6:6a

And do this not only to please them: Here are some other ways to translate the phrase to please them :

to please your masters
-or-
to gain the approval of your masters
-or-
so that your owners will praise you

while they are watching: The clause while they are watching means “when your master is watching you.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Try to please them all the time (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Don’t obey them only while you’re being watched (God’s Word)
-or-
Do what your masters say even when they are not around.

6:6b

but as servants of Christ: This is a comparison. Paul is comparing slaves of men to slaves of Christ. The point of comparison between a slave of another person and a slave of Christ is that both should obey their masters. So the meaning is: “Obey your earthly masters as servants of Christ obey their heavenly master.”

Here is one way to translate this phrase:

But obey like slaves who belong to Christ… (God’s Word)

6:6c

doing the will of God: Another way to say doing the will of God is “doing what God wants.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

following the will of God
-or-
do God’s wishes (Yakan Back Translation)
-or-
do what God says to do

from your heart: The phrase from your heart means “wholeheartedly” or “with enthusiasm.” An English idiom is:

with all your heart (Good News Translation)

If there is an idiom in your language with this meaning you can use it.

It has a similar meaning as the phrase “sincerity of heart,” found in 6:5b.

your: Depending on how you translate this verse, you may have to use different pronouns. For example:

They do what God wants them to do with all their heart.

See the second meaning line in the Display for another example.

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