Colossians 3:22

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of Colossians 3:22

20Children, obey your parents in every respect, for this is pleasing to the Lord. 21Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged. Slaves, obey your human masters in every respect—not just within your master’s sight as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it from the soul, as for the Lord and not for people. 24For you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as a reward. It is to the Lord Messiah you are giving service.

Colossians 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 every respect, for this is pleasing to the Lord.
• Psalms 123:2Behold, as the eyes of slaves to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a slave-girl to the hand of her mistress— so our eyes look to Adonai our God, till He shows us favor.
• Malachi 1:6“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. So if I am Father, where is My honor? If I am Master, where is My reverence?”—says Adonai-Tzva’ot—“you, kohanim who despise My Name!” But you say, “How did we despise Your Name?”
• Matthew 8:9For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. 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.”
• Luke 6:46“Why do you call Me ‘Master, Master’ and do not do what I say?
• Luke 7:8For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. 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.”
• Ephesians 6:5Slaves, obey your human masters, with respect and reverence, with sincerity of heart, as you would the Messiah—
• 1 Timothy 6:1Let all who are under the yoke as slaves consider their own masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.
• Philemon 1:16no longer as a slave but more than a slave—as a beloved brother, especially to me but even more so to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
• 1 Peter 2:18Slaves, with all respect submit yourselves to your masters—not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are harsh.
• Galatians 1:10Am I now trying to win people’s approval, or God’s? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Messiah.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:4But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we declare it—not pleasing men but rather God, who examines our hearts.
• Matthew 6:22“The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
• Acts 2:46Day by day they continued with one mind, spending time at the Temple and breaking bread from house to house. They were sharing meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,
• Genesis 42:18Then Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and you will live. I fear God.
• Nehemiah 5:9Then I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good! Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God, in order to avoid the reproach of our Gentile 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

• Fear of God
• Heart
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Admonish
• Bond
• Charity
• Covetousness
• Discourage
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Eye
• Fit

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