17 Bible Verses about Servants

Meanwhile, I thought it best to send Epaphroditus my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and minister to my need back to you.

Join me in suffering like a good soldier of the Messiah Jesus. No one serving in the military gets mixed up in civilian matters, for his aim is to please his commanding officer.

From: Paul and Timothy, servants of the Messiah Jesus. To: All the holy ones in Philippi, along with their overseers and ministers, who are in union with the Messiah Jesus.

From: Jude, a servant of Jesus the Messiah, and yet a brother of James. To: Those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept safe by Jesus, the Messiah.

From: Paul, a servant of God, and also an apostle of Jesus the Messiah, to bring the faith to those chosen by God, along with full knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,

From: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. To: The twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings.

The secret meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: the seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches."

"To the messenger of the church in Ephesus, write: "The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lamp stands, says this:

As good servant managers of God's grace in its various forms, serve one another with the gift each of you has received.

A servant of the Lord must not argue. Instead, he must be kind to everyone, teachable, willing to suffer wrong,

I'll raise up shepherds over them, and they'll shepherd them. My flock will no longer be afraid or terrified, and none will be missing," declares the LORD.

Think of us as servants of the Messiah and as servant managers entrusted with God's secrets.

Because an overseer is God's servant manager, he must be blameless. He must not be arrogant or irritable. He must not drink too much, be a violent person, or make money in shameful ways.

For we do not preach ourselves, but rather Jesus the Messiah as Lord, and ourselves as merely your servants for Jesus' sake.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched in order to please them, but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their own masters as deserving of the highest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be discredited.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey the Messiah.

You household servants must submit yourselves to your masters out of respect, not only to those who are kind and fair, but also to those who are unjust.

Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, aiming to please them and not argue with them

But if the servant, in fact, says, "I love my master, my wife, and my children, and I won't go out a free man,'

Consider this: as the eyes of a servant focus on what his master provides, and as the eyes of a female servant focus on what her mistress provides, so our eyes focus on the LORD our God, until he has mercy on us.

A prudent servant will rule in place of a disgraceful son and will share in the inheritance among brothers.

Like cold snow during harvest time is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes his masters.

Whoever nurtures the fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever obeys his master will be honored.

"If I've refused to help my male and female servants when they complain against me, what will I do when God stands up to act? When he asks the questions, how will I answer him?

There a centurion's servant, whom he valued highly, was sick and about to die. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him to ask him to come and save his servant's life.

Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant.

Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant.

So Abimelech took some sheep and oxen, and some male and female servants, gave them to Abraham, returned his wife Sarah to him,

"As the LORD lives," Ittai answered in reply, "and as your majesty the king lives, wherever your majesty my king may be whether living or dying that's where your servant will be!"

A week later, the child died, and David's staff was afraid to tell him that the child had died. They were telling themselves, "Look, when the child was still alive, we talked to him but he wouldn't listen to what we said. Now what kind of trouble will he bring on himself if we tell him that the child has died?"

"Look!" the king's staff replied. "Your servants will do whatever the king chooses."

Now, one of the young men told Nabal's wife Abigail: "Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our lord, but he screamed insults at them. The men were very good to us. They didn't harm us, and we didn't miss anything all the time we moved around with them when we were in the field. They were a wall around us both day and night, all the time we were with them taking care of the sheep. read more.
Now, be aware of this and consider what you should do. Calamity is being planned against our master and against his entire household. He's such a worthless person that no one can talk to him."

On one of their raids to the territory of Israel, Aram had taken captive a young girl when she was an infant, who had eventually become an attendant to Naaman's wife. She mentioned to her mistress, "If only my master were to visit the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."

But then his servants approached him and spoke with him. They said, "My father, had the prophet only asked of you something great, you would have done it, wouldn't you? Yet he told you, "Bathe, and be clean"!'"

From that day on, half of my helpers engaged in the work while the other half kept spears, shields, bows, and armor ready. The senior officials backed all of the Judeans

No one neither I, my allies, my servants, nor the bodyguards who accompanied me changed clothes. Everyone carried a weapon even while going for water.

His armor bearer told him, "Do whatever you want. Let's move out! I'm right here with you, as you wish."

Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful both to you and to me.

When the angel who had spoken to him had gone, Cornelius summoned two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of those who served him regularly.

because I, too, am a man under authority and I have soldiers under me. I say to one of them "Go' and he goes, to another "Come' and he comes, and to my servant "Do this' and he does it."

Now when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he told the harvesters, "The LORD be with you." "May the LORD bless you!" they replied.

For just last night an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by me

Meanwhile, Aaron and his sons presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, carrying out the work of the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel in accordance with everything that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

From: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. To: The twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings.

For God, whom I serve with my spirit by preaching the gospel about his Son, is my witness how constantly I mention you

Live like free people, and do not use your freedom as an excuse for doing evil. Instead, be God's servants.

Stop becoming unevenly yoked with unbelievers. What partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? What fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony exists between the Messiah and Beliar, or what do a believer and an unbeliever have in common? What agreement can a temple of God make with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said: "I will live and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people."

"No one can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches!"

"No servant can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth!"

Hardly! What they offer, they offer to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot dine with the Lord and dine with demons, or you'll provoke the Lord to jealousy, won't you? Are we stronger than he is?

With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in God's likeness. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. It should not be like this, my brothers! A spring cannot pour both fresh and brackish water from the same opening, can it? read more.
My brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives, nor a grapevine figs, can it? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

For by one Spirit all of us Jews and Greeks, slaves and free were baptized into one body and were all privileged to drink from one Spirit.

because you know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free.

Because all of you are one in the Messiah Jesus, a person is no longer a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a male or a female.

In him there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free person. Instead, the Messiah is all and in all.

Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, aiming to please them and not argue with them

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey the Messiah. Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will. Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people, read more.
because you know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free.

All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their own masters as deserving of the highest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be discredited. Moreover, those who have believing masters should be respectful to them, because they are fellow believers. In fact, they must serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dear to them. These are the things you must teach and exhort.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched in order to please them, but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.

When Esau eventually looked around, he saw the women and the children. "Who are these people with you?" he asked.

"My lords," he told them, "if I have found favor with you, please don't leave your servant.

If he says, "Good,' then your servant will be safe. But if he actually gets angry, you will know that his intentions are evil.

So they put on some sackcloth, tied their hair back with ropes, and approached the king of Israel. "Your servant Ben-hadad says this," they said. "Please let me live." "Is he still alive?" Ahab asked. "He's my brother."

You'll eat only in the presence of the LORD your God at the place that he will choose you, your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the descendant of Levi who is in your cities. Rejoice in the presence of the LORD your God in everything you undertake.

Rejoice in the presence of the LORD your God with your son, daughter, male and female slaves, the descendants of Levi who is in your city, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow among you, at the place where the LORD your God will choose to establish his name.

Rejoice in your festival you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the descendants of Levi, and foreigners, orphans, and widows, who live in your cities.

Then he poured some water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to dry them with the towel that was tied around his waist.

That's the way it is with the Son of Man. He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people."

Because who is greater, the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? It is the one at the table, isn't it? But I'm among you as one who serves.

Instead, poured out in emptiness, a servant's form did he possess, a mortal man becoming. In human form he chose to be,

Set aside and consecrate the fiftieth year to declare liberty throughout the land for all of its inhabitants. It is to be a jubilee for you. Every person is to return to his own land that he has inherited. Likewise, every person is to return to his tribe.

Instead, he is to serve with you like a hired servant or a traveler who lives with you, until the year of jubilee. Then he and his children with him may leave to return to his family and his ancestor's inheritance.

If he isn't redeemed by these, then he is to be set free in the year of jubilee he and his children with him

"If a man is found kidnapping his relative, a fellow Israeli, and mistreats or sells him, that kidnapper must die. By doing this, you will remove this evil from among you.

for those involved in sexual immorality, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, for liars, for false witnesses, and for whatever else goes against the healthy teaching

"Whoever kidnaps a person, whether he has sold him or whether the victim is still in his possession, is certainly to be put to death.

Now it is required of servant managers that each one should prove to be trustworthy.

or steal from them. Instead, they are to show complete and perfect loyalty, so that in every way they may make the teaching about God our Savior more attractive.

Whoever is faithful with very little is also faithful with a lot, and whoever is dishonest with very little is also dishonest with a lot. So if you haven't been faithful with unrighteous wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? And if you haven't been faithful with what belongs to foreigners, who will give you what is your own?

You take no delight in sacrifices and offerings you have prepared my ears to listen you require no burnt offerings or sacrifices for sin.

Instead, poured out in emptiness, a servant's form did he possess, a mortal man becoming. In human form he chose to be, and lived in all humility, death on a cross obeying.

For this reason, the Scriptures say, when the Messiah was about to come into the world: "You did not want sacrifices and offerings, but you prepared a body for me.

When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken prisoner, he gathered together 318 of his trained men, who had been born in his household, and they went out in pursuit as far as Dan.

LORD, I am indeed your servant. I am your servant. I am the son of your handmaid. You have released my bonds.

"Is Israel a slave, or was he born a servant? Why then has he become plunder?

But the LORD was with Joseph. He extended gracious love to him, causing the prison warden to be pleased with Joseph.

If the God of my father the God of Abraham, the God whom Isaac feared had not been with me, you would have sent me away empty handed. But God saw my misery and how hard I've worked with my own hands and he rebuked you last night."

"Joseph's brothers became jealous of him and sold Joseph as a slave in Egypt. However, God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler of Egypt and of his whole household.

"Who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a tender plant, and like a root out of a dry ground; he had no form and he had no majesty that we should look at him, and there is no attractiveness that we should desire him. "He was despised and rejected by others, and a man of sorrows, intimately familiar with suffering; and like one from whom people hide their faces; and we despised him and did not value him. read more.
"Surely he has borne our sufferings and carried our sorrows; yet we considered him stricken, and struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, and he was crushed for our iniquities, and the punishment that made us whole was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned, each of us, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he didn't open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. "From detention and judgment he was taken away and who can even think about his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living, he was stricken for the transgression of my people. Then they made his grave with the wicked, and with rich people in his death, although he had committed no violence, nor was there any deceit in his mouth." "Yet the LORD was willing to crush him, and he made him suffer. Although you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring, and he will prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will triumph in his hand. Out of the suffering of his soul he will see light and find satisfaction. And through his knowledge his servant, the righteous one, will make many righteous, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong; because he poured out his life to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he carried the sins of many, and made intercession for their transgressions."

"Here is my servant, whom I support, my chosen one, in whom I delight. I've placed my Spirit upon him; and he'll deliver his justice throughout the world. He won't shout, or raise his voice, or make it heard in the street. A crushed reed he will not break, and a fading candle he won't snuff out. He'll bring forth justice for the truth. read more.
And he won't grow faint or be crushed until he establishes justice on the mainland, and the coastlands take ownership of his Law." This is what God says the God who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its produce, who gives breath to the people on it and life to those who walk in it: "I've called you in righteousness. I'll take hold of your hand. I'll preserve you and appoint you as a covenant to the people, as a light for the nations, to open blind eyes and to bring out those who are bound from their cells, and those sitting in darkness from prison.

"The Lord GOD has given me a learned tongue, so that I may know how to sustain the weary with words. And morning after morning he wakens, and he wakens my ear to listen like those who are being taught. My Lord GOD has opened my ears, and I did not rebel; I did not shrink back. I gave my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not turn away my face from insults and spitting. read more.
For the Lord GOD helps me, so I won't be disgraced. Therefore I've made my face like flint, and I know that I won't be put to shame." The one who vindicates me is near. Who, then, will bring a charge against me? Let's face each other! Who has a case against me? Let him confront me! See! It is the Lord GOD who will help me. Who is it that will declare me guilty? See! They will all wear out like a garment; moths will eat them up. Who among you fears the LORD, obeying the voice of his servant, who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and rely upon his God.

For you won't go out in haste, nor will you go in flight; for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. He is called the God of all the earth." "Look! My servant will prosper, and he will be exalted and lifted up, and will be very high. Just as many were astonished at you so was he marred in his appearance, more than any human, and his form beyond that of human semblance read more.
so will he startle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths at him; for what had not been told them they will see, and what they had not heard they will understand.

"You must keep your belts fastened and your lamps burning. Be like people who are waiting for their master to return from a wedding. As soon as he arrives and knocks, they will open the door for him. How blessed are those servants whom the master finds watching for him when he comes! I tell all of you with certainty, he himself will put on an apron, make them sit down at the table, and go around and serve them. read more.
How blessed they will be if their master comes in the middle of the night or near dawn and finds them awake! But be sure of this: if the homeowner had known at what time the thief were coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. So be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at a time when you don't expect him."

So he said, "A prince went to a distant country to be appointed king and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins. He told them, "Invest this money until I come back.' But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation to follow him and to announce, "We don't want this man to rule over us!' read more.
"After he was appointed king, the prince came back. He ordered the servants to whom he had given the money to be called so he could find out what they had earned by investing. The first servant came and said, "Sir, your coin has earned ten more coins.' The king told him, "Well done, good servant! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.' "The second servant came and said, "Your coin, sir, has earned five coins.' The king told him, "You take charge of five cities.'

"So keep on watching, because you don't know on what day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this: if the owner of the house had known when during the night the thief would be coming, he would have stayed awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. So you, too, must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you are not expecting." read more.
"Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give the others their food at the right time? How blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing this when he comes! I tell all of you with certainty, he will put him in charge of all his property.

Abram answered Sarai, "Look, your servant is under your control, so do to her as you wish." So Sarai dealt so harshly with Hagar that she ran away from Sarai.

You household servants must submit yourselves to your masters out of respect, not only to those who are kind and fair, but also to those who are unjust.

The angel of the LORD told her, "You must go back to your mistress and submit to her authority."

So Abraham instructed his servant, who was the oldest member of his household and in charge of everything he owned, "Make this solemn oath to me

Instead, you are to go to my country and to my family and acquire a wife for my son Isaac."

That's how Joseph pleased Potiphar as he served him. Eventually, Potiphar appointed Joseph as overseer of his entire household. Moreover, he entrusted everything that he owned into his care.

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Promising them freedom, they themselves are slaves to depravity, for a person is a slave to whatever conquers him.

I am speaking in simple terms because of the frailty of your human nature. Just as you once offered the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater disobedience, so now, in the same way, you must offer the parts of your body as slaves to righteousness that leads to sanctification.

because you were bought for a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies.

You were bought for a price. Stop becoming slaves of people.

From: Paul, a servant of Jesus the Messiah, called to be an apostle and set apart for God's gospel,

"Also, the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, and to bless the LORD'S name, observing the Sabbath without profaning it, and who hold fast my covenant

Remember what you said to your servant, by which you caused me to hope.

So he sat down, called the Twelve, and told them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."

"But you are not to be called "Rabbi,' because you have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers. And don't call anyone on earth "Father,' because you have only one Father, the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called "Teachers,' because you have only one teacher, the Messiah! read more.
The person who is greatest among you must be your servant.

Jesus called his disciples and told them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers among the unbelievers lord it over them, and their superiors act like tyrants over them. That's not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to everyone,

"If your brother with you becomes so poor that he sells himself to you, you are not to make him serve like a bond slave. Instead, he is to serve with you like a hired servant or a traveler who lives with you, until the year of jubilee.

You may give them as inherited property to your children after you, to own as properties in perpetuity. You may make bond slaves of them, but no one is to rule over his fellow Israeli with harshness.

Remember what I told you: "A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

"A disciple is not above his teacher, and a slave is not above his master. It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher and a slave to be like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they do the same to those of his household!"

Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, a servant isn't greater than his master, and a messenger isn't greater than the one who sent him.

"You are not to oppress your neighbor or rob him. "The wages of a hired laborer are not to remain in your possession until morning.

Pay his wages that same day before the sun sets, because he is poor and his livelihood depends on it. Otherwise, he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will incur guilt."

On one of their raids to the territory of Israel, Aram had taken captive a young girl when she was an infant, who had eventually become an attendant to Naaman's wife. She mentioned to her mistress, "If only my master were to visit the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."

Now, one of the young men told Nabal's wife Abigail: "Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our lord, but he screamed insults at them. The men were very good to us. They didn't harm us, and we didn't miss anything all the time we moved around with them when we were in the field. They were a wall around us both day and night, all the time we were with them taking care of the sheep. read more.
Now, be aware of this and consider what you should do. Calamity is being planned against our master and against his entire household. He's such a worthless person that no one can talk to him."

"If a resident alien or traveler becomes rich, but your relative who lives next to him is so poor that he sells himself to that resident alien or traveler among you or to a member of the resident alien's family,

Like a hired servant, he is to remain with him year after year, but he is not to rule over him with what you see as severity.

The Son of Man is going away, just as it has been determined, but how terrible it will be for that man by whom he is betrayed!" Then they began to discuss among themselves which one of them was going to do this. Now an argument sprang up among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. read more.
But he told them, "The kings of the unbelievers lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But you are not to do so. On the contrary, the greatest among you should become like the youngest, and the one who leads should become like the one who serves. Because who is greater, the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? It is the one at the table, isn't it? But I'm among you as one who serves.

Have the same attitude among yourselves that was also in the Messiah Jesus: In God's own form existed he, and shared with God equality, deemed nothing needed grasping. Instead, poured out in emptiness, a servant's form did he possess, a mortal man becoming. In human form he chose to be, read more.
and lived in all humility, death on a cross obeying.

When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken prisoner, he gathered together 318 of his trained men, who had been born in his household, and they went out in pursuit as far as Dan.

I acquired male and female slaves, and had other slaves born in my house. I also acquired for myself increasing numbers of herds and flocks more than anyone who had lived before me in Jerusalem.

So he said, "A prince went to a distant country to be appointed king and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins. He told them, "Invest this money until I come back.' But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation to follow him and to announce, "We don't want this man to rule over us!' read more.
"After he was appointed king, the prince came back. He ordered the servants to whom he had given the money to be called so he could find out what they had earned by investing. The first servant came and said, "Sir, your coin has earned ten more coins.' The king told him, "Well done, good servant! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.' "The second servant came and said, "Your coin, sir, has earned five coins.' The king told him, "You take charge of five cities.' "Then the other servant came and said, "Sir, look! Here's your coin. I've kept it in a cloth for safekeeping because I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You withdraw what you didn't deposit and harvest what you didn't plant.' The king told him, "I will judge you by your own words, you evil servant! You knew, did you, that I was a hard man, and that I withdraw what I didn't deposit and harvest what I didn't plant? Then why didn't you put my money in the bank? When I returned, I could have collected it with interest.' "So the king told those standing nearby, "Take the coin away from him and give it to the man who has the ten coins.' They answered him, "Sir, he already has ten coins!' "I tell you, to everyone who has something, more will be given, but from the person who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine who didn't want me to be their king bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!'"

"So keep on watching, because you don't know on what day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this: if the owner of the house had known when during the night the thief would be coming, he would have stayed awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. So you, too, must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you are not expecting." read more.
"Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give the others their food at the right time? How blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing this when he comes! I tell all of you with certainty, he will put him in charge of all his property. "But if that wicked servant says to himself, "My master has been delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants and eat and drink with the drunks, that servant's master will come on a day when he doesn't expect him and at an hour that he doesn't know. Then his master will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched in order to please them, but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched in order to please them, but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched in order to please them, but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will.

"When you acquire a Hebrew servant, he is to serve for six years, and in the seventh he is to go out a free man without paying anything.

"When a fellow Hebrew male or female slave is sold to you and serves you for six years, then in the seventh year you are to set them free.

""You are not to desire your neighbor's wife nor crave your neighbor's house, his fields, his male and female servants, his ox, his donkey, nor anything that pertains to your neighbor.'"

"You are not to desire your neighbor's house, nor your neighbor's wife, his male or female servant, his ox, his donkey, nor anything else that pertains to your neighbor."

On one of their raids to the territory of Israel, Aram had taken captive a young girl when she was an infant, who had eventually become an attendant to Naaman's wife.

The women, children, all the livestock in the city, and all of the spoil and plunder will belong to you. Appropriate the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God will give you.

Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people,

Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched in order to please them, but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey the Messiah.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched in order to please them, but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey the Messiah.

The men were terrified as they were being taken to Joseph's palace. "It's because of that money that was returned to our sacks the first time we were brought to him," they reasoned. "He's seeking an excuse to attack us, enslave us, and confiscate our donkeys!"

You may give them as inherited property to your children after you, to own as properties in perpetuity. You may make bond slaves of them, but no one is to rule over his fellow Israeli with harshness.

because you know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free.

You know that it is from the Lord that you will receive the inheritance as a reward. It is the Lord Messiah whom you are serving!

So Absalom told his servants, "Observe that Joab's grain field lies next to mine. He has barley planted there. Go set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

There was strife between the herdsmen in charge of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen in charge of Lot's livestock. Also, at that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.

Then Absalom instructed his young men, "Please keep watching Amnon until he's drunk. Then I'll tell you, "Attack Amnon!' As soon as I do, kill him and don't be afraid! You have your orders, so be strong and brave!"

My eyes are looking at the faithful of the land, so they may live with me; The one who lives a life of integrity will serve me. A deceitful person will not sit in my house; A liar will not remain in my presence.

He replied, "Well, your majesty, since your servant is lame, I told myself, "I'll have my donkey saddled and I'll ride on it so I can leave with the king.' But my servant Ziba deceived me

Whoever nurtures the fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever obeys his master will be honored.

"Come on," Laban said. "The LORD has blessed you! So why are you standing out here when I've prepared some space in the house and a place for the camels?"

But no temporary resident or a hired servant is to eat it.

"No resident alien is to eat anything sacred. Neither the visitor of the priest nor a hired laborer is to eat anything sacred.

Like a hired servant, he is to remain with him year after year, but he is not to rule over him with what you see as severity.

But now the LORD has spoken again: "Within three years, like the years of a contract worker, Moab's glory will be brought into contempt, in spite of all its great multitude, and its survivors will be very few and of no importance."

Now because you are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to cry out, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if you are a child, then you are also an heir because of what God did.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vintner. He cuts off every branch that does not produce fruit in me, and he cuts back every branch that does produce fruit, so that it might produce more fruit. You are already clean because of what I've spoken to you. read more.
"Abide in me, and I will abide in you. Just as the branch cannot produce fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in him produces much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Unless a person abides in me, he is thrown away like a pruned branch and dries up. People gather such branches, throw them into a fire, and they are burned up. "If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask for anything you want, and you'll receive it. This is how my Father is glorified, when you produce a lot of fruit and so prove to be my disciples. Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. So abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you'll abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I've told you this, so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. "This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you. No one shows greater love than when he lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I don't call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn't know what his master is doing. But I've called you friends, because I've made known to you everything that I've heard from my Father.

"So I gave her a ring for her nose and bracelets for her wrists. I bowed down and worshipped the LORD, and I praised the LORD God of my master Abraham, who led me on the true way to request the daughter of my master's brother for his son.

"Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hasn't held back his gracious love and faithfulness from my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master's relatives!"

From that day on, half of my helpers engaged in the work while the other half kept spears, shields, bows, and armor ready. The senior officials backed all of the Judeans

No one neither I, my allies, my servants, nor the bodyguards who accompanied me changed clothes. Everyone carried a weapon even while going for water.

The servant born in your house or the one purchased with money is to be circumcised. My covenant is to remain in your flesh as an eternal covenant.

Every man born in his household as well as those who had been purchased with money from a foreigner was circumcised with him.

Meanwhile, down in Egypt, the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's court officials, who was also Commander-in-Chief of the imperial guards.

Every man born in his household as well as those who had been purchased with money from a foreigner was circumcised with him.

A prudent servant will rule in place of a disgraceful son and will share in the inheritance among brothers.

So you are to be appointed in charge over my palace, and all of my people are to do whatever you command them to do. Only the throne will have greater authority than you."

Jesus answered them, "Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the household forever, but the son does remain forever.

What, then, does this mean? Should we go on sinning because we are not under Law but under grace? Of course not! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thank God that, though you were once slaves of sin, you became obedient from your hearts to that form of teaching with which you were entrusted! read more.
And since you have been freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in simple terms because of the frailty of your human nature. Just as you once offered the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater disobedience, so now, in the same way, you must offer the parts of your body as slaves to righteousness that leads to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were "free" as far as righteousness was concerned.

But the herdsmen who lived in Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen. "The water is ours," they said. As a result, Isaac named the well Esek, for they had fiercely disputed with him about it.

There was strife between the herdsmen in charge of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen in charge of Lot's livestock. Also, at that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.

Now there happened to be a certain woman who had been the wife of a member of the Guild of Prophets. She cried out to Elisha, "My husband who served you has died, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. But a creditor has come to take away my children into indentured servitude!"

Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes. Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others."

therefore he got up from the table, removed his outer robe, and took a towel and fastened it around his waist. Then he poured some water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to dry them with the towel that was tied around his waist.

She got up, prostrated herself face down on the ground, and replied, "Your servant would be a slave to wash the feet of your majesty's servants."

The men were terrified as they were being taken to Joseph's palace. "It's because of that money that was returned to our sacks the first time we were brought to him," they reasoned. "He's seeking an excuse to attack us, enslave us, and confiscate our donkeys!"

Go ahead and execute whichever one of your servants is discovered to have it, and we'll remain as your master's slaves."

I now have cattle, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants. I'm sending this message to you, sir, so that you'll show favor to me."'"

"I'm Abraham's servant," he said.

Then Laban responded, "If I've found favor in your sight, please stay with me, because I've learned through divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.

who could see that the LORD was with Joseph, because the LORD made everything prosper that Joseph did.

"The LORD God of heaven, who brought me from my father's house and from my family's land, who spoke to me and promised me "I will give this land to your descendants,' will send his angel ahead of you, and you are to acquire a wife for my son from there.

"Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hasn't held back his gracious love and faithfulness from my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master's relatives!"

So Elisha turned back, took the pair of oxen, sacrificed them, boiled their flesh using the farm implements for fuel, and gave the food to the people with him. Then he got up, followed Elijah, and became his servant.

So Moses got up, along with Joshua his servant, and went up on the mountain of God.

Rebekah's nurse Deborah died and was buried there, under the oak tree that was below Beth-el. That's why the place was named Allon-bacuth.

So they sent off their sister Rebekah, along with her personal assistant, Abraham's servant, and his men.

and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler of Egypt and of his whole household.

who could see that the LORD was with Joseph, because the LORD made everything prosper that Joseph did.

Gehazi said, "Everything's all right. My master sent me to tell you, "Just now two men from the Guild of Prophets have arrived from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them each a talent of silver bullion and two sets of clothes.'"

Later he went to address his master. Elisha asked him, "Where did you go, Gehazi?" "Your servant went nowhere in particular," he said.

All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their own masters as deserving of the highest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be discredited.

"A son honors his father and a servant his master. So if I'm a father, where is my honor? And if I'm a master, where is my respect?" says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies to you priests who are despising my name. "But you ask, "How have we despised your name?'

I now have cattle, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants. I'm sending this message to you, sir, so that you'll show favor to me."'"

Abram answered Sarai, "Look, your servant is under your control, so do to her as you wish." So Sarai dealt so harshly with Hagar that she ran away from Sarai.

"After he was appointed king, the prince came back. He ordered the servants to whom he had given the money to be called so he could find out what they had earned by investing. The first servant came and said, "Sir, your coin has earned ten more coins.'

"The second servant came and said, "Your coin, sir, has earned five coins.'

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey the Messiah.

Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, aiming to please them and not argue with them

All these officials of yours will come down to me, prostrate themselves to me, and say, "Get out, you and all the people following you!' After that I'll go out." Then Moses angrily left Pharaoh.

Whoever feared the message from the LORD among Pharaoh's officials made his servants and livestock flee into shelters.

"I'll come near to you for judgment. I'll be a witness, quick to speak against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who defraud the laborer of his wage, against those who defraud the widow and the orphan, against those who deprive the alien of justice, and against those who don't fear me," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

Look! The wages that you kept back from the workers who harvested your fields are shouting out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.

The hired worker, who isn't the shepherd and doesn't own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, deserts the sheep, and runs away. So the wolf snatches them and scatters them, because he's a hired worker, and the sheep don't matter to him.

"Men have harsh servitude on earth, do they not? His days are like those of a hired laborer, are they not?

He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

"Then he came to his senses and said, "How many of my father's hired men have more food than they can eat, and here I am starving to death!

You were bought for a price. Stop becoming slaves of people. Brothers, everyone should stay in the same condition in which he was called by God.

Everyone should stay in the same condition in which he was called. Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that bother you. Of course, if you have a chance to become free, take advantage of the opportunity.

But when you set them free, don't send them away empty-handed. Provide for them liberally from your flock, threshing floor, and wine vat. As the LORD your God has blessed you, so give to them.

Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. However, Sheshan had an Egyptian slave named Jarha. So Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his slave Jarha, and she bore him Attai.

A prudent servant will rule in place of a disgraceful son and will share in the inheritance among brothers.

The king approves the wise servant, but he is angry at anyone who acts shamefully.

"If a resident alien or traveler becomes rich, but your relative who lives next to him is so poor that he sells himself to that resident alien or traveler among you or to a member of the resident alien's family, he has the right to be redeemed after he sells himself. One of his brothers may redeem him. His uncle or his uncle's son may redeem him or any blood relative from his tribe may redeem him. If he becomes rich, then he may redeem himself. read more.
"He is to bring an accounting to the one who bought him, starting from the year he had sold himself until the year of jubilee. The price of his sale is to correspond to the number of years comparable to the time a hired servant stays with him. If there are still many years left, he is to refund the cost of his redemption. But if only a few years are left until the year of jubilee, he is to bring an accounting of the years that he is to refund for his redemption. Like a hired servant, he is to remain with him year after year, but he is not to rule over him with what you see as severity. If he isn't redeemed by these, then he is to be set free in the year of jubilee he and his children with him because the Israelis are my servants. They're my servants, since I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

For the slave who has been called to belong to the Lord is the Lord's free person. In the same way, the free person who has been called is the Messiah's slave.

"If your brother with you becomes so poor that he sells himself to you, you are not to make him serve like a bond slave. Instead, he is to serve with you like a hired servant or a traveler who lives with you, until the year of jubilee.

Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot remain steady: Under a slave when he becomes a king, a fool when he is overfed,

"Don't hand over a slave who escaped from his master when he runs to you.

And I have observed servants riding on horses, while princes walk on the ground like servants.

Don't view this as a hardship for yourself when you set him free, for he will have served you for six years twice the time of a paid worker. Then the LORD will bless you in all that you do."

Don't take advantage of a hired person who is poor and needy, whether he's your fellow citizen or a foreigner who lives in your city.

And I have observed servants riding on horses, while princes walk on the ground like servants.

"I'm Abraham's servant," he said. "The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become wealthy. He has provided him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys. My master's wife Sarah gave birth to my master's son in her old age, and Abraham has given him everything that belongs to him. read more.
My master made me swear this oath: "You are not to select a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites in this land where I live. Instead, you are to go to my father's household, to my relatives, and choose a wife for my son there.' "So I asked my master, "What if the woman won't come back with me?' "Abraham told me, "The LORD, who is with me wherever I go, will send his angel with you to make your journey successful. So you are to choose a wife for my son from my family, from my father's household. Only then will you be released from fulfilling my oath. However, when you come to my family, if they don't give her to you, you'll be released from fulfilling my oath.' "So today I arrived at the spring and prayed, "LORD God of my master Abraham, if you wish to make the journey that I have traveled successful, here I am standing by the spring. May it be that the young woman who comes out to draw water, from whom I request a little water from her jug to drink, if she tells me to drink and also draws water for the camels, may she be the woman that the LORD has chosen for my master's son.' "Before I had finished praying, along came Rebekah with her jug on her shoulder! She went to the spring and drew some water. I asked her to please let me have a drink. She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and told me, "Have a drink while I also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also gave my camels water to drink. "That's when I asked, "Whose daughter are you?' "She replied, "I'm the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore for him.' "So I gave her a ring for her nose and bracelets for her wrists. I bowed down and worshipped the LORD, and I praised the LORD God of my master Abraham, who led me on the true way to request the daughter of my master's brother for his son. So now, if you wish to show gracious love and truth toward my master, tell me so. But if not, tell me, so that I may go elsewhere."

He and the men with him ate and drank, and then they spent the night. When they got up the next morning, the servant requested, "Send me off to my master." But her brother and mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days at least ten and after that she may go." "Please don't delay me," the servant answered them. "The LORD has made my journey successful. Send me off so I can return to my master."

"Relax," the manager said. "You can stop being afraid, now. Your God, the God of your father, has placed hidden treasure within those sacks for you. I've been paid in full." Then he brought Simeon out to them, ushered the men into Joseph's palace, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided fodder for their donkeys.

Then Jacob got angry and started an argument with Laban. "What have I done?" he demanded. "What's my crime that would cause you to come pursue me so violently? Now that you've searched all my belongings, what did you find that belongs to your house? Set it here in front of our relatives and we'll let them judge between us! Meanwhile, these past 20 years that I've been with you, your sheep and goats never had miscarriages, I never once ate any of the rams from your flock, read more.
and whatever was torn by beasts, I never bothered to bring to you. Instead, I bore the losses myself. Even so, you demanded that I provide restitution for anything that was stolen, whether during the day or the night. As it was, I was attacked by drought during the day and by cold at night. I never got any decent rest.

This is this message from the LORD that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem proclaiming release for them. Each person was to set free his male and female slaves who were Hebrews, so that no Jewish person would enslave his brother. All the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant agreed that each would set his male and female slaves free so that they would not enslave them any longer. They obeyed and they released them. read more.
But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves that they had set free, and they forced them to become male and female slaves. Then this message from the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "This is what the LORD God of Israel says: "I made a covenant with your ancestors on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. I told them: "At the end of seven years, each of you is to set free your fellow Hebrew who has sold himself to you and has served you for six years. You are to send him out from you with no further obligation." But your ancestors didn't obey me or pay attention. You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming release for one another, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name. But then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves whom you had set free according to their desire, and you forced them to become male and female slaves."'

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of the Messiah and, instead, are following a different gospel, not that another one really exists. To be sure, there are certain people who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel about the Messiah. But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that person be condemned! read more.
What we have told you in the past I am now telling you again: If anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that person be condemned! Am I now trying to win the approval of people or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be the Messiah's servant.

But Jacob replied to Laban, "You know how I've served you and how your cattle thrived under my care. What you had previously was only a few head, but the herd has now multiplied, because the LORD has blessed you through my efforts. But now, when am I going to be able to provide for my own household?"

Now just as David happened to have passed the summit of the Mount of Olives, suddenly Mephibosheth's servant Ziba met him, accompanied by a couple of saddled donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 pieces of summer fruit, and a skin of wine! The king asked Ziba, "What are those for?" Ziba replied, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for your young men to eat, and the wine is for whoever wants to drink if they get weary in the wilderness." Then the king asked, "Where is your master's son?" "He's staying in Jerusalem!" Ziba answered the king. "He's saying "The nation of Israel will restore my father's kingdom to me today!'" read more.
So the king told Ziba, "Pay attention! Everything that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!" In response Ziba said, "I'm submitting to you. Let me find favor in your sight, your majesty the king!"

"As for your male and maid slaves who will be with you, you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations.

You may also buy from resident aliens who live among you and their families who are with you, whom they fathered in your land. They may become your property.

"If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant and destroys it, he is to release him as a free man in exchange for his eye. If he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he is to release him as a free man in exchange for his tooth.

"If a man strikes his male or female servant with a stick and he or she dies as a direct result, the master must be punished. But if the servant survives a day or two, the master is not to be punished because the servant is his property.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey the Messiah. Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will.

You know that it is from the Lord that you will receive the inheritance as a reward. It is the Lord Messiah whom you are serving!

For it is a fine thing if, when moved by your conscience to please God, you suffer patiently when wronged. What good does it do if, when you sin, you patiently receive punishment for it? But if you suffer for doing good and receive it patiently, you have God's approval.

he said, "Canaan is cursed! He will be the lowest of slaves to his relatives." He also said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.

By mere words a servant will not be corrected; even though he understands, there will be no response.

A week later, the child died, and David's staff was afraid to tell him that the child had died. They were telling themselves, "Look, when the child was still alive, we talked to him but he wouldn't listen to what we said. Now what kind of trouble will he bring on himself if we tell him that the child has died?"

A week later, the child died, and David's staff was afraid to tell him that the child had died. They were telling themselves, "Look, when the child was still alive, we talked to him but he wouldn't listen to what we said. Now what kind of trouble will he bring on himself if we tell him that the child has died?"

"When a man sells his daughter as a servant, she won't go out as the male servants do. If she's displeasing to her master who selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He does not have the right to sell her to foreign people, because he has dealt unfairly with her. If he has selected her for his son, he is to treat her according to the ordinance for daughters. read more.
If he takes another woman for himself, he may not withhold from the first her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. If he does not do these three things for her, she may go out without paying anything at all."

Let no one make any more trouble for me, because I carry the scars of Jesus on my own body.

That's how Joseph pleased Potiphar as he served him. Eventually, Potiphar appointed Joseph as overseer of his entire household. Moreover, he entrusted everything that he owned into his care. From the time he appointed Joseph to be overseer over his entire household and everything that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The LORD's blessing rested on Joseph, whether in Potiphar's household or in Potiphar's fields.

You may take the Sabbath produce of the land for your food you, your male and maid servants, your hired laborers, and the resident alien with you.

"The kingdom from heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. After agreeing to pay the workers one denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing in the marketplace without work.

Whoever troubles his household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be a servant to the wise.

When a ruler is listening to lies, all of his officials tend to become wicked.

Now there were false prophets among the people, just as there also will be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many people will follow their immoral ways, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned. In their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. The ancient verdict against them is still in force, and their destruction is not delayed. read more.
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but threw them into the lowest hell and imprisoned them in chains of deepest darkness, holding them for judgment; and if he did not spare the ancient world but protected Noah, a righteous preacher, along with seven others when he brought the flood on the world of ungodly people; and if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed them by burning them to ashes, making them an example to ungodly people of what is going to happen to them; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man who was greatly distressed by the immoral conduct of lawless people for as long as that righteous man lived among them, day after day he was being tortured in his righteous soul by what he saw and heard in their lawless actions then the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials and to hold unrighteous people for punishment on the day of judgment, especially those who satisfy their flesh by indulging in its passions and who despise authority. Being bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to slander glorious beings. Yet even angels, although they are greater in strength and power, do not bring a slanderous accusation against them from the Lord. These people, like irrational animals, are mere creatures of instinct that are born to be caught and killed. They insult what they don't understand, and like animals they, too, will be destroyed, suffering harm as punishment for their wrongdoing. They take pleasure in wild parties in broad daylight. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceitful pleasures while they eat with you. With eyes full of adultery, they cannot get enough of sin. They seduce unsteady souls and have had their hearts expertly trained in greed. They are doomed to a curse. They have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Bosor's son Balaam, who loved the reward he got for doing wrong. But he was rebuked for his offense. A donkey that normally cannot talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet's insanity. These men are dried-up springs, mere clouds driven by a storm. Gloomy darkness is reserved for them. By talking high-sounding nonsense and using sinful cravings of the flesh, they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error. Promising them freedom, they themselves are slaves to depravity, for a person is a slave to whatever conquers him.

But he refused and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt.

and begins to beat his fellow servants and eat and drink with the drunks,

that servant's master will come on a day when he doesn't expect him and at an hour that he doesn't know.

But when they had prepared a meal and set it in front of him, he said, "I'm not eating until I've spoken." "Speak up!" Laban exclaimed.

Moreover, those who have believing masters should be respectful to them, because they are fellow believers. In fact, they must serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dear to them. These are the things you must teach and exhort.

That's when he prayed, "LORD God of my master Abraham, help me to succeed today. Please show your gracious love to my master Abraham.

Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful both to you and to me.

On one of their raids to the territory of Israel, Aram had taken captive a young girl when she was an infant, who had eventually become an attendant to Naaman's wife. She mentioned to her mistress, "If only my master were to visit the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." Later, Naaman went to inform his master and told him something like this: "Thus and so spoke the young woman from the territory of Israel."

Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful both to you and to me.

But then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized.

Later on, Amon's staff conspired against him and killed the king inside his own home.

Solomon had a servant, Nebat's son Jeroboam, who was an Ephraimite from Zeredah. His widowed mother was named Zeruah. Jeroboam rebelled against Solomon,

But if the servant, in fact, says, "I love my master, my wife, and my children, and I won't go out a free man,' then his master is to bring him before the judges and he is to bring him to the door or to the doorpost. His master is to pierce his ear with an awl, and he is to serve him permanently.

If he came in by himself, he is to go out by himself. If he was married, his wife is to go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and children belong to her master, and he is to go out by himself.

Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will.

Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people,

16no longer as a slave but better than a slave as a dear brother, especially to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a believer.

How blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing this when he comes!

Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?'

After Naaman had gone only a short distance, Gehazi, the attendant to Elisha, the man of God, told himself, "Look how my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman! He declined to take from him what he brought. As the LORD lives, I'm going to run after him and get something from him."

You household servants must submit yourselves to your masters out of respect, not only to those who are kind and fair, but also to those who are unjust.

But then his servants approached him and spoke with him. They said, "My father, had the prophet only asked of you something great, you would have done it, wouldn't you? Yet he told you, "Bathe, and be clean"!'"

But three years later, two of Shimei's servants escaped to Maacah's son Achish, the king of Gath.

After Naaman had gone only a short distance, Gehazi, the attendant to Elisha, the man of God, told himself, "Look how my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman! He declined to take from him what he brought. As the LORD lives, I'm going to run after him and get something from him."

But his servant Zimri, who commanded half of his chariot forces, conspired against Elah while he was drinking himself drunk in the home of Arza, who managed the household at Tirzah.

"If the ox gores a male or female servant, the owner is to give 30 shekels of silver to the servant's master, and the ox is to be stoned.

but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You are not to do any work neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your livestock, nor any foreigner who lives among you

For it is a fine thing if, when moved by your conscience to please God, you suffer patiently when wronged.

Rebekah's nurse Deborah died and was buried there, under the oak tree that was below Beth-el. That's why the place was named Allon-bacuth.

Even so, your father has cheated me. He broke our wage agreement ten times. However, God didn't allow him to harm me.

who could see that the LORD was with Joseph, because the LORD made everything prosper that Joseph did.

After agreeing to pay the workers one denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

This is, in fact, what you were called to do, because: The Messiah also suffered for you and left an example for you to follow in his steps.

Consider this: as the eyes of a servant focus on what his master provides, and as the eyes of a female servant focus on what her mistress provides, so our eyes focus on the LORD our God, until he has mercy on us.

because I, too, am a man under authority and I have soldiers under me. I say to one of them "Go' and he goes, to another "Come' and he comes, and to my servant "Do this' and he does it."

but if the sun has risen on him, then it is a capital crime in that case. A thief shall certainly make restitution, but if he has nothing, he is to be sold for his theft.

or steal from them. Instead, they are to show complete and perfect loyalty, so that in every way they may make the teaching about God our Savior more attractive.

or steal from them. Instead, they are to show complete and perfect loyalty, so that in every way they may make the teaching about God our Savior more attractive.

or steal from them. Instead, they are to show complete and perfect loyalty, so that in every way they may make the teaching about God our Savior more attractive.

"Then he came to his senses and said, "How many of my father's hired men have more food than they can eat, and here I am starving to death!

Because who is greater, the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? It is the one at the table, isn't it? But I'm among you as one who serves.

Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, aiming to please them and not argue with them

Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, aiming to please them and not argue with them

When the angel who had spoken to him had gone, Cornelius summoned two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of those who served him regularly.

"I call to my servant, but he doesn't respond, even though I beg to him earnestly.

Stay with the same family, eating and drinking whatever they provide, because the worker deserves his pay. Don't move from house to house.

Now when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he told the harvesters, "The LORD be with you." "May the LORD bless you!" they replied.

I'm like a servant who longs for the shade, like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages.