Colossians 3:22
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
Cross-references
In Colossians 3:20, children are similarly commanded to obey parents 'in everything' — both verses apply the same principle of wholehearted obedience to Christ.
1 Timothy 6:1 commands slaves to honor masters so God's name isn't blasphemed — the same motivation of fearing the Lord in Colossians.
Titus 2:9-10 similarly commands slaves to be submissive and honest, adorning the gospel — matching Paul's call for sincere, God-fearing service.
1 Peter 2:18 echoes the same command for slaves to submit even to harsh masters, reinforcing the theme of reverent obedience.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 sums up duty as fearing God and keeping commands, the same principle applied to slaves.
Malachi 1:6 rebukes priests for failing to fear God as a servant fears his master — directly paralleling Paul's command to fear the Lord in service.
Titus 2:10 gives the same instruction to slaves about being trustworthy, emphasizing that their conduct makes the gospel attractive.
Galatians 1:10 echoes the same principle of serving God rather than seeking human approval, which underlies the command not to be eye-service only.
Ephesians 6:5-7 gives the same command to slaves with nearly identical wording — serving 'as to the Lord' not men.
Matthew 6:18 teaches doing righteous acts for God's eyes only, not human praise — directly parallels the warning against eyeservice in Colossians 3:22.
Romans 12:11 urges fervent service to the Lord — directly parallels the call to serve masters with sincerity, fearing God, in Colossians 3:22.
1 Corinthians 7:22 redefines a slave's identity as freed in Christ — complements Colossians 3:22's call to obey earthly masters from a heart of faith.
Ephesians 6:6 parallels the contrast between eye-service and doing God's will from the heart — a direct echo of this verse.
Philemon 1:16 reframes the slave-master relationship as brotherhood in Christ, complementing the call to obedience here.
1 Timothy 6:2 adds that slaves with believing masters should serve even better, not be disrespectful — a specific application of Colossians' principle.
Proverbs 27:18 promises honor for waiting on a master — echoes the call to serve earthly masters faithfully in Colossians 3:22.
Psalm 86:11 asks for an undivided heart to fear God, paralleling the sincere fear of the Lord in serving masters.
1 Peter 2:19 expands on the reason for such obedience — suffering unjustly for God is commendable, deepening the motivation behind the command.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 reinforces the principle of pleasing God rather than people, which is the heart of serving with sincerity.
2 Corinthians 7:1 urges holiness in the fear of God, expanding the same motive to all believers.
Luke 6:46 challenges those who call Jesus 'Lord' but disobey — reinforcing the sincerity Paul demands from those who fear the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 8:12 states it goes well with those who fear God, reinforcing why slaves should fear the Lord in their work.
Psalm 119:10 expresses wholehearted seeking of God — parallels the 'sincerity of heart' in Colossians 3:22, contrasting eyeservice.