36 Bible Verses about Slavery, Spiritual

They answered him, We are Abraham's seed, and we have never served anyone; how sayest thou, Ye shall be set free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the slave of sin. And the slave does not abide in the house for ever, but the Son abides for ever.read more.
If the Son therefore shall set you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither present your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but present yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. So that sin shall have no dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.read more.
What then? shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? No, in no wise. Or know ye not that to whom ye present yourselves slaves to obey, his slaves ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of the obedience unto righteousness? Thank God that, although ye were the slaves of sin, ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine unto which ye are delivered; and freed from sin, ye are become the slaves of righteousness.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? No, in no wise. But, I did not know sin except by the law; for neither would I have known lust if the law did not say, Thou shalt not covet. Then sin, when there was occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of lust. For without the law sin was as if it were dormant. So that without the law I lived for some time; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.read more.
And I found that the same commandment, which was unto life, was mortal unto me. For sin, having had occasion, deceived me by the commandment and by it killed me. So the law is truly holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? No, in no wise. But sin, to show itself sin by that which is good, worked death in me, making sin exceedingly sinful by the commandment. For we now know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold unto subjection by sin. For that which I do, I do not understand, and not even the good that I desire is what I do; but what I hate, that is what I do. If then I do that which I do not desire, I approve that the law is good. So that it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. And I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing; for I have the desire, but I am not able to perform that which is good. For I do not do the good that I desire; but the evil which I do not desire, that I do. And if I do that which I do not desire, I am not working, but sin that dwells in me. So that, desiring to do good, I find this law: evil is natural unto me. For I delight with the law of God with the inward man, but I see another law in my members which rebels against the law of my mind, bringing captive unto the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God, by Jesus, the Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

For we ourselves also were foolish in another time, rebellious, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

promising them liberty, being they themselves the slaves of corruption: for he who is overcome by someone is subject to bondage by the one that overcame him.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with the yoke of slavery.

Now I say That the heir, as long as he is a child differs in nothing from a slave, though he be lord of all, but is under the hand of tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world,read more.
but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father; therefore, thou art no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

For ye have not received the spirit of slavery to be in fear again, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the empire of death, that is, the devil, and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to slavery.

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God,read more.
arose from the supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. Then he came to Simon Peter, and Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou dost not understand now, but thou shalt understand afterwards. Peter said unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said to him, He that is washed needs only to wash his feet because he is completely clean, and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore, said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet and had taken his garments and had sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The slave is not greater than his lord; neither is the apostle greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, ye shall be blessed if ye do them.

But Jesus called them unto him and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and those that are great wield power over them. But it shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your slave,read more.
even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.

But Jesus, calling unto them, said unto them, Ye know that those who are seen to be princes among the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those that are great among them wield power over them. But it shall not be like this among you, for whosoever desires to make himself great among you shall be your servant; and whosoever of you that desires to be first shall be slave of all.read more.
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to serve and to give his life in ransom for many.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, made in the likeness of men,read more.
and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross . Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is Lord in the glory of God the Father.

But now freed from sin and made slaves to God, ye have as your fruit sanctification and as the end, everlasting life.

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and riches.

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Paul, slave of Jesus, the Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God

And whatever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ.

James, , a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

as being free, yet not using your liberty to cover maliciousness, but as slaves of God.

Simon Peter, slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those that have obtained like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if ye live according to the flesh, ye shall die; but if through the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For all that are led by the Spirit of God, the same are sons of God.read more.
For ye have not received the spirit of slavery to be in fear again, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. For the same Spirit bears witness unto our spirit that we are sons of God, and if sons, also heirs certainly of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together with him.

From now on I do not call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his lord does; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? Dost thou not see how the faith worked together with his works, and the faith was complete by the works? And that the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, If ye abide in my word, ye shall be my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. They answered him, We are Abraham's seed, and we have never served anyone; how sayest thou, Ye shall be set free?read more.
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the slave of sin. And the slave does not abide in the house for ever, but the Son abides for ever. If the Son therefore shall set you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, have ye not heard the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, but he of the freewoman was born through the promise.read more.
Which things are an allegory; for these women are the two covenants: the one from the Mount Sinai, which begat unto slavery, which is Hagar. For this Hagar or Sinai is a mount in Arabia, which corresponds to the one that is now Jerusalem, which together with her children is in slavery. But the Jerusalem of above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth into praise and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband. So that we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what does the scripture say? Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

What then? shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? No, in no wise. Or know ye not that to whom ye present yourselves slaves to obey, his slaves ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of the obedience unto righteousness? Thank God that, although ye were the slaves of sin, ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine unto which ye are delivered;read more.
and freed from sin, ye are become the slaves of righteousness. I speak a human thing because of the weakness of our flesh: that as ye presented your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, likewise now present your members to serve righteousness unto holiness. For being previously the slaves of sin, now ye have been made the slaves of righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things of which ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now freed from sin and made slaves to God, ye have as your fruit sanctification and as the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the grace of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Therefore, though I am free regarding everyone, yet I have made myself slave unto all, that I might gain the more.

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your slaves for Jesus' sake.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only do not use liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by charity serve one another.

Who then is the faithful and prudent slave, whom his lord has made ruler over his household to give them food in due season? Blessed is that slave whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.read more.
But and if that evil slave shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and shall begin to smite his fellowslaves and even to eat and drink with the drunken, the lord of that slave shall come in a day when he does not look for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him off and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his lord shall make ruler over his household to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that slave whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.read more.
But and if that slave shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and shall begin to beat the menslaves and maids and to eat and drink and to be drunken, the lord of that slave will come in a day when he does not look for him and at an hour when he is not aware and will cut him off and will appoint him his portion with the unfaithful.

For it is like a man travelling into a far country, who called his own slaves and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his faculty, and straightway took his journey. And after he was gone, he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made another five talents.read more.
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained another two. But he that had received one went and dug in the earth and hid his lord's money. And after a long time the lord of those slaves came and reckoned accounts with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Lord, thou didst deliver unto me five talents; behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And having called ten of his slaves, he delivered them ten minas and said unto them, Trade until I come. But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.read more.
And it came to pass that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these slaves to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much each one had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy mina has gained ten minas. And he said unto him, Well done, thou good slave; because thou hast been faithful in a very little, thou shalt have authority over ten cities.

But which of you, having a slave plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by when he is come from the field, Go and sit down at the table? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup and gird thyself and serve me until I have eaten and drunken, and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Does he thank that slave because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.read more.
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable slaves: we have done that which was our duty to do.

For the earnest hope of the creatures waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creatures were subjected to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected them, with the hope that the same creatures shall be delivered from the slavery of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.read more.
For we now know that all the creatures groan together and travail in pain together until now.