Masters, give your slaves what is right and fair. Do it because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

你们作主人的，要公公平平地待仆人，因为知道你们也有一位主在天上。

你们作主人的，待仆人要公正，因为知道，你们也有一位主在天上。

你们作主人的，待仆人要公正，因为知道，你们也有一位主在天上。

你们做主人的，对待奴仆要公平合理，别忘了你们也有一位天上的主。

你们作主人的，要公平地对待仆人，因为知道你们也有一位主在天上。

你们做主人的，要公正、公平地对待奴仆，因为你们知道，你们也有一位主人在天上。

你們作主人的，要公公平平地待僕人，因為知道你們也有一位主在天上。

你們作主人的，待僕人要公正，因為知道，你們也有一位主在天上。

你們作主人的，待僕人要公正，因為知道，你們也有一位主在天上。

你們作主人的，對待奴僕要公平合理，別忘了你們也有一位天上的主。

你們作主人的，要公平地對待僕人，因為知道你們也有一位主在天上。

做主人的，你們要以正義和公平待僕人，因為知道你們也有一位主在天上。

你們做主人的，要公正、公平地對待奴僕，因為你們知道，你們也有一位主人在天上。

主宜以公平待僕、知在天爾亦有主也、○

主待僕以公平、知在天爾亦有主、

爾為主人者、當待奴以公平、因知爾亦有主在天、○

主人之待其奴僕、務宜公平忠厚、應知爾在天亦自有一主也。

Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master— in heaven.

Masters, deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

Masters, grant your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Masters, render unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

Masters, give unto[ your] servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

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

Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

You know that the Lord will give each person a reward. He will give it to them in keeping with the good they do. It doesn’t matter whether they are a slave or not.Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. When you warn them, don’t be too hard on them. You know that the God who is their Master and yours is in heaven. And he treats everyone the same.Finally, let the Lord make you strong. Depend on his mighty power.Put on all of God’s armor. Then you can remain strong against the devil’s evil plans.Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world.So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing.So remain strong in the faith. Put the belt of truth around your waist. Put the armor of godliness on your chest.Wear on your feet what will prepare you to tell the good news of peace.Also, pick up the shield of faith. With it you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one.Put on the helmet of salvation. And take the sword of the Holy Spirit. The sword is God’s word.At all times, pray by the power of the Spirit. Pray all kinds of prayers. Be watchful, so that you can pray. Always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.Pray also for me. Pray that whenever I speak, the right words will be given to me. Then I can be bold as I tell the mystery of the good news.Because of the good news, I am being held by chains as the Lord’s messenger. So pray that I will be bold as I preach the good news. That’s what I should do.

Jesus told his disciples another story. He said,“ There was a rich man who had a manager. Some said that the manager was wasting what the rich man owned.So the rich man told him to come in. He asked him,‘ What is this I hear about you? Tell me exactly how you have handled what I own. You can’t be my manager any longer.’“ The manager said to himself,‘ What will I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig. And I’m too ashamed to beg.I know what I’m going to do. I’ll do something so that when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’“ So he called in each person who owed his master something. He asked the first one,‘ How much do you owe my master?’“‘ I owe 900 gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.“ The manager told him,‘ Take your bill. Sit down quickly and change it to 450 gallons.’“ Then he asked the second one,‘ And how much do you owe?’“‘ I owe 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ he replied.“ The manager told him,‘ Take your bill and change it to 800 bushels.’“ The manager had not been honest. But the master praised him for being clever. The people of this world are clever in dealing with those who are like themselves. They are more clever than God’s people.I tell you, use the riches of this world to help others. In that way, you will make friends for yourselves. Then when your riches are gone, you will be welcomed into your eternal home in heaven.“ Suppose you can be trusted with something very little. Then you can also be trusted with something very large. But suppose you are not honest with something very little. Then you will also not be honest with something very large.Suppose you have not been worthy of trust in handling worldly wealth. Then who will trust you with true riches?Suppose you have not been worthy of trust in handling someone else’s property. Then who will give you property of your own?“ No one can serve two masters at the same time. Either you will hate one of them and love the other. Or you will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can’t serve God and money at the same time.”

“‘ Suppose any of your own people become poor. And suppose they sell themselves to you. Then do not make them work as slaves.You must treat them like hired workers. Or you must treat them like those living among you for a while. They must work for you until the Year of Jubilee.Then they and their children must be set free. They will go back to their own tribes. They will go back to the property their people have always owned.The Israelites are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. So they must not be sold as slaves.Show them pity when you rule over them. Have respect for God.

They will make war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will have victory over them. That’s because he is the most powerful Lord of all and the greatest King of all. His appointed, chosen and faithful followers will be with him.”

Suppose you see poor people being mistreated somewhere. And what is being done to them isn’t right or fair. Don’t be surprised by that. One official is watched by a higher one. Officials who are even higher are watching both of them.

Don’t take advantage of any hired worker who is poor and needy. That applies to your own people. It also applies to outsiders living in one of your towns.Give them their pay every day. They are poor and are counting on it. If you don’t pay them, they might cry out to the Lord against you. Then you will be guilty of committing a sin.

But suppose that slave is evil. Suppose he says to himself,‘ My master is staying away a long time.’Suppose he begins to beat the other slaves. And suppose he eats and drinks with those who drink too much.The master of that slave will come back on a day the slave doesn’t expect him. He will return at an hour the slave does not know.Then the master will cut him to pieces. He will send him to the place where pretenders go. There people will weep and grind their teeth.

You have even failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields. Their pay is crying out against you. The cries of those who gathered the harvest have reached the ears of the Lord. He rules over all.

Here is the name that is written on the rider’s robe and on his thigh. the greatest king of all and the most powerful lord of all

Those who have not shown mercy will not receive mercy when they are judged. To show mercy is better than to judge.

“‘ Do not cheat your neighbor. Do not rob him.“‘ Do not hold back the pay of a hired worker until morning.

Suppose any Hebrew men or women sell themselves to you. If they do, they will serve you for six years. Then in the seventh year you must let them go free.But when you set them free, don’t send them away without anything to show for all their work.Freely give them some animals from your flock. Also give them some of your grain and wine. The Lord your God has blessed you richly. Give to them as he has given to you.Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. The Lord your God set you free. That’s why I’m giving you this command today.

“ Suppose I haven’t treated any of my male and female servants fairly when they’ve brought charges against me.Then what will I do when God opposes me? What answer will I give him when he asks me to explain myself?Didn’t he who made me make my servants also? Didn’t the same God form us inside our mothers?

All of them had to do this. That applied to male and female slaves alike. No one was allowed to hold another Hebrew as a slave.So all the officials and people entered into this covenant. They agreed to set their male and female slaves free. They agreed not to hold them as slaves anymore. Instead, they set them free.But later they changed their minds. They took back the people they had set free. They made them slaves again.Then a message from the Lord came to Jeremiah.The Lord is the God of Israel. He says,“ I made a covenant with your people of long ago. I brought them out of Egypt. That is the land where they were slaves. I said,‘ Every seventh year you must set your people free. Each of you must set free all the Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. Let them serve you for six years. Then you must let them go free.’( Deuteronomy 15:12) But your people of long ago did not listen to me. They did not pay any attention to me.Recently you turned away from your sins. You did what is right in my eyes. Each of you set your Hebrew slaves free. You even made a covenant in front of me. You did it in the house where I have put my Name.But now you have turned around. You have treated my name as if it were not holy. Each of you has taken back your male and female slaves. You had set them free to go where they wished. But now you have forced them to become your slaves again.”So the Lord says,“ You have not obeyed me. You have not set your Hebrew slaves free. So now I will set you free,” announces the Lord.“ I will set you free to be destroyed by war, plague and hunger. I will make all the kingdoms on earth displeased with you.

We belong to the same family lines as the rest of our people. Our children are as good as theirs. But we’ve had to sell them off as slaves. Some of our daughters have already been made slaves. But we can’t do anything about it. That’s because our fields and vineyards now belong to others.”I heard them when they cried out. And I was very angry when I heard what they were saying.I thought it over for a while. Then I accused the nobles and officials of breaking the law. I told them,“ You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large group of people to handle the matter.I said,“ Our Jewish brothers and sisters were sold to other nations. We’ve done everything we could to buy them back and bring them home. But look at what you are doing! You are actually selling your own people! Now we’ll have to buy them back too!” The people kept quiet. They couldn’t think of anything to say.So I continued,“ What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you show respect for our God? Shouldn’t you live in a way that will keep our enemies from saying bad things about us?I’m lending the people money and grain. So are my relatives and my men. But we must stop charging interest!Give the people’s fields back to them. Give them back their vineyards, olive groves and houses. Do it right away. Give everything back to them. Also give them back the one percent on the money, grain, fresh wine and olive oil you have charged them.”“ We’ll give it back,” they said.“ And we won’t require anything more from them. We’ll do exactly as you say.” Then I sent for the priests. I made the nobles and officials promise to do what they had said.I also shook out my pockets and emptied them. I said,“ Someone might decide not to keep this promise they have made. If that happens, may God shake them out of their house! May he empty them of everything they own!” The whole community said,“ Amen.” They praised the Lord. And the leaders did what they had promised to do.

“ So I will come and put you on trial. I will be quick to bring charges against all of you,” says the Lord who rules over all.“ I will bring charges against you sinful people who do not have any respect for me. That includes those who practice evil magic. It includes those who commit adultery and those who tell lies in court. It includes those who cheat workers out of their pay. It includes those who treat widows badly. It also includes those who mistreat children whose fathers have died. And it includes those who take away the rights of outsiders in the courts.

Do you think that is the way I want you to fast? Is it only a time for people to make themselves suffer? Is it only for people to bow their heads like tall grass bent by the wind? Is it only for people to lie down in ashes and clothes of mourning? Is that what you call a fast? Do you think I can accept that?“ Here is the way I want you to fast.“ Set free those who are held by chains without any reason. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves. Set free those who are crushed. Break every evil chain.Share your food with hungry people. Provide homeless people with a place to stay. Give naked people clothes to wear. Provide for the needs of your own family.Then the light of my blessing will shine on you like the rising sun. I will heal you quickly. I will march out ahead of you. And my glory will follow behind you and guard you. That’s because I always do what is right.You will call out to me for help. And I will answer you. You will cry out. And I will say,‘ Here I am.’“ Get rid of the chains you use to hold others down. Stop pointing your finger at others as if they had done something wrong. Stop saying harmful things about them.

They work very hard as they crush olives. They stomp on grapes in winepresses, but they are still thirsty.The groans of those who are dying are heard from the city. Those who are wounded cry out for help. But God doesn’t charge anyone with doing what is wrong.

“ But he was made king and returned home. Then he sent for the slaves he had given the money to. He wanted to find out what they had earned with it.

‘ We have gone without food,’ they say.‘ Why haven’t you noticed it? We have made ourselves suffer. Why haven’t you paid any attention to us?’“ On the day when you fast, you do as you please. You take advantage of all your workers.

“ But you shouldn’t be called‘ Rabbi.’ You have only one Teacher, and you are all brothers.Do not call anyone on earth‘ father.’ You have one Father, and he is in heaven.