1 Corinthians 7:21

Sometimes bosses own their workers. Those workers belong to their bosses and their bosses control them. They have to do what their bosses say, and they don’t get any pay. If God picked you while you were a worker like that, don’t worry. Don’t try to run away and get free. (But if your boss says you can go free, then do that.)

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

In Context

20You see, God picked each of you to be in his family, so don’t try to change everything. Stay the same as you were at that time when God picked you.

22Some of you are that sort of worker. Your boss owns you and controls you. But think about this. God picked you to join up with Jesus, and you are in his family, so now you are properly free. You are free from the bad things you used to do. They don’t control you any more. In the same way, some of you are free people, nobody owns you. But think about this. God picked you, and you are in Jesus’s family, so now Jesus owns you and you work all the time for him.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 7

Cross References

Luke 10:40Martha was busy getting a big dinner ready, and she got upset because Mary wasn’t helping her. So she said to Jesus, “Sir, my sister isn’t helping me with the work. She has left me to do it by myself. Do you think that is all right? Tell her to get up and help me.”

Galatians 3:28You are all joined to Jesus Christ, so you are all joined to each other. You are not different from each other any more. It doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or not. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. It doesn’t matter if somebody keeps you like a prisoner, or if you are free. None of that matters. You are all joined to Jesus Christ, so you are all the same as each other.

Philippians 4:11I’m not saying this because I need anything. I have learned to be happy, no matter what happens to me.

1 Timothy 6:1I’m writing now about Christians that have to work all the time for somebody else. They have to really respect their bosses. If they don’t, people that are not Christians will rubbish God and say that he gets us to teach things that are wrong.

1 Peter 2:18Some of you are workers that belong to your bosses. Maybe your boss is good to you, or maybe your boss is hard on you. It doesn’t matter. You have to listen carefully to your boss anyway and do what your boss tells you. Sometimes you don’t do anything wrong, but your boss makes trouble for you or hits you because you are following Jesus. You have to respect your boss anyway and take it quietly. Don’t try to do payback to your boss. Then God will be pleased with you, and he will say that you are good.

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7:18-25

Christian Contentment. ( a. d. 57.) 17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. 18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. 20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. 21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 Corinthians 7:21