36 Bible Verses about Slavery, Spiritual

They answered Him, "We are Abraham's seed, and to no one have we at any time been in bondage; how sayest Thou, 'Ye shall be made free?' Jesus answered them, "Verily, verily, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave of sin. And the slave abides not in the house forever; the son abides forever.read more.
If, therefore, the Son shall make you free, ye will be free indeed.

Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey its desires; neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under law, but under grace.read more.
What, then? May we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? It could not be! Know ye not that to whom ye present yourselves as slaves for obedience, his slaves ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though ye were slaves of sin, ye did, however, obey from the heart that form of teaching unto which ye were delivered; and, having been made free from sin, ye were made slaves of righteousness.

What, then, shall we say? Is the law sin? It could not be! But I had not known sin, except through law; for I would not know even coveting, if the law did not say, "You shall not covet;" but sin, taking occasion through the commandment, wrought in me all manner of coveting; for apart from law sin is dead. And I was alive apart from the law once; but, when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.read more.
And the commandment which was unto life was itself found by me to be unto death; for sin, taking occasion through the commandment, thoroughly deceived me, and through it slew me. So that the law is holy, and the command is holy and righteous and good. Did, then, that which is good become death to me? It could not be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that sin, through the commandment, might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I accomplish, I know not; for not what I wish, this do I practice; but what I hate, this I do. But, if what I wish not, this I do, I consent to the law that it is good. And now no longer do I accomplish it, but the sin which dwells in me. For I know that there dwells not in me, that is, in my flesh, any good; for to wish is present with me: but to do that which is good a not. For the good that I wish, I do not; but the evil which I wish not, this I practice. But, if what I wish not, this I do, it is no more I that perform it, but the sin that is dwelling in me. Consequently, I find the law, that, when I wish to do good, evil is present. or I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! who will deliver me out of the body of this death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Accordingly, therefore, I myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but, with the flesh, the law of sin.

For we also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving manifold desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

promising them liberty, while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what one is overcome by this he has become enslaved.

For freedom did Christ make us free; stand fast, therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

But I say that, so long as the heir is a child, he differs in nothing from a slave, though he is lord of all; but is under guardians and stewards, until the time appointed by the father. So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elements of the world.read more.
But, when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under law, that He might redeem those under law, that, we might receive the adoption of sons. And, because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba," Father. So that you are no longer a slave, but a son; and, if a son, also an heir through God.

For ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, "Abba, Father."

Since, therefore, the children have partaken of blood and flesh, He Himself also in like manner took part of the same; that, through death, He might bring to nought him who had the power of death, that is, the Devil; and might release all those who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Now, before the feast of the passover, Jesus, knowing that His hour came that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And, supper being in progress, the Devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, knowing that the Father gave all things into His hands, and that He came forth from God, and was going to God,read more.
He riseth from the supper, and layeth aside His garments; and, taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. He cometh, therefore, to Simon Peter. He says to Him, "Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?" Jesus answered, and said to him, "What I am doing you know not now; but you shall know hereafter." Peter says to Him, "Thou shalt never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I wash you not, you have no part with Me." Simon Peter says to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." Jesus saith to him, "He who has bathed has no need, except to wash his feet, but is wholly clean; and ye are clean, but not all;" for He knew him who would betray Him; on this account, He said, "Ye are not all clean." When, therefore, He washed their feet, and took His garments, and reclined 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 so I am. If, therefore, I, 'The Lord,' and 'The Teacher,' washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet; for I gave you an example, that, as I did to you, ye also should do. Verily, verily, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his lord, nor one who is sent greater than he who sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye, if ye do them.

But Jesus, calling them near, said, "Ye know that the rulers of the nations exercise lordship over them. Not so shall it be among you; but whosoever wishes to become great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever wishes to be first among you shall be your servant;read more.
even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His soul a ransom for many."

And Jesus, calling them to Him, saith to them, "Ye know that those thinking to rule over the gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them; but it is not so among you; but whosoever wishes to become great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever wishes to be first among you 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 soul a ransom for many."

Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; Who, existing originally in the form of God, accounted it not a prize to he equal with God. but emptied Himself, taking a slave's form, coming to be in the likeness of men;read more.
and, being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed upon Him the name which is above every name; that, in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of beings in Heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

But now, having been made free from sin, and having been made slaves to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end eternal life;

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

No domestic can serve two lords; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to one, and despise the other: ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God,

Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye are doing service to the Lord, Christ.

James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are in the Dispersion, greeting.

as free, and not holding your freedom as a cloak for wickedness, but as servants of God.

Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who obtained an equally precious faith with us, in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Accordingly, then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; for, if ye live according to the flesh, ye are going to die; but, if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.read more.
For ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself testifieth with our spirit, that we are children of God; and, if children, heirs also; heirs, indeed, of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if, indeed, we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified with Him.

No longer do I call you slaves; because the slave knows not what his lord is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things which I heard from My Father I 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 wrought with his works, and by works was faith perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness"; and he was called "God's Friend."

Jesus, therefore, said to those Jews who had believed on Him, "If ye abide in My word, ye are truly My disciples; and ye will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham's seed, and to no one have we at any time been in bondage; how sayest Thou, 'Ye shall be made free?'read more.
Jesus answered them, "Verily, verily, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave of sin. And the slave abides not in the house forever; the son abides forever. If, therefore, the Son shall make you free, ye will be free indeed.

Tell me, ye who are wishing to be under law, do ye not hear the law? For it has been written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bond-woman, and one by the free-woman. But the one by the bond-woman has been born after the flesh; and the one by the free-woman, through promise.read more.
Which things are an allegory; for these women are two covenants; one, indeed, from mount Sinai, bringing forth into servitude, which is Hagar (for the word Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia), and corresponds to the present Jerusalem; for she is in bondage with her children. But the Jerusalem which is above is free, which, indeed, is our mother; for it has been written, "Rejoice, O barren, that bear not! Break forth and cry, you that travail not! because many are the children of the desolate, rather than of her who has the husband." But ye, brethren, after the manner of Isaac, are children of promise. But, just as then, the one born after the flesh kept persecuting him born after the Spirit, so also is it now. But what says the Scripture? "Cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall in nowise inherit with the son of the free-woman." Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a bond-woman, but of the free-woman.

What, then? May we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? It could not be! Know ye not that to whom ye present yourselves as slaves for obedience, his slaves ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though ye were slaves of sin, ye did, however, obey from the heart that form of teaching unto which ye were delivered;read more.
and, having been made free from sin, ye were made slaves of righteousness. I speak after human fashion because of the weakness of your flesh; for, as ye presented your members subservient to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; so now present your members subservient to righteousness unto holiness. For, when ye were slaves of sin, ye were free as to righteousness. What fruit, therefore, had ye then in the things of which ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now, having been made free from sin, and having been made slaves to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end eternal life; for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus, our Lord.

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

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

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

"Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant whom his lord set over his household, to give them their food in season? Happy is that servant whom his lord, when he comes, shall find so doing. Verily I say to you, that he will appoint him over all his possessions.read more.
But, if that evil servant shall say in his heart, 'My lord is delaying,' and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant will come in a day when he is not expecting him, and in an hour when he knows not, and will cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth!"

And the Lord said, "Who, then, is the faithful steward, the wise one, whom his lord will appoint over his household to give the portion of food in due season? Happy that servant, whom his lord, when he comes, shall find so doing. Of a truth I say to you, that he will appoint him over all his goods.read more.
But, if that servant should say in his heart, My lord is delaying to come, and shall begin to beat the manservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the lord of that servant will come in a day when he is not expecting him, and in an hour which he knows not, and will cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the unfaithful.

"For it is as when a man, going abroad, called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods: and to one, indeed, he gave five talents; and to another, two; and to another, one??o each according to his own ability; and he went abroad. "Straightway the one receiving the five talents, going, traded with them, and gained five others.read more.
Likewise he also who received two gained other two. And he who received one, going away, digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. And, after a long time, the lord of those servants comes, and makes a reckoning with them. And the one who received the five talents, coming near brought other five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; behold, I gained other five talents.'

He said, therefore, "A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And, calling ten servants of his, he gave them ten pounds, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.' But his citizens were hating him, and sent an embassy after him, saying, 'We do not wish this man to be king over us.'read more.
And it came to pass, when he came back, having received the kingdom, that he commanded the servants to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they accomplished in business. "And the first came before him, saying, 'Lord, your pound gained ten pounds.' And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'

But who is there of you, having a servant plowing, or tending sheep, that will say to him, having come in from the field, 'Coming straightway, recline at table;' and will not rather say to him, 'Make ready wherewith I may sup; and, having girded yourself, serve me, until I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink?' Does he thank the servant, because he did the things that were commanded?read more.
So also ye, when ye do all the things that were commanded you, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what it was our duty to do.'

For the earnest longing of the creation is waiting for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not of choice, but by reason of Him Who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.read more.
For we know that the whole creation is groaning and travailing in pain together until now;