Selections from New Testament letters concerning Slavery [New English translation]

Below are five short selections from the New Testament relating the theme of slavery. It was long believed that the Apostle Paul wrote all the books quoted here, but only Galatians and Philemon are certainly his works. It is almost certain that other authors wrote Colossians, Ephesians and 1Timothy at a later date. The likely dates are indicated. Placing them in historical order, rather than Biblical order, helps to reveal changes in perspective in the development of early Christian thought.

Galatians 3:28 [c. 50]

Before this faith came, we were close prisoners in the custody of law, pending the revelation of faith. Thus the law was a kind of tutor in charge of us until Christ should come, when we should be justified through faith; and now that faith has come, the tutor's charge is at an end.

For through faith you are all sons of God in union with Christ Jesus. Baptized into union with him, you have all put on Christ as a garment. There is no such thing as Jew and Greek, slave and freeman, male and female; for you are all one person in Christ Jesus. But if you thus belong to Christ, you are the "issue" of Abraham, and so heirs by promise.

Philemon [c. 63]

From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and our colleague Timothy, to Philemon, our dear friend and fellow-worker, and Apphia our sister, and Archippus our comrade-in-arms, and the congregation at your house.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God always when I mention you in my prayers, for I hear of your love and faith towards the Lord Jesus and towards all Gods' people. My prayer is that your fellowship with us in our common faith may deepen the understanding of all the blessings that our union with Christ brings us. For I am delighted and encouraged by your love; through you, my brother, God's people have been must refreshed.

Accordingly, although in Christ I might make bold to point out your duty, yet, because of that same love, I would rather appeal to you. Yes, I , Paul, ambassador as I am of Christ Jesus--and now his prisoner--appeal to you about my child, whose father I have become in this prison.

I mean Onesimus, once so little use to you, but now useful indeed, both to you and to me. I am sending him back to you, and in doing so I am sending a part of myself. I should have liked to keep him with me, to look after mea s you would wish, here in prison for the Gospel. But I would rather do nothing without your consent, so that your kindness may be a matter not of compulsion, but of your won free will. For perhaps this is why you lost him of a time, that you might have him back fro good, no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave--as a dear brother, very dear indeed to me and how much dearer to you , both as man and as Christian.

If, then, you count me partner in the faith, welcome him as you would welcome me. And if he has done you any wrong or is in your debt, put that down to my account. Here is my signature, PAUL; I undertake to repay--not to mention that you owe your very self to me as well. Now brother, as a Christian, be generous with me, and relieve my anxiety; we are both in Christ!

I write to you confident that you will meet my wishes; I know that you will in fact do better than I ask. And one thing more; have a room ready for me, for I hope that, in answer to your prayers, God will grant me to you.

Epaphras, Christ's captive like myself, sends you greetings. So do Mark Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow-workers.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit!

Colossians 3:18 - 4: 1 [c. 75?]

Wives, be subject to your husbands; that is your Christian duty. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for that is pleasing to God and is the Christian way. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, for fear they grow disheartened. Slaves, give entire obedience to your earthly masters, not merely with an outward show of service, to curry favor with men, but with single-mindedness, out of reverence for the Lord. Whatever you are doing, put your whole heart into it, as if you were doing it for the Lord and not for men, knowing that there is a Master who will give you your heritage as a reward for your service. Christ is the Master whose slaves you must be. Dishonesty will be requited, and he has no favorites. Masters, be just and fair to your slaves, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

Ephesians 6:5 (c. 100)

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord: for the man is the head of the woman, just as Christ also is the head of the church. Christ is, indeed, the Savior of the body; but just as the church is subject to Christ, so must women be to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for it, to consecrate it, cleansing by water and word, so that he might present the church to himself all glorious, with no stain or wrinkle or anything of the sort, but holy and without blemish. In the same way men also are bound to love their wives, as they love their own bodies. In loving his wife a man loves himself. For no one ever hated his own body: on the contrary, he provides and cares for it; and that is how Christ treats the church, because it is his body, of which we are living parts. Thus it is that (in the words of Scripture) "a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." It is a great truth that is hidden hear. I for my part refer it to Christ and to the church, but it applies also individually; each of you must love his wife as his very self; and the woman must see to it that she pays her husband all respect.

Children, obey your parents, for it is right that you should. "Honor your father and mother" is the first commandment with a promise attached, in the words: "that it may be well with you and that you may live long in the land."

You fathers, again, must not goad your children to resentment, but give them instruction, and the correction, which belong to a Christian upbringing.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, single-mindedly, as serving Christ. Do not offer merely the outward show of service, to curry favor with men, but, as slaves of Christ, do whole-heartedly the will of God. Give the cheerful service of those who serve the Lord, not men. For you know that whatever good each man may do, slave or free, will be repaid him by the Lord.

You masters, also, must do the same by them. Give up using threats; remember you both have the same master in heaven, and he has no favorites.

Finally then, find your strength in the Lord, in his mighty power. Put on all the armor which God provides, so that you may be able to stand firm against the devices of the devil. For our fight is not against human foes, but against cosmic powers, against the authorities and potentates of this dark world, against the superhuman forces of evil in the heavens. . .

1 Timothy 6:1-2 (c. 130)

All who wear the yoke of slavery must count their own masters worthy of all respect, so that the name of God and the Christian teaching are not brought into disrepute. If the masters are believers, the slaves must not respect them any less for being their Christian brothers. Quite the contrary; they must be all the better servants because those who receive the benefit of their service are one with them in faith and love.