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Bible Verses About Slavery

Bible Verses About Slavery

Compiled by The BibleStudyTools Staff on 02/23/2021

Bible Verses about Slavery - Scriptures on

Slaves and Slavery to Sin

What are the references to slavery in the

Bible? While the Bible does not specifically
condemn the practice of slavery, it does give
instructions on how slaves should be treated
during those times. Scripture also mentions
that humans can be slaves to sin itself,
consumed by their passions. Read Bible
verses about the freedom from sinful slavery
that Jesus bestows us through repentance,
baptism, and faith. Learn more from our list of
Bible verses about slavery below.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Charles Foster

1 Corinthians 7:21

21 Were you a slave when you were

called? Don’t let it trouble you—
although if you can gain your freedom,
do so.

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1 Peter 2:16

16 Live as free people, but do not use

your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live
as God’s slaves.

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1 Peter 2:18

18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God

submit yourselves to your masters, not
only to those who are good and
considerate, but also to those who are
harsh.

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1 Timothy 1:10

10 for the sexually immoral, for those

practicing homosexuality, for slave
traders and liars and perjurers—and for
whatever else is contrary to the sound
doctrine

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1 Timothy 6:1

1 All who are under the yoke of slavery

should consider their masters worthy of
full respect, so that God’s name and our
teaching may not be slandered.

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Colossians 3:22

22 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.

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Colossians 4:1

1 Masters, provide your slaves with

what is right and fair, because you know
that you also have a Master in heaven.

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Deuteronomy 23:15

15 If a slave has taken refuge with you,

do not hand them over to their master.

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Deuteronomy 24:7

7 If someone is caught kidnapping a

fellow Israelite and treating or selling
them as a slave, the kidnapper must die.
You must purge the evil from among
you.

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Ephesians 6:5

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters

with respect and fear, and with sincerity
of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

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Ephesians 6:9

9 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.

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Exodus 21:2

2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to

serve you for six years. But in the
seventh year, he shall go free, without
paying anything.

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Exodus 21:7

7 “If a man sells his daughter as a

servant, she is not to go free as male
servants do.

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Exodus 21:32

32 If the bull gores a male or female

slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels
of silver to the master of the slave, and
the bull is to be stoned to death.

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Galatians 3:28

28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile,

neither slave nor free, nor is there male
and female, for you are all one in Christ
Jesus.

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Galatians 5:1

1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us

free. Stand firm, then, and do not let
yourselves be burdened again by a yoke
of slavery.

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Exodus 21:16

16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to

be put to death, whether the victim has
been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s
possession.

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Leviticus 25:39

39 “ ‘If any of your fellow Israelites

become poor and sell themselves to
you, do not make them work as slaves.

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Luke 4:18

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on

me,because he has anointed meto
proclaim good news to the poor.He has
sent me to proclaim freedom for the
prisonersand recovery of sight for the
blind,to set the oppressed free,

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Philemon 1:16

16 no longer as a slave, but better than

a slave, as a dear brother. He is very
dear to me but even dearer to you, both
as a fellow man and as a brother in the
Lord.

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Proverbs 22:16

16 One who oppresses the poor to

increase his wealth and one who gives
gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

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Titus 2:9-10

9 Teach slaves to be subject to their

masters in everything, to try to please
them, not to talk back to them,
10 and not to steal from them, but to
show that they can be fully trusted, so
that in every way they will make the
teaching about God our Savior
attractive.

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Luke 12:47-48

47 “The servant who knows the

master’s will and does not get ready or
does not do what the master wants will
be beaten with many blows.
48 But the one who does not know and
does things deserving punishment will
be beaten with few blows. From
everyone who has been given much,
much will be demanded; and from the
one who has been entrusted with much,
much more will be asked.

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Exodus 21:20-21

20 “Anyone who beats their male or

female slave with a rod must be
punished if the slave dies as a direct
result,
21 but they are not to be punished if the
slave recovers after a day or two, since
the slave is their property.

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Exodus 21:26-27

26 “An owner who hits a male or female

slave in the eye and destroys it must let
the slave go free to compensate for the
eye.
27 And an owner who knocks out the
tooth of a male or female slave must let
the slave go free to compensate for the
tooth.

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Deuteronomy 23:15-16

15 If a slave has taken refuge with you,

do not hand them over to their master.
16 Let them live among you wherever
they like and in whatever town they
choose. Do not oppress them.

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1 Timothy 6:1-2

1 All who are under the yoke of slavery

should consider their masters worthy of
full respect, so that God’s name and our
teaching may not be slandered.
2 Those who have believing masters
should not show them disrespect just
because they are fellow believers.
Instead, they should serve them even
better because their masters are dear to
them as fellow believers and are
devoted to the welfare of their slaves.
These are the things you are to teach
and insist on.

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Leviticus 25:44-46

44 “ ‘Your male and female slaves are to

come from the nations around you; from
them you may buy slaves.
45 You may also buy some of the
temporary residents living among you
and members of their clans born in your
country, and they will become your
property.
46 You can bequeath them to your
children as inherited property and can
make them slaves for life, but you must
not rule over your fellow Israelites
ruthlessly.

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Exodus 21:7-11

7 “If a man sells his daughter as a

servant, she is not to go free as male
servants do.
8 If she does not please the master who
has selected her for himself, he must let
her be redeemed. He has no right to sell
her to foreigners, because he has
broken faith with her.
9 If he selects her for his son, he must
grant her the rights of a daughter.
10 If he marries another woman, he
must not deprive the first one of her
food, clothing and marital rights.
11 If he does not provide her with these
three things, she is to go free, without
any payment of money.

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Exodus 21:2-6

2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to

serve you for six years. But in the
seventh year, he shall go free, without
paying anything.
3 If he comes alone, he is to go free
alone; but if he has a wife when he
comes, she is to go with him.
4 If his master gives him a wife and she
bears him sons or daughters, the
woman and her children shall belong to
her master, and only the man shall go
free.
5 “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my
master and my wife and children and do
not want to go free,’
6 then his master must take him before
the judges. He shall take him to the door
or the doorpost and pierce his ear with
an awl. Then he will be his servant for
life.

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Ephesians 6:5-9

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters

with respect and fear, and with sincerity
of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
6 Obey them not only to win their favor
when their eye is on you, but as slaves
of Christ, doing the will of God from
your heart.
7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were