Section 6:5–9
Paul gave advice to slaves and their masters
The third relationship that Paul talked about is that of slaves and masters. The slave must remember that when he serves his master, he is serving Christ, and he will receive his reward from Christ. The master must remember that the slave’s master in heaven is his own master too.
Here are some other examples for a heading for this section:
Paul’s advice to slaves and masters (God’s Word)
-or-
Slaves/Servants should obey their masters
Paragraph 6:5–9
6:5a
Slaves: Paul switched from talking to fathers to talking to slaves in Ephesus who were Christians. In the town of Ephesus, slaves were people who worked in the houses of their masters.
In your translation you should use a natural way to show that Paul began talking to a different group of people. For example:
To those who are slaves, I say…
-or-
Now you servants….
obey: The word obey means “do what somebody says to do” or “carry out someone’s orders.” For example:
Slaves, you should do what your masters tell you to do.
earthly masters: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as earthly masters is literally “masters according to the flesh.” These are in contrast to the master in heaven (6:9). In Greek, the word for “master” and “Lord” is the same word. Paul told slaves to obey their “masters in the flesh ” so they would not mistakenly think he meant “obey the Lord” here. See flesh, Meaning 2 in the Glossary for more information.
masters: The “master” was the person who had bought and who owned the slave.
Here are some other ways to translate the word masters :
owners
-or-
bosses
6:5b
with respect and fear: The words respect and fear are a doublet. Both words mean respect/honor. (Here fear does not mean “to be afraid of.”) You can translate this:
respect them and honor/obey them
-or-
really respect them
Perhaps your language has an idiom that describes the attitude a slave should have, for example:
always bow your head to them
sincerity of heart: The phrase sincerity of heart means “honestly,” “with no hidden motives” or “with one heart.”
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
with a good heart
Or if it is clearer, you can translate it in a negative way. For example:
do not obey them with half a heart
-or-
do not just pretend to respect them
-or-
be as loyal to them (Contemporary English Version)
6:5c
just as you would obey Christ: This is a comparison. Paul is comparing their service of their masters to their obedience to Christ. He is saying that slaves should obey their masters in the same way that they would obey Christ.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Be as sincere as you are when you obey Christ. (God’s Word)
-or-
be as loyal to them as you are to Christ (Contemporary English Version)
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