Colossians 3:22

Servants are to obey their earthly masters sincerely and wholeheartedly, working out of reverence for God rather than merely to impress people. It matters because true service flows from the heart toward the Lord, not from outward show.

Cross-references · 22

• Eph 6:5–7Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;
• Gal 1:10For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.
• 1 Tim 6:1–2Let as many as are bondservants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine not be blasphemed.
• 1 Pet 2:18–19Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.
• Titus 2:9–10Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting;
• Col 3:20Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.
• 1 Th 2:4But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.
• Eccl 5:7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.
• Luke 6:46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say?
• Eccl 12:13This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
• Neh 5:15But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people; but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
• Mal 1:6“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says Yahweh of Armies to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’
• Luke 7:8For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
• Acts 2:46Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
• 2 Cor 7:1Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
• Matt 6:22“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light.
• Matt 8:9For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and tell another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
• Phlm 1:16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
• Gen 42:18Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God.
• Ps 123:2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to Yahweh, our God, until he has mercy on us.
• Neh 5:9Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
• Eccl 8:12Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.