Colossians 3:22 (KJV)

Passage

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

Nearby Context

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

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:

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "servants", "obey", "masters", "flesh", "eyeservice", "menpleasers", and "singleness". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "servants", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 21's "Fathers provoke not your children to anger..." into verse 23's "And whatsoever ye do do it heartily...", so "all things" and "servants" belong inside that flow. In Colossians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "all things" and "servants" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.