Verse 1

Those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent the name of God and Christian teaching from being discredited.

Referenced Verses

  • Titus 2:5 : 5 to be self-controlled, pure, fulfilling their duties at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message of God may not be discredited.
  • Rom 2:24 : 24 For just as it is written,“the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
  • Isa 52:5 : 5 And now, what do we have here?” says the LORD.“Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing, those who rule over them taunt,” says the LORD,“and my name is constantly slandered all day long.
  • Isa 58:6 : 6 No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke.
  • Ezek 36:20 : 20 But when they arrived in the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them,‘These are the people of the LORD, yet they have departed from his land.’
  • Ezek 36:23 : 23 I will magnify my great name that has been profaned among the nations, that you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I magnify myself among you in their sight.
  • Mal 1:6 : 6 The Sacrilege of Priestly Service“A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects his master. If I am your father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? The LORD of Heaven’s Armies asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply,‘How have we made light of your name?’
  • Matt 11:9 : 9 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet!
  • Matt 11:30 : 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”
  • Luke 17:1 : 1 Sin, Forgiveness, Faith, and Service Jesus said to his disciples,“Stumbling blocks are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
  • Acts 10:7 : 7 When the angel who had spoken to him departed, Cornelius called two of his personal servants and a devout soldier from among those who served him,
  • Acts 10:22 : 22 They said,“Cornelius the centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message from you.”
  • Acts 15:10 : 10 So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?
  • Gen 13:7-8 : 7 So there were quarrels between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen.(Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.) 8 Abram said to Lot,“Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives.
  • Gen 16:9 : 9 Then the LORD’s angel said to her,“Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.
  • Gen 24:2 : 2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one in his household who was in charge of everything he had,“Put your hand under my thigh
  • Gen 24:12 : 12 He prayed,“O LORD, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. Be faithful to my master Abraham.
  • Gen 24:27 : 27 saying“Praised be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love for my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master’s relatives!”
  • Gen 24:35-67 : 35 “The LORD has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him when she was old, and my master has given him everything he owns. 37 My master made me swear an oath. He said,‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find a wife for my son.’ 39 But I said to my master,‘What if the woman does not want to go with me?’ 40 He answered,‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. 41 You will be free from your oath if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.’ 42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed,‘O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, may events unfold as follows: 43 Here I am, standing by the spring. When the young woman goes out to draw water, I’ll say,“Please give me a little water to drink from your jug.” 44 Then she will reply to me,“Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the LORD has chosen for my master’s son.’ 45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, along came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her,‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said,‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 47 Then I asked her,‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied,‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.’ I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.” 50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied,“This is the LORD’s doing. Our wishes are of no concern. 51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decided.” 52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. 53 Then he brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. When they got up in the morning, he said,“Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” 55 But Rebekah’s brother and her mother replied,“Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.” 56 But he said to them,“Don’t detain me– the LORD has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return to my master.” 57 Then they said,“We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her,“Do you want to go with this man?” She replied,“I want to go.” 59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 They blessed Rebekah with these words:“Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands! May your descendants possess the strongholds of their enemies.” 61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with the man. So Abraham’s servant took Rebekah and left. 62 Now Isaac came from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 He went out to relax in the field in the early evening. Then he looked up and saw that there were camels approaching. 64 Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked Abraham’s servant,“Who is that man walking in the field toward us?”“That is my master,” the servant replied. So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her as his wife and loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
  • Deut 28:48 : 48 instead in hunger, thirst, nakedness, and poverty you will serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you. They will place an iron yoke on your neck until they have destroyed you.
  • 2 Sam 12:14 : 14 Nonetheless, because you have treated the LORD with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.”
  • 2 Kgs 5:2-3 : 2 Raiding parties went out from Syria and took captive from the land of Israel a young girl, who became a servant to Naaman’s wife. 3 She told her mistress,“If only my master were in the presence of the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his skin disease.”
  • 2 Kgs 5:13 : 13 His servants approached and said to him,“O master, if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task, you would have been willing to do it. It seems you should be happy that he simply said,“Wash and you will be healed.”
  • Neh 9:5 : 5 The Levites– Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah– said,“Stand up and bless the LORD your God!”“May you be blessed, O LORD our God, from age to age. May your glorious name be blessed; may it be lifted up above all blessing and praise.
  • Isa 47:6 : 6 I was angry at my people; I defiled my special possession and handed them over to you. You showed them no mercy; you even placed a very heavy burden on old people.
  • 1 Cor 7:21-22 : 21 Were you called as a slave? Do not worry about it. But if indeed you are able to be free, make the most of the opportunity. 22 For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. In the same way, the one who was called as a free person is Christ’s slave.
  • 1 Cor 10:32 : 32 Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God,
  • Gal 5:1 : 1 Freedom of the Believer For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.
  • Eph 6:5-8 : 5 Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ, 6 not like those who do their work only when someone is watching– as people-pleasers– but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. 7 Obey with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord and not people, 8 because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good, this will be rewarded by the Lord.
  • Col 3:22-25 : 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching– like those who are strictly people-pleasers– but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, 24 because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the one who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there are no exceptions.
  • 1 Tim 5:14 : 14 So I want younger women to marry, raise children, and manage a household, in order to give the adversary no opportunity to vilify us.
  • Titus 2:8-9 : 8 and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, because he has nothing evil to say about us. 9 Slaves are to be subject to their own masters in everything, to do what is wanted and not talk back, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, in order to bring credit to the teaching of God our Savior in everything.
  • 1 Pet 2:12 : 12 and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.
  • 1 Pet 2:17-20 : 17 Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king. 18 Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are perverse. 19 For this finds God’s favor, if because of conscience toward God someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God.
  • 1 Pet 3:16 : 16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you.