36 Bible Verses about Slavery, Spiritual

They answered him, 'Seed of Abraham we are; and to no one have we been servants at any time; how dost thou say -- Ye shall become free?' Jesus answered them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you -- Every one who is committing sin, is a servant of the sin, and the servant doth not remain in the house -- to the age, the son doth remain -- to the age;read more.
if then the son may make you free, in reality ye shall be free.

Let not then the sin reign in your mortal body, to obey it in its desires; neither present ye your members instruments of unrighteousness to the sin, but present yourselves to God as living out of the dead, and your members instruments of righteousness to God; for sin over you shall not have lordship, for ye are not under law, but under grace.read more.
What then? shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? let it not be! have ye not known that to whom ye present yourselves servants for obedience, servants ye are to him to whom ye obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? and thanks to God, that ye were servants of the sin, and -- were obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which ye were delivered up; and having been freed from the sin, ye became servants to the righteousness.

What, then, shall we say? the law is sin? let it not be! but the sin I did not know except through law, for also the covetousness I had not known if the law had not said: Thou shalt not covet;' and the sin having received an opportunity, through the command, did work in me all covetousness -- for apart from law sin is dead. And I was alive apart from law once, and the command having come, the sin revived, and I died;read more.
and the command that is for life, this was found by me for death; for the sin, having received an opportunity, through the command, did deceive me, and through it did slay me; so that the law, indeed, is holy, and the command holy, and righteous, and good. That which is good then, to me hath it become death? let it not be! but the sin, that it might appear sin, through the good, working death to me, that the sin might become exceeding sinful through the command, for we have known that the law is spiritual, and I am fleshly, sold by the sin; for that which I work, I do not acknowledge; for not what I will, this I practise, but what I hate, this I do. And if what I do not will, this I do, I consent to the law that it is good, and now it is no longer I that work it, but the sin dwelling in me, for I have known that there doth not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, good: for to will is present with me, and to work that which is right I do not find, for the good that I will, I do not; but the evil that I do not will, this I practise. And if what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that work it, but the sin that is dwelling in me. I find, then, the law, that when I desire to do what is right, with me the evil is present, for I delight in the law of God according to the inward man, and I behold another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of the sin that is in my members. A wretched man I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death? I thank God -- through Jesus Christ our Lord; so then, I myself indeed with the mind do serve the law of God, and with the flesh, the law of sin.

for we were once -- also we -- thoughtless, disobedient, led astray, serving desires and pleasures manifold, in malice and envy living, odious -- hating one another;

liberty to them promising, themselves being servants of the corruption, for by whom any one hath been overcome, to this one also he hath been brought to servitude,

In the freedom, then, with which Christ did make you free -- stand ye, and be not held fast again by a yoke of servitude;

And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant -- being lord of all, but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father, so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,read more.
and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law, that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive; and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father!' so that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.

for ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye did receive a spirit of adoption in which we cry, 'Abba -- Father.'

Seeing, then, the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself also in like manner did take part of the same, that through death he might destroy him having the power of death -- that is, the devil -- and might deliver those, whoever, with fear of death, throughout all their life, were subjects of bondage,

And before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour hath come, that he may remove out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own who are in the world -- to the end he loved them. And supper being come, the devil already having put it into the heart of Judas of Simon, Iscariot, that he may deliver him up, Jesus knowing that all things the Father hath given to him -- into his hands, and that from God he came forth, and unto God he goeth,read more.
doth rise from the supper, and doth lay down his garments, and having taken a towel, he girded himself; afterward he putteth water into the basin, and began to wash the feet of his disciples, and to wipe with the towel with which he was being girded. He cometh, therefore, unto Simon Peter, and that one saith to him, 'Sir, thou -- dost thou wash my feet?' Jesus answered and said to him, 'That which I do thou hast not known now, but thou shalt know after these things;' Peter saith to him, 'Thou mayest not wash my feet -- to the age.' Jesus answered him, 'If I may not wash thee, thou hast no part with me;' Simon Peter saith to him, 'Sir, not my feet only, but also the hands and the head.' Jesus saith to him, 'He who hath been bathed hath no need save to wash his feet, but he is clean altogether; and ye are clean, but not all;' for he knew him who is delivering him up; because of this he said, 'Ye are not all clean.' When, therefore, he washed their feet, and took his garments, having reclined (at meat) again, he said to them, 'Do ye know what I have done to you? ye call me, The Teacher and The Lord, and ye say well, for I am; if then I did wash your feet -- the Lord and the Teacher -- ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 'For an example I gave to you, that, according as I did to you, ye also may do; verily, verily, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his lord, nor an apostle greater than he who sent him; if these things ye have known, happy are ye, if ye may do them;

and Jesus having called them near, said, 'Ye have known that the rulers of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those great do exercise authority over them, but not so shall it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your ministrant; and whoever may will among you to be first, let him be your servant;read more.
even as the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'

but Jesus having called them near, saith to them, 'Ye have known that they who are considered to rule the nations do exercise lordship over them, and their great ones do exercise authority upon them; but not so shall it be among you; but whoever may will to become great among you, he shall be your minister, and whoever of you may will to become first, he shall be servant of all;read more.
for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'

For, let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God, but did empty himself, the form of a servant having taken, in the likeness of men having been made,read more.
and in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death -- death even of a cross, wherefore, also, God did highly exalt him, and gave to him a name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee may bow -- of heavenlies, and earthlies, and what are under the earth -- and every tongue may confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

And now, having been freed from the sin, and having become servants to God, ye have your fruit -- to sanctification, and the end life age-during;

'None is able to serve two lords, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one, and despise the other; ye are not able to serve God and Mammon.

'No domestic is able to serve two lords, for either the one he will hate, and the other he will love; or one he will hold to, and of the other he will be heedless; ye are not able to serve God and mammon.'

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, having been separated to the good news of God --

and all, whatever ye may do -- out of soul work -- as to the Lord, and not to men, having known that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance -- for the Lord Christ ye serve;

James, of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ a servant, to the Twelve Tribes who are in the dispersion: Hail!

as free, and not having the freedom as the cloak of the evil, but as servants of God;

Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who did obtain a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:

So, then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; for if according to the flesh ye do live, ye are about to die; and if, by the Spirit, the deeds of the body ye put to death, ye shall live; for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God;read more.
for ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye did receive a spirit of adoption in which we cry, 'Abba -- Father.' The Spirit himself doth testify with our spirit, that we are children of God; and if children, also heirs, heirs, indeed, of God, and heirs together of Christ -- if, indeed, we suffer together, that we may also be glorified together.

no more do I call you servants, because the servant hath not known what his lord doth, and you I have called friends, because all things that I heard from my Father, I did make known to you.

Abraham our father -- was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar? dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected? and fulfilled was the Writing that is saying, 'And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him -- to righteousness;' and, 'Friend of God' he was called.

Jesus, therefore, said unto the Jews who believed in him, 'If ye may remain in my word, truly my disciples ye are, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' They answered him, 'Seed of Abraham we are; and to no one have we been servants at any time; how dost thou say -- Ye shall become free?'read more.
Jesus answered them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you -- Every one who is committing sin, is a servant of the sin, and the servant doth not remain in the house -- to the age, the son doth remain -- to the age; if then the son may make you free, in reality ye shall be free.

Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear? for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman, but he who is of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who is of the free-woman, through the promise;read more.
which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar; for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now is, and is in servitude with her children, and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all, for it hath been written, 'Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many are the children of the desolate -- more than of her having the husband.' And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise, but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now; but what saith the Writing? 'Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;' then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.

What then? shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? let it not be! have ye not known that to whom ye present yourselves servants for obedience, servants ye are to him to whom ye obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? and thanks to God, that ye were servants of the sin, and -- were obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which ye were delivered up;read more.
and having been freed from the sin, ye became servants to the righteousness. In the manner of men I speak, because of the weakness of your flesh, for even as ye did present your members servants to the uncleanness and to the lawlessness -- to the lawlessness, so now present your members servants to the righteousness -- to sanctification, for when ye were servants of the sin, ye were free from the righteousness, what fruit, therefore, were ye having then, in the things of which ye are now ashamed? for the end of those is death. And now, having been freed from the sin, and having become servants to God, ye have your fruit -- to sanctification, and the end life age-during; for the wages of the sin is death, and the gift of God is life age-during in Christ Jesus our Lord.

for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain;

for not ourselves do we preach, but Christ Jesus -- Lord, and ourselves your servants because of Jesus;

For ye -- to freedom ye were called, brethren, only not the freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through the love serve ye one another,

'Who, then, is the servant, faithful and wise, whom his lord did set over his household, to give them the nourishment in season? Happy that servant, whom his lord, having come, shall find doing so; verily I say to you, that over all his substance he will set him.read more.
'And, if that evil servant may say in his heart, My Lord doth delay to come, and may begin to beat the fellow-servants, and to eat and to drink with the drunken, the lord of that servant will arrive in a day when he doth not expect, and in an hour of which he doth not know, and will cut him off, and his portion with the hypocrites will appoint; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth.

And the Lord said, 'Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the lord shall set over his household, to give in season the wheat measure? Happy that servant, whom his lord, having come, shall find doing so; truly I say to you, that over all his goods he will set him.read more.
'And if that servant may say in his heart, My lord doth delay to come, and may begin to beat the men-servants and the maid-servants, to eat also, and to drink, and to be drunken; the lord of that servant will come in a day in which he doth not look for him, and in an hour that he doth not know, and will cut him off, and his portion with the unfaithful he will appoint.

For -- as a man going abroad did call his own servants, and did deliver to them his substance, and to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his several ability, went abroad immediately. 'And he who did receive the five talents, having gone, wrought with them, and made other five talents;read more.
in like manner also he who received the two, he gained, also he, other two; and he who did receive the one, having gone away, digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 'And after a long time cometh the lord of those servants, and taketh reckoning with them; and he who did receive the five talents having come, brought other five talents, saying, 'Sir, five talents thou didst deliver to me; lo, other five talents did I gain besides them.

He said therefore, 'A certain man of birth went on to a far country, to take to himself a kingdom, and to return, and having called ten servants of his own, he gave to them ten pounds, and said unto them, Do business -- till I come; and his citizens were hating him, and did send an embassy after him, saying, We do not wish this one to reign over us.read more.
'And it came to pass, on his coming back, having taken the kingdom, that he commanded these servants to be called to him, to whom he gave the money, that he might know what any one had done in business. 'And the first came near, saying, Sir, thy pound did gain ten pounds; and he said to him, Well done, good servant, because in a very little thou didst become faithful, be having authority over ten cities.

But, who is he of you -- having a servant ploughing or feeding -- who, to him having come in out of the field, will say, Having come near, recline at meat? but will not rather say to him, Prepare what I may sup, and having girded thyself about, minister to me, till I eat and drink, and after these things thou shalt eat and drink? Hath he favour to that servant because he did the things directed? I think not.read more.
So also ye, when ye may have done all the things directed you, say -- We are unprofitable servants, because that which we owed to do -- we have done.'

for the earnest looking out of the creation doth expect the revelation of the sons of God; for to vanity was the creation made subject -- not of its will, but because of Him who did subject it -- in hope, that also the creation itself shall be set free from the servitude of the corruption to the liberty of the glory of the children of God;read more.
for we have known that all the creation doth groan together, and doth travail in pain together till now.