Colossians 3:22

(KJV) Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
(1611 KJV) Seruants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh: not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenesse of heart, fearing God:
(1587 Geneva Bible) Seruants, be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh, in all things, not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenes of heart, fearing God.
(1526 Tyndale) Servauntes be obedient vnto youre bodyly masters in all thynges: not with eye service as men pleasers but in synglenes of herte fearynge god.

Counterfeit Versions
(1881 Revised Version) Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as men–pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:
(1901 ASV) Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:
(AMP) Servants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not only when their eyes are on you as pleasers of men, but in simplicity of purpose [with all your heart] because of your reverence for the Lord and as a sincere expression of your devotion to Him.
(CEB) Slaves, obey your masters on earth in everything. Don’t just obey like people pleasers when they are watching. Instead, obey with the single motivation of fearing the Lord.
(CEV) Slaves, you must always obey your earthly masters. Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. Honor the Lord and serve your masters with your whole heart.
(CSB) Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.
(ERV) Servants, obey your masters in everything. Obey all the time, even when they can’t see you. Don’t just pretend to work hard so that they will treat you well. No, you must serve your masters honestly because you respect the Lord.
(ESV) Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
(GNB) Slaves, obey your human masters in all things, not only when they are watching you because you want to gain their approval; but do it with a sincere heart because of your reverence for the Lord.
(HCSB) Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.
(LB) You slaves must always obey your earthly masters, not only trying to please them when they are watching you but all the time; obey them willingly because of your love for the Lord and because you want to please him.
(NABRE) Slaves, obey your human masters in everything, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but in simplicity of heart, fearing the Lord.
(NASV) Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
(NCV) Slaves, obey your masters in all things. Do not obey just when they are watching you, to gain their favor, but serve them honestly, because you respect the Lord.
(NET) Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching—like those who are strictly people-pleasers—but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.
(NIRV) Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything. Don’t do it just to please them when they are watching you. Obey them with an honest heart. Do it out of respect for the Lord.
(NIV) Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.
(NLT) Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.
(NRSV) Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.
(RSV) Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.
(VOICE) Slaves: obey your earthly masters in all things. Don’t just act earnest in your service only when they are watching. Serve with a sincere heart (even when others aren’t watching), fearing the Lord who is always watching!

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
οι δουλοι υπακουετε κατα παντα τοις κατα σαρκα κυριοις μη εν οφθαλμοδουλειαις ως ανθρωπαρεσκοι αλλ εν απλοτητι καρδιας φοβουμενοι τον θεον

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
οι δουλοι υπακουετε κατα παντα τοις κατα σαρκα κυριοις μη εν οφθαλμοδουλιαις ως ανθρωπαρεσκοι αλλ εν απλοτητι καρδιας φοβουμενοι τον κυριον

Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century
D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century (original)
L 020 - Ninth century

Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
Stephanus (1550 A.D.)
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century (corrected)
K 018 - Ninth century

Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Reads “the Lord” instead of “God”
Greisbach, Johann - 1805
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in 1870
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Weiss, Bernhard - 1894
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition
Von Soden, Freiherr - 1902

Affected Teaching
It was estimated that one third of all those who lived in the Roman Empire were slaves. Now many of the slaves were very educated and held good positions in many households. Paul is telling them that they need to do their work in purity of heart, that is, they should not just do their work in front of the master putting on a charade. Paul is teaching that they must perform their duties in obedience to their masters whether the master sees them or not. This is like the employee who works very hard when the boss is around and then as soon as the boss leaves, they begin to slack off. Then there are those who try to be menpleasers which is trying to please their boss at any expense. They do not do it because they are doing it from the heart, they are doing it to hopefully gain some kind of advantage. (Jude 1:16 KJV) These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. Jude wrote something similar that there are those who flatter to get something for themselves. Many of us have seen this situation on the job, where the best employee is never promoted and the worst is always elevated to a higher position. Paul then goes on to state that the slave must work for their master with singleness of heart, that is, they are to do their work for the purpose of accomplishing the task at hand whether the master is present or not. The Christian slave was to work in the fear of God which meant that he or she was to do their work heartily unto the Lord. Colossians 3:23 (KJV) And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; If one was looking for an example of this attitude it would be Joseph. He worked heartily unto God and did not look at his situation. God rewarded him with a good position in both the house of Potiphar and in the prison, and finally Joseph became Governor of Egypt. Joseph’s heart was stayed upon the Lord and the Lord prospered him. Ephesians 5:21 (KJV) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Colossians 3:22 is very specific that the servant needs to work in the fear of God. Now this would be pointing to the believers who were servants because the unbeliever has no fear of God. Romans 3:18 (KJV) There is no fear of God before their eyes. The term “fear of the Lord” is used 110 times in Scripture but in this verse, it specifically states “fear of God.” There was no logical reason for the modern versions to make that change.

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