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 turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth. 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; 6not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7With goodwill render service, 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

• Slavesδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• be obedientὑπακούωhupakouō · to obeyG5219
• to thoseὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• mastersκύριοςkurios · lord: masterG2962
• accordingκατάkata · according toG2596
• to the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• fearφόβοςphobos · fearG5401
• and tremblingτρόμοςtromos · tremblingG5156
• in the sincerityἁπλότηςhaplotēs · opennessG572
• of your heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• as to ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for Ephesians 6:5

• Genesis 16:9So the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”
• Psalms 123:2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a female servant to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He is gracious to 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 My respect?’ says the Lord of armies to you, the priests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How 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 one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
• Matthew 8:9For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this 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 spoke to him left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier from his personal attendants,
• Colossians 3:22Slaves, obey those who are your human masters in everything, not with eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
• 1 Timothy 6:1All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.
• 1 Peter 2:18Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are harsh.
• Philemon 1:16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
• 1 Corinthians 2:3I also was with you in weakness and fear, and in great trembling,
• 2 Corinthians 7:15His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.
• Philippians 2:12So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
• 1 Peter 3:2as they observe your pure and respectful behavior.
• Ephesians 6:24Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
• Joshua 24:14“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and do away with the gods which your fathers served beyond 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