So ¹  the master said to his ²  slave, ‘Go out to the highways ³  and country roads ⁴  and urge ⁵  people ⁶  to come in, so that my house will be filled. ⁷ 

“Would any one of you say ¹  to your slave ²  who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’? ³ 

So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; ¹  we have only done what was our duty.’” ² 

And he summoned ten of his slaves, ¹  gave them ten minas, ²  and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’

And the king ¹  said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful ²  in a very small matter, you will have authority ³  over ten cities.’

When harvest time came, he sent a slave ¹  to the tenants so that they would give ²  him his portion of the crop. ³  However, the tenants beat his slave ⁴  and sent him away empty-handed.

Then ¹  one of them ²  struck the high priest’s slave, ³  cutting off his right ear.

Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, ¹  everyone who practices ²  sin is a slave ³  of sin.

I tell you the solemn truth, ¹  the slave ²  is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger ³  greater than the one who sent him.

Even on my servants, ¹  both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. ² 

And now, Lord, pay attention to ¹  their threats, and grant ²  to your servants ³  to speak your message ⁴  with great courage, ⁵ 

But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed ¹  from the heart that pattern ²  of teaching you were entrusted to,

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves ¹  or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.

Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, ¹  or of God? Or am I trying to please people? ²  If I were still trying to please ³  people, ⁴  I would not be a slave ⁵  of Christ!

Slaves, ¹  obey your human masters ²  with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ,

From Paul ¹  and Timothy, slaves ²  of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, ³  with the overseers ⁴  and deacons.

Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave ¹  or free, but Christ is all and in all.

Slaves, ¹  obey your earthly ²  masters in every respect, not only when they are watching – like those who are strictly people-pleasers – but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

Those who are under the yoke as slaves ¹  must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent ²  the name of God and Christian teaching ³  from being discredited. ⁴