουλείαophthalmodouleia · eye-serviceG3787
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- menpleasersἀνθρωπάρεσκοςanthrōpareskos · people-pleaserG441
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- singlenessἁπλότηςhaplotēs · opennessG572
- of heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
- fearingφοβέωphobeō · to fearG5399
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
Cross-references for Colossians 3:22
- Colossians 3:20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
- Psalms 123:2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.
- Malachi 1:6"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?'
- Matthew 8:9For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
- Luke 6:46"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?
- Luke 7:8For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
- Ephesians 6:5Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,
- 1 Timothy 6:1Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.
- Philemon 1:16no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
- 1 Peter 2:18Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.
- Galatians 1:10For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.
- Matthew 6:22"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,
- Acts 2:46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
- Genesis 42:18On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God:
- Nehemiah 5:9So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?
Commentaries on Colossians 3:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Servants, obey - See on Ephesians 6:5-8; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22-25Verses 22-25 Servants, obey in all things - ; see the notes at Ephesians 6:5-8.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 The epistles most taken up in displaying the glory of the Divine grace, and magnifying the Lord Jesus, are the most particular in pressing the duties of the Christian life. We must never separate the privileges and duties of the gospel. Submission is the duty of wives. But it is submission, not to a severe lord or stern tyrant, but to her own husband, who is engaged to affectionate duty. And husbands must love their wives with tender and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-24Slaves have masters on earth they must obey. Slavery was central to life and the economy in the ancient world. The New Testament does not directly oppose slavery. Yet, Christian faith creates relationships that change the nature of the social structure (see Philemon 1:15–16). It is the Lord Christ you are serving: All Christians, whether slave or free, serve a higher Master. His will is most important.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. (Ep 6:5, 6.) This is to fear God, when, though none sees us, we do no evil: but if we do evil, it is not God, but men, whom we fear. singleness--"simplicity of heart." fearing God--The oldest manuscripts read, "the Lord."Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 3:22
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Colossians 3
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries