All who are slaves. Christianity is to leaven, not displace, the existing social order. Compare 1 Corinthians 7:20-24 and notes. Many of the Christians were slaves. Because the Law (Exodus 21:2) would not allow anyone to be made a slave for life without his own consent, the Circumcision Party taught that slavery was an illegal thing, if it was involuntary. They used this teaching to try to entice slaves to join their Party. As an apostle, Paul condemns this false teaching. Must consider their masters worthy. "Christian slaves must consider their unbelieving masters worthy of all respect and obedience, so that no one will speak evil of God or the Good News. We do not want them to think Christianity destroys the political rights of individuals." We meet this same slave problem in Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22; Titus 2:9; Philemon; 1 Peter 2:18.

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Old Testament