Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. And not only when their eye is on you, to win their favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve with goodwill, as to the Lord and not to men, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.
Notes
This section confronts a difficult reality in the ancient world and subverts it with the power of the gospel. Paul addresses slaves and masters not to endorse human institutions but to reveal how the Lordship of Christ reshapes every relationship. He speaks to slaves first—not as objects, but as brothers and sisters in Christ, capable of knowing and doing the will of God from the heart.
The command to obey earthly masters “as you would obey Christ” lifts even the most menial work into sacred service. The slave is not defined by his earthly condition but by his eternal identity: a slave of Christ, serving not to gain approval but because he is already accepted. His obedience is “not with eye-service” but with Spirit-formed sincerity. Every hidden act of goodness will be rewarded by the Lord
(cf. Colossians 3:22–24; 1 Peter 2:18–21).
And masters are addressed just as directly. The gospel removes all illusions of superiority. “Treat your slaves in the same way”—with respect, goodwill, and the recognition that you both have a Master in heaven. The radical truth Paul proclaims is that God shows no favoritism. In Christ, slave and master stand equal at the foot of the cross.
While Paul does not here issue a direct call to abolition, the trajectory of the gospel undermines the very foundations of slavery. The cross declares that no human has the right to dominate another. The Church would later awaken to this implication, but the seed is already here: Christ is Lord of all, and every relationship is accountable to Him.
In the New Covenant, authority is transformed. Power is not for oppression but for service. The workplace, like the household, becomes a setting for gospel display. Whether slave or free, Christ is our Master. And the reward we seek is not earthly status but heavenly approval.
Moe Bergeron 
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