36 Bible Verses about Slavery, Spiritual

They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not continue in the house forever, but a son continues forever.read more.
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you obey its passions. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not have dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.read more.
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one to obey as slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.

What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." But sin, finding opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetous desire. For apart from the law sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.read more.
The very commandment which was to bring life I found to be death to me. For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Certainly not! But it was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, so that through the commandment sin might become sinful beyond measure. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. I do not understand what I do. For I do not do what I want to do, but I do what I hate. Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. So then, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will to do what is good, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want to do; but the evil I do not want to do is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law, at war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to Godthrough Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another.

They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for whatever overcomes a man, to that he is enslaved.

It was for freedom that Christ has set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the elemental things of the world.read more.
But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,read more.
rose from supper, laid aside his garments, took a towel and girded himself. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. Then he came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered him, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not every one of you." For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "You are not all clean." When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and returned to his place, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be first among you must be your slaveread more.
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

But Jesus called them to himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be slave of all.read more.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.read more.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to deatheven death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is holiness and its end, eternal life.

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

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: greetings.

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a covering for evil; live as servants of God.

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

Therefore, brethren, we are debtorsnot to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.read more.
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirsheirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, in order that we may also be glorified with him.

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness", and he was called the friend of God.

Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples. And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?"read more.
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not continue in the house forever, but a son continues forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave and one by the free woman. But the son by the slave was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.read more.
This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; for the children of the desolate are more numerous than the children of her who has a husband." Now you, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now. But what does the scripture say? "Cast out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman." So then, brethren, we are not children of the slave, but of the free woman.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one to obey as slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,read more.
and, having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for holiness. When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is holiness and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.

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

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.read more.
But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of, and he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.read more.
But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he is not aware of, and he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more.read more.
So also, he who had the two talents gained two more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground, and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received the five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents.'

Therefore he said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. So he called ten of his servants, gave them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.' But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.'read more.
And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, ' Master, your mina has earned ten minas more.' And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, be in authority over ten cities.'

"Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare my supper, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink'? Does he thank the servant because he did what he was commanded?read more.
So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"

For the creation waits with eager expectation for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.read more.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in birth pangs together until now.