Colossians 3:22 (LSB)

Passage

Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Nearby Context

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

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

Colossians 3:22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,

Colossians 3:24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 21's "Fathers do not exasperate your children so..." into verse 23's "Whatever you do do your work heartily...", so "all things" and "slaves" 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 "slaves" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.