36 Bible Verses about Slavery, Spiritual

They answered him, We are children of Abraham, and were never in servitude to any one; how say you, You shall become free? Jesus answered them, I tell you most truly, that every one who commits sin is a servant of the sin. But the servant continues not in the house for ever; the Son continues for ever.read more.
If, therefore, the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to obey its desires, neither present your members as instruments of wickedness to sin, but present yourselves to God as living from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have a Lordship over you; for you are not under the law but under the grace.read more.
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under the grace? By no means. Know you not that to whom you present yourselves servants for obedience, his servants you are whom you obey, whether of sin in death or of obedience in righteousness? But thanks be to God that you were servants of sin, but obeyed from the heart the form of teaching in which you were instructed, and having become free from sin you served righteousness.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? By no means. On the contrary I knew not sin except through the law; for I had not known inordinate desire, unless the law had said, You shall not desire inordinately. But Sin having taken occasion through the commandment wrought in me every inordinate desire; for without the law sin was dead. And I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died,read more.
and the commandment which was for life was found to be for death. For sin having taken occasion through the commandment deceived me, and through it killed me. The law therefore is holy, and the commandment holy and righteous and good. Did then that which is good become death to me? By no means, but sin; that sin might be made manifest, producing death to me through that which is good, that sin might become exceedingly sinful through the commandment. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I do this I approve not; for I do not what I wish, but what I hate, this I do. But if what I wish not this I do, I consent to the law that it is good; and now I no longer do it, but the sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, there dwells no good. For to wish is present with me, but to do the good is not; for the good which I wish I do not, but the evil which I wish not this I do. But if what I wish not this I do, I no longer do it, but sin which dwells in me. I find therefore the law, that when I wish to do good evil is present with me; for I consent to the law of God as to my inward man, [my soul], but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and making me captive to the law of sin which is in my members. Miserable man that I am; who will deliver me from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord; therefore I myself with the mind serve the law of God, and with the flesh the law of sin.

For we formerly were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, detestable, and hating one another;

promising them liberty, when they themselves are servants of corruption; for by whatever a man is overcome, to this is he made a servant.

STAND firm in the liberty with which Christ has made you free, and be not again subject to a yoke of servitude.

But I say, that as long as the heir is a child, he differs not from a servant, though he is lord of all, but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed by the father. So also we, when we were children, were in servitude under the rudiments of the world;read more.
but when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. So that you are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, also an heir of God.

For you received not the spirit of servitude again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption, by which we cry; Abba, Father.

Since then the children have partaken of blood and flesh, he in like manner also partook of them, that through death he might destroy him that has the power of death, that is the devil, and liberate those who all their life were subjects of servitude to the fear of death.

AND before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own in the world he loved them to the end. And supper being over, the devil having already put it in the heart that Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, should betray him, he knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God and was going to God,read more.
arose from supper, and laid aside his clothes, and taking a towel girded himself: Then he put water into the wash-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; he said to him, Lord, do you wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, What I do you know not now, but you shall know hereafter. Peter said to him, You shall never by any means wash my feet. He answered him, Unless I wash you you have no part with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but my hands and my head. Jesus said to him, He that is washed needs only that his feet should be washed, but is wholly pure; and you are pure, but not all. For he knew him that was to betray him; therefore, he said, You are not all pure. When, therefore, he had washed their feet, and taken his clothes and sat down again, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you say well, for I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done. I tell you most truly, the servant is not greater than his lord, nor the apostle greater than he that sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

But Jesus called them to him, and said, You know that the rulers of the gentiles exercise lordship over them, and the great exercise authority over them; but it shall not be so among you. But whoever wishes to be great among you, let him be your minister; and whoever wishes to be first among you, let him be your servant,read more.
as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

And Jesus called them and said to them, You know that those who desire to rule the gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great men exercise authority over them; but it shall not be so with you. But whoever wishes to be great among you, let him be your minister; and whoever wishes to be first of you, let him be a servant of all.read more.
For the Son of man also came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a 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 a robbery to be equal with God; but he abased himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of man,read more.
and being found in form like a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient even till death, and the death of the cross. Wherefore God also highly exalted him, and gave him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of beings in heaven and in the earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

But now having been made free from sin and made servants to God, you have your fruit in sanctification, and the end eternal life.

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the first, and love the other, or he will adhere to the first, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches.

No domestic can serve two masters; for he will either hate the first and love the other, or he will adhere to the first and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches.

PAUL, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart to the gospel of God,??2 which he promised by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures,??3 concerning his Son born of the posterity of David as to the flesh,

And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men; knowing that you will receive from the Lord the recompense of the inheritance. You serve Christ the Lord;

JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greeting.

as free, and not using freedom for a cloak of vice, but as servants of God.

SIMEON Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Therefore, brothers, we are debtors not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die; but if by the spirit you kill the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are sons of God.read more.
For you received not the spirit of servitude again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption, by which we cry; Abba, Father. The Spirit itself is a co-witness with our spirits that we are children of God. And if children, [we are] also heirs, heirs indeed of God and co-heirs with Christ, if we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him.

I no longer call you servants, for the servant knows not what his Lord does; but I have called you friends: for all things which I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith cooperated with his works, and by works was faith made perfect, and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, And Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him a righteousness, and he was called God's friend.

Then Jesus said to the Jews who believed on him, If you continue in my word, you are my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We are children of Abraham, and were never in servitude to any one; how say you, You shall become free?read more.
Jesus answered them, I tell you most truly, that every one who commits sin is a servant of the sin. But the servant continues not in the house for ever; the Son continues for ever. If, therefore, the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

Tell me, you that wish to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by a servant woman, and the other by a free woman. But he by the servant woman was born of the flesh, and he by the free woman, by the promise.read more.
These things are allegorical, for those [women] are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai, bearing children for servitude, which is Hagar; for Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; and the present Jerusalem answers to her, for she is in servitude with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us; for it is written, Rejoice, barren woman, that did not bear, break forth and cry, woman that had no pain, for the children of the desolate are more numerous than those of her who had a husband. But we, brothers, like Isaac, are children of the promise. But as then he that was born of the flesh persecuted him that was born of the Spirit, so also now. But what says the Scripture? Cast out the servant-woman and her son; for the son of the servant woman shall not be an heir, with the son of the free. Wherefore, brothers, we are not children of the servant woman, but of the free.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under the grace? By no means. Know you not that to whom you present yourselves servants for obedience, his servants you are whom you obey, whether of sin in death or of obedience in righteousness? But thanks be to God that you were servants of sin, but obeyed from the heart the form of teaching in which you were instructed,read more.
and having become free from sin you served righteousness. I speak after the manner of men on account of the weakness of your flesh. For as you presented your members servants to impurity and to wickedness in wickedness, so now present your members servants to righteousness in sanctification. For when you were servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. What fruit had you therefore then in things of which you are now ashamed? for the end of them is death. But now having been made free from sin and made servants to God, you have your fruit in sanctification, and the end eternal life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life by Christ Jesus our Lord.

For being free from all men, I have made myself a servant of all, that I may gain more;

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

For you are called to liberty, brothers, only make not your liberty an occasion for the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom the Lord has placed over his family to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he comes, shall find so doing. I tell you truly, that he will place him over all his estates.read more.
But if that evil servant says in his heart, My Lord delays his coming, and begins to beat his fellow-servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards, the Lord of that servant will come on a day when he looks not for him, and at an hour that he knows not of, and will punish him with the utmost severity, and appoint his portion with hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of the teeth.

And the Lord said, Who then is a faithful, a wise steward, whom the lord shall place over his family, to give them their proper food in due time? Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. I tell you truly, that he will set him over all his property.read more.
But if that servant says in his heart, My lord delays to come, and begins to beat the younger servants, and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the lord of that servant will come in a day that he looks not for him, and at an hour that he knows not of, and will punish him severely, and give him his part with the faithless.

For, as a man going abroad called his servants, and delivered to them his estates; to one he gave five talents [$5,000], to another two [$2,000], and to another one [$1,000]; to each according to his ability, and immediately went abroad. And he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five;read more.
in like manner, also, he that received the two gained two others; but he that received the one went away and dug in the earth and hid his lord's money. And after a long time the lord of those servants came, and had a settlement with them. And he that received the five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you committed to me five talents; behold, I have gained five other talents.

He said, therefore, A certain nobleman went into a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and to return. And calling his ten servants, he gave them ten minas [$163.30], and said to them, Use them in business till I come. And his citizens hated him, and sent an embassy after him, saying, We wish not this man to reign over us.read more.
And he returned, having received the kingdom, and ordered those servants to be called to him to whom he had given the money, that he might know what each one had done. And the first came, saying, Lord, your mina [$16.33] has gained ten minas. And he said to him, Well, good servant; because you have been faithful in the least, have authority over ten cities.

But which of you having a servant plowing, or keeping sheep, will say to him when he comes in from the field, Come immediately and sit down? but will he not say to him, Prepare something that I may take supper, and gird yourself and wait on me till I eat and drink, and after that do you eat and drink? Does he thank the servant because he did the things commanded him?read more.
So also you, when you have done all things commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; what we owed the doing of; we have done.

For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to a perishable condition, not willingly, but by him that subjected it, in hope that the same creation will be delivered from the servitude of destruction and [brought] into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.read more.
For we know that all the creation groans and is in pain till now;