Colossians 3:22 (DBY)

Passage

Bondmen, obey in all things your masters according to flesh; not with eye-services, as men-pleasers, but in simplicity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Nearby Context

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

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not vex your children, to the end that they be not disheartened.

Colossians 3:22 Bondmen, obey in all things your masters according to flesh; not with eye-services, as men-pleasers, but in simplicity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Colossians 3:23 Whatsoever ye do, labour at it heartily, as [doing it] to the Lord, and not to men;

Colossians 3:24 knowing that of [the] Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance; ye serve the Lord Christ.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "bondmen", "obey", "masters", "flesh", "eye-services", "men-pleasers", and "simplicity". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "bondmen", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 21's "Fathers do not vex your children to..." into verse 23's "Whatsoever ye do labour at it heartily...", so "all things" and "bondmen" 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 "bondmen" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.