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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