But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to go free,’
Parallel translations
- WEB But if the servant shall plainly say, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free;’
- KJV And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
- ESV But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’
- NKJV But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’
- NASB But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not leave as a free man,’
- NLT But the slave may declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
A servant might declare his love for his master, wife, and children and refuse to go free. Love could move a servant to lifelong, willing service.
Overview
The law allowed a servant, out of love rather than compulsion, to choose permanent service. This willing, love-driven servitude beautifully pictures the believer's glad bondservice to Christ, who is loved as Master and Redeemer. Such service flows not from fear but from grateful love (Rom. 6:18-22).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Deut 15:16–17But if your servant says to you, ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your household and is well off with you,
- 2 Cor 5:14–15For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.
- Isa 26:13O LORD our God, other lords besides You have had dominion, but Your name alone do we confess.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 21:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.