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

3If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 6Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for 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, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”
• Psalms 123:2We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
• Malachi 1:6The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’
• Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
• Matthew 8:9I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
• Acts 10:7As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants.
• Colossians 3:22Slaves, 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.
• 1 Timothy 6:1All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching.
• 1 Peter 2:18You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.
• Philemon 1:16He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
• 1 Corinthians 2:3I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling.
• 2 Corinthians 7:15Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect.
• Philippians 2:12Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.
• 1 Peter 3:2by observing your pure and reverent lives.
• Ephesians 6:24May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Joshua 24:14“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.

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