Those who have believing masters should not show disrespect because they are brothers, but should serve them all the more, since those receiving their good service are beloved believers. Teach and encourage these principles.
Parallel translations
- WEB Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brothers, but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.
- KJV And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
- NKJV And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.
- NASB Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers or sisters, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.
- NLT If the masters are believers, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. Those slaves should work all the harder because their efforts are helping other believers who are well loved. Teach these things, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Servants with believing masters must not take them lightly because they are brothers, but serve them all the more since fellow believers benefit. Shared faith deepens, rather than dissolves, faithful service.
Overview
Where master and servant are both Christians, the servant might presume on their equality in Christ; Paul instead urges even better service, since the one benefited is a beloved brother. Spiritual kinship transforms the relationship without erasing earthly responsibilities. The gospel makes believers family while still calling them to faithful work, and Timothy is to keep teaching this.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 30
- Col 4:1Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
- 1 Tim 4:11Command and teach these things.
- Gen 16:4–5And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived. But when Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.
- Col 3:11–12Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
- Eph 1:15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
- 1 Tim 5:1Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,
- Eph 1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
- 2 Th 1:3We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.
- Heb 3:14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.
- Gal 3:26–29You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
- Rom 11:17Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,
- 2 Pet 2:10Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
- Titus 2:15Speak these things as you encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
- Heb 3:1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.
- Col 1:2To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
- Jude 1:8Yet in the same way these dreamers defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander glorious beings.
- Num 16:3They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have taken too much upon yourselves! For everyone in the entire congregation is holy, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”
- Eph 3:6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Pet 5:1As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you:
- Gal 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
- Phlm 1:10–16I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains.
- Titus 2:1But as for you, speak the things that are consistent with sound doctrine.
- Col 1:4because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints—
- Matt 6:24No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
- Matt 25:40And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’
- Matt 23:8But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
- Rom 8:29For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
- Joel 2:28And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
- Titus 3:8This saying is trustworthy. And I want you to emphasize these things, so that those who have believed God will take care to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for the people.
- Phlm 1:5–7because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
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Original language
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