Bondservants and Masters

^5 (A)Bondservants,^[a] obey your earthly masters^[b] with fear and trembling, ^(B)with a sincere heart, ^(C)as you would Christ, ⁶ not by the way of eye-service, as ^(D)people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷ rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, ^8 (E)knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, ^(F)whether he is a bondservant or is free.

^20 (A)Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. ²¹ Were you a bondservant^[a] when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) ²² For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is ^(B)a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is ^(C)a bondservant of Christ. ^23 (D)You were bought with a price; ^(E)do not become bondservants of men. ²⁴ So, brothers,^{[b] (F)}in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

6 ^(A)Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants^[a] regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, ^(B)so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. ² Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are ^(C)brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

False Teachers and True Contentment

^(D)Teach and urge these things.

²² Bondservants, obey ^(A)in everything those who are your earthly masters,^[a] not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ^23 (B)Whatever you do, work heartily, ^(C)as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord ^(D)you will receive the inheritance as your reward. ^(E)You are serving the Lord Christ.

¹⁰ For ^(A)we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ^(B)so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

^9 (A)Bondservants^[a] are to be submissive to their own masters ^(B)in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰ not pilfering, ^(C)but showing all good faith, ^(D)so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

^18 (A)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. ¹⁹ For this is a gracious thing, when, ^(B)mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But ^(C)if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.