Colossians 4 1

Colossians 4:1 kjv

Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

Colossians 4:1 nkjv

Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Colossians 4:1 niv

Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Colossians 4:1 esv

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Colossians 4:1 nlt

Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master ? in heaven.

Colossians 4 verses

Colossians 4 1 Meaning

This verse directs Christian masters to administer their households with principles of justice and fairness towards their bondservants. The command is rooted in the fundamental theological understanding that these masters are themselves accountable to an ultimate Master in heaven—God. It radically redefines the master-servant relationship from one of arbitrary power to one bound by divine ethical standards, demonstrating how Christian faith transforms societal structures from within.

Colossians 4 1 Context

Colossians 4:1 concludes Paul's extended teaching on the "new self" and practical Christian living within the household, which began in Colossians 3:18. This section (Colossians 3:18-4:1) constitutes the final segment of household codes, providing reciprocal duties for wives and husbands, children and parents, and finally bondservants and masters. It mirrors similar instructions found in Ephesians 5:21-6:9. Historically, slavery was a widespread and accepted institution in the Roman Empire, differing from race-based chattel slavery of later eras. Slaves often came from diverse backgrounds, including war captives, debt repayment, or birth into servitude. Masters typically held significant, often arbitrary, power over their douloi. Paul's directive to masters was revolutionary for its time, challenging the norms of master-slave relationships by injecting divine accountability and transforming their treatment of others into an expression of their submission to Christ.

Colossians 4 1 Word analysis

• Masters (κύριοι - kyrioi): Plural of kyrios. Here, it specifically denotes those who possess authority over households or slaves. This term can also refer to "Lord" in reference to God or Christ, establishing a profound linguistic and theological link to the "Master in heaven."
• grant (παρέχετε - parechete): A command, not a suggestion, indicating an active, deliberate giving or providing. It means to "supply," "furnish," or "render," emphasizing that masters must proactively ensure justice and fairness.
• to your bondservants (τοῖς δούλοις - tois doulois): Refers to "slaves" or "bondservants," individuals under another's dominion. In the biblical context, doulos can also describe a devoted servant of God (e.g., Rom 1:1). Here, it highlights the social reality addressed.
• justice (τὸ δίκαιον - to dikaion): Signifies that which is right, righteous, or lawful, based on God's standards. It implies impartiality, integrity, and adherence to moral uprightness, rather than merely human statutes.
• and fairness (καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα - kai tēn isotēta): Conveys "equity," "equality," or "proportionality." While not implying absolute equality in social status (which was impossible in this system), it demands an equitable spirit that values the bondservant's humanity and ensures appropriate treatment without exploitation or partiality. It suggests spiritual equality before God.
• knowing (εἰδότες - eidotes): A participle, this word signifies not mere intellectual knowledge but a deep, foundational awareness that serves as the basis and motivation for their action. This understanding is non-negotiable for their Christian conduct.
• that you also (ὅτι καὶ ὑμεῖς - hoti kai hymeis): The emphatic "also" creates a parallel, underscoring that masters, despite their earthly authority, are themselves subject to a higher authority. It reverses the societal hierarchy in the divine economy.
• have a Master (ἔχετε Κύριον - echete Kyrion): Uses the same significant term, Kyrios, reinforcing that Christ is the ultimate and true Lord over all, including earthly masters. This asserts Christ's universal sovereignty.
• in heaven (ἐν οὐρανῷ - en ouranō): Locates the supreme Master's dwelling, underscoring His transcendent authority, His oversight of all earthly matters, and His future judgment, which transcends all human legal systems.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Masters, grant...justice and fairness": This phrase directly confronts the absolute and often exploitative power dynamics of the time. It demands a transformation of practical treatment based on God’s righteousness. The master’s conduct must reflect a divine standard, elevating the human dignity of their bondservants beyond social conventions.
• "knowing that you also have a Master in heaven": This clause serves as the powerful theological ground for the preceding command. It implies that earthly authority is not absolute but derivative and accountable to Christ. This divine accountability is the radical motive that compels Christian masters to act justly, subverting the pagan notion of unchecked power. This directly challenges Greco-Roman views where masters had largely unrestricted power over their slaves.

Colossians 4 1 Bonus section

• While Paul does not call for the immediate abolition of slavery, his teachings fundamentally undermined its foundations. By establishing spiritual equality (e.g., Gal 3:28, "neither slave nor free...all one in Christ Jesus") and demanding just, Christ-centered conduct from masters, the Gospel gradually transformed the underlying attitudes that supported the institution.
• The profound connection drawn by the repeated use of Kyrios for both "masters" and "Master" emphasizes that Christ’s Lordship applies universally, transcending all human social hierarchies. This creates an unparalleled motivation for ethical behavior.
• This verse underscores that Christian discipleship is comprehensive, permeating even the most challenging and deeply ingrained social structures of a given culture. It moves faith beyond private piety to public and relational integrity.

Colossians 4 1 Commentary

Colossians 4:1 is a direct and revolutionary injunction, concluding Paul's domestic ethical teachings by targeting masters in the early Christian communities. It moves from general principles to specific application, commanding them to "grant" (proactively give) their bondservants both "justice" (that which is inherently righteous according to God's standard) and "fairness" (equity, acknowledging their human dignity and rights, rather than merely property status). This command directly challenged the widespread cultural norm of unchecked master authority in the Roman Empire, which often allowed for harsh and arbitrary treatment of slaves.

The profound basis for this call to action is given: "knowing that you also have a Master in heaven." This theological reminder is paramount. Earthly masters, despite their power, are not ultimately sovereign. They themselves are bondservants of Christ, who oversees their actions and will hold them accountable. This divine oversight introduces a transcendent ethical standard into everyday relationships. It fosters humility, eliminates self-righteousness, and compels behavior consistent with God’s own just character. It also implies that mistreating one’s bondservants is, in essence, a disregard for one's heavenly Master's principles. This transformed outlook served as a foundational principle that, over centuries, contributed to the dismantling of oppressive systems like slavery within Christian-influenced societies by demanding the consistent application of God's righteous and impartial standards in all relationships.