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1 Timothy 6:2

Who are believers. Christianity does not destroy social and political differences. Instead of leading slaves to rebel, it makes them better and more faithful workers. Christianity changes the attitude of masters (when they believe) and this takes the harshness out of slavery. For as masters drink in the spirit of Christianity, they will be good and kind to their slaves, and even set them free, when this seems best. But since the slave is under a moral obligation to serve his master well, this is doubly true when the master is a brother in Christ. Teach and preach. False teaching will wreck a congregation. Teaching and preaching the truth will combat this. See notes on Acts 21:13-14.

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See also 1 Timothy 6:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Timothy 6:2. _AND THEY THAT HAVE BELIEVING MASTERS_] Who have been lately converted as well as themselves. _LET THEM NOT DESPISE_ THEM] Supposing themselves to be their equals, because they...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND THEY THAT HAVE BELIEVING MASTERS - Masters who are Christians. It is clear from this, that Paul supposed that, at that time, and under those circumstances, a man might become a Christian who had s...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 6 _ 1. Concerning servants (1 Timothy 6:1)_ 2. Concerning those who oppose (1 Timothy 6:3) 3. Concerning contentment and temptation (1 Timothy 6:6) 4. The final exhortations ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 Timothy 6:2 _B_ - 1 TIMOTHY 6:21. FINAL WORDS. (_a_) 1 Timothy 6:2 _b_ - 1 Timothy 6:10. The Errorists, and a Fund

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 Timothy 6:1 A. SLAVES. Christianity freed slaves by evolution rather than revolution. A grave social peril would have arisen in the first century had slaves misinterpreted their liberty in Christ (p...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    HOW TO BE A SLAVE AND A CHRISTIAN (1 Timothy 6:1-2)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Let all those who are slaves under the yoke hold their own masters to be worthy of all respect, in order that no one may have an opportunity to speak evil of the name of God and the Christian teaching...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BELIEVING. App-130. DO... SERVICE. App-130. FAITHFUL. Some as "believing". BELOVED. App-136. PARTAKERS = those who are partaking. Greek. _antilambanomai._ See Acts 20:35. BENEFIT = good work. Gre...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _rather do_them _service_ Better, SERVE THEM THE RATHER, all the more zealously. _partakers of the benefit_ The article with the participle is clearly subject; and the _masters_are certainly meant. Bu...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Timothy's duties in regard to slaves The last of the four sections of special charge (commenced in the previous chapter) is Timothy's attitude towards Christian slaves. The position taken by Christ a...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    2. The exceptional case of _Christian_ masters is next dealt with ΟἹ ΔῈ ΠΙΣΤΟῪΣ Κ.Τ.Λ., _let those who have believers as their masters not despise them, because they are brethren_. Equal membership i...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    iv. 1, 2. DUTY OF SLAVES TO THEIR MASTERS, WHETHER HEATHEN OR CHRISTIAN...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΧΟΝΤΕΣ _praes. act. part. от_ ΈΧ (G2192) иметь, ΚΑΤΑΦΡΟΝΕΊΤΩΣΑΝPRAES. _imper. act. от_ ΚΑΤΑΦΡΟΝΈΩ (G2706) недооценивать, презирать. Обращаться с кем-л. без должного уважения, подобающего положению э...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BECAUSE THEY ARE FAITHFUL AND BELOVED, &C.— Dr. Heylin reads it, _but serve them better, because they are Christians, and to be loved, as partakers of the same advantages._ See the Syriac version....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CARE OF SLAVES 1 Timothy 6:1-2 _TEXT 6:1, 2_ 1 Let as many as are servants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine be not blasphemed. 2 And t...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things t...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    3 Translators have experienced much difficulty with this opening sentence, because it seemed to lack the principal verb. The A V adds _ so do_, the Revisers _ so do I now_. It is very seldom that any...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    19 Unless sufficient evidence to establish his guilt is produced, no charge against an elder is to be entertained. A single witness may be mistaken, or biased: he must be corroborated by one or more o...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    6:2 masters, (f-6) _ Despotes_ . see Acts 4:24 ; 'serve,' ver. 2, is _ douleuo_ . faithful (a-28) Or 'believing,' the same as in the beginning of the verse....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    CONCERNING SERVANTS, THE RICH, AND CORRUPT TEACHERS 1, 2. The eighth charge to Timothy, as to bondservants or slaves. We have here an indication of the way in which Christianity abolished slavery—not...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BECAUSE THEY ARE FAITHFUL AND BELOVED, PARTAKERS OF THE BENEFIT] RV 'because they that partake of the benefit of their service are believing and beloved.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    HOW TO BE A LEADER IN THE CHURCH 1 TIMOTHY _IAN MACKERVOY_ CHAPTER 6 SERVANTS AND MASTERS (6:1-2) V1 Those who are slaves must respect and honour their masters. They should do this so that no on...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND THEY THAT HAVE BELIEVING MASTERS, LET THEM NOT DESPISE THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE BRETHREN. — This being in servitude to Christian masters, of course, in the days of St. Paul would happen less frequen...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 16 THE NATURE OF ROMAN SLAVERY AND THE APOSTLE'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS IT-A MODERN PARALLEL. - 1 Timothy 6:1 THERE are four passages in which St. Paul deals directly with the relations between sla...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The duty of Christian slaves to heathen and Christian masters respectively....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    A Christian slave would be more likely to presume on his newly acquired theory of liberty, equality and fraternity in relation to a Christian master than in relation to one that was a heathen. The pos...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    GODLINESS IS TRUE GAIN 1 Timothy 6:1 The Apostle gives rules for the treatment of the slaves who rendered service in the households of that time. If the slave was in the household of a heathen master...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The final injunction of the apostle concerning Timothy's duty toward his flock had to do with his dealing with Christian slaves. The master must not treat them with contempt. They are to recognize tha...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    There were millions of slaves in the Roman empire at the time Paul wrote this letter. Those converted to Christ were urged to be good servants giving proper respect to their masters. If they were offe...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (3) And they that have believing masters, let them not despise [them], because they are brethren; but rather do [them] service, because they are faithful and beloved, (a) partakers of the benefit. (4)...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Lest the name and doctrine of the Lord be blasphemed, or ill spoken of by infidels, when such as were converted refused to be servants. --- Let them not despise them, &c. That is, they who were servan...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (1) В¶ Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. (2) And they that have believing masters, let t...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    1 Timothy 1:1-20. We enter now on the confidential communications of the apostle to some of his fellow-labourers, and tonight on the epistles to Timothy. The two have much in common, but they have als...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    2_Who have believing masters _The name of _brother _may be thought to constitute equality, and consequently to take away dominion. Paul argues, on the contrary, that slaves ought the more willingly to...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The apostle then goes equally into detail with regard to servants, that is, slaves. They were to respect their masters, in order that the doctrine of the Lord should not be blasphemed. When the master...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THEY THAT HAVE BELIEVING MASTERS,.... That believe in one God, in opposition to the Gentiles, that held many gods, and in Jesus Christ, in distinction from the Jews; who believed in him with the h...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And they that have believing masters, let them not despise _them_, because they are brethren; but rather do _them_ service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These thing...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Because the law of Moses (Exo 21:2) did not allow Israelites to be made slaves for life, without their own consent, it seems the Judaizing teachers, with a view to allure slaves to their party, encour...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    BELIEVING MASTERS; Christians. NOT DESPISE THEM; not withhold from them the manifestation of a respectful, obedient, Christian spirit, because they are brethren in Christ. RATHER DO THEM SERVICE; pr...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE STATION OF THE SLAVES. Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed. AND THEY THAT HAVE BELIEVIN...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    It may be noted that in this epistle the relationships of husband and wives, children and parents, are not mentioned, as are the questions of elders, widows, and now servants. For family ties are not...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things te...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    FAITHFUL: Or, believing...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    “THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVERS AS THEIR MASTERS”: Verse. was dealing with Christian slaves who had unbelieving masters, now we have instruction to slaves who had Christian masters. 1 TIMOTHY 6:2 “MUST NOT...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 Christians were not to suppose that religious knowledge, or Christian privileges, gave them any right to despise heathen masters, or to disobey lawful commands, or to expose their faults to other...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Some Christians were servants to Jews or pagans, who both came under the gospel notion of believers; as to these the apostle had given directions in 1 TIMOTHY 6:1. Others served masters and mistresses...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Clement of Alexandria The Instructor Book III "Let those who have faithful masters not despise them, because they ate brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful."[207] Hippolytus...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Timothy 6:2 And G1161 have G2192 (G5723) believing G4103 masters G1203 them G2706 not G3361 despise G2706 ...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    1 Timothy 6:2. BECAUSE THEY ARE BRETHREN. The risk contemplated was, lest the new sense of fraternity should pass into a revolutionary claim to equality. Slaves were not to despise their masters becau...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    LET NOT DESPISE THEM (μη καταφρονειτωσαν). Negative imperative active third plural of καταφρονεω, to think down on. See 1 Timothy 4:12. He must not presume on the equality of Christian brotherhood n...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Work of the minister continued. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Paul, Timothy, Pilate. CONCLUSION: The minister of Christ is to preach not only the general duties of all, but the duties of particu...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Timothy 6:1. _Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour,_ by obeying their commands, for in civil society we are all servants, and have duties which mus...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 TIMOTHY—NOTE ON 1 TIMOTHY 6:2 Confronting the False Teaching Again. This concluding section is very similar to the opening section (1 Timothy 1:3). Both include discu

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 TIMOTHY—NOTE ON 1 TIMOTHY 6:1 Paul addresses Christian slaves (or “bondservants”; see esv footnote and note on 1 Cor. 7:21), who may be serving either believing or unbelieving masters. This issue sh...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_ 1 Timothy 6:1. THAT THE NAME OF GOD AND HIS DOCTRINE BE NOT BLASPHEMED.—Masters who had slaves professing to be Christians and yet supercilious would curse them and t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 TIMOTHY 6:1 _Are servants _for _servants as are_,_ _A.V.;_ the doctrine _for _his doctrine_,_ _A.V. SERVANTS; literally, _slaves_._ _That slaves formed a considerable portion of the firs...

  • The Typology of Scripture by Patrick Fairbairn

    Ver. 2. But supposing the masters themselves had embraced the gospel, and master and slave stood on the common footing of brethren in Christ, were those under the yoke still to be held bound to esteem...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Paul turns to the subject of servants in chapter six. Let as many servants as are under the yoke (1 Timothy 6:1) That is, to a master. count their own masters worthy of all honour (1 Timothy 6:...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 5:1; 1 Timothy 4:11; 1 Timothy 5:1; 2 Peter 2:10; 2 T

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Partakers of the benefit [ο ι τ η ς ε υ ε ρ γ ε σ ι α ς α ν τ ι λ α μ β α ν ο μ ε ν ο ι]. The verb means to take hold of; hence, to take hold for the purpose of helping; to take up for, as Luke 1:54;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Let them not despise them — Pay them the less honour or obedience. Because they are brethren — And in that respect on a level with them. They that live in a religious community know the danger of this...

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Old Testament