Colossians 3:22 (GNV)

Passage

Seruants, be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh, in all things, not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenes of heart, fearing God.

Nearby Context

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all thing for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord.

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, prouoke not your children to anger, least they be discouraged.

Colossians 3:22 Seruants, be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh, in all things, not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenes of heart, fearing God.

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoeuer ye doe, doe it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men,

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "seruants", "obedient", "vnto", "masters", "flesh", "seruice", and "pleasers". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "seruants", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 21's "Fathers prouoke not your children to anger..." into verse 23's "And whatsoeuer ye doe doe it heartily...", so "all things" and "seruants" 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 "seruants" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.