So<n id="1" /> the master said to his<n id="2" /> slave, &#8216;Go out to the highways<n id="3" /> and country roads<n id="4" /> and urge<n id="5" /> people<n id="6" /> to come in, so that my house will be filled.<n id="7" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Would any one of you say<n id="1" /> to your slave<n id="2" /> who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, &#8216;Come at once and sit down for a meal&#8217;?<n id="3" />

So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, &#8216;We are slaves undeserving of special praise;<n id="1" /> we have only done what was our duty.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

And he summoned ten of his slaves,<n id="1" /> gave them ten minas,<n id="2" /> and said to them, &#8216;Do business with these until I come back.&#8217;

And the king<n id="1" /> said to him, &#8216;Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful<n id="2" /> in a very small matter, you will have authority<n id="3" /> over ten cities.&#8217;

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

Then<n id="1" /> one of them<n id="2" /> struck the high priest&#8217;s slave,<n id="3" /> cutting off his right ear.

Jesus answered them, &#8220;I tell you the solemn truth,<n id="1" /> everyone who practices<n id="2" /> sin is a slave<n id="3" /> of sin.

I tell you the solemn truth,<n id="1" /> the slave<n id="2" /> is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger<n id="3" /> greater than the one who sent him.

<p class="otpoetry"><b><i>Even on my servants,i>b><n id="1" /> <b><i>both men and women,i>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><i><b>I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesyb>.i><n id="2" />p>

And now, Lord, pay attention to<n id="1" /> their threats, and grant<n id="2" /> to your servants<n id="3" /> to speak your message<n id="4" /> with great courage,<n id="5" />

But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed<n id="1" /> from the heart that pattern<n id="2" /> of teaching you were entrusted to,

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves<n id="1" /> or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.

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

<p class="bodytext">Slaves,<n id="1" /> obey your human masters<n id="2" /> with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ,

<t /><p class="bodytext">From Paul<n id="1" /> and Timothy, slaves<n id="2" /> of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,<n id="3" /> with the overseers<n id="4" /> and deacons.

Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave<n id="1" /> or free, but Christ is all and in all.p>

Slaves,<n id="1" /> obey your earthly<n id="2" /> masters in every respect, not only when they are watching &#8211; like those who are strictly people-pleasers &#8211; 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.p>

<p class="bodytext">Those who are under the yoke as slaves<n id="1" /> must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent<n id="2" /> the name of God and Christian teaching<n id="3" /> from being discredited.<n id="4" />