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Ephesians 6:8-20
because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
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Luke 16:1-13
Jesus told his disciples:“ There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.So he called him in and asked him,‘ What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’“ The manager said to himself,‘ What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg—I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’“ So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first,‘ How much do you owe my master?’“‘ Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.“ The manager told him,‘ Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’“ Then he asked the second,‘ And how much do you owe?’“‘ A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.“ He told him,‘ Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’“ The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.“ Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?“ No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
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Leviticus 25:39-43
“‘ If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.They are to be treated as hired workers or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee.Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property of their ancestors.Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves.Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God.
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Revelation 17:14
They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings— and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
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Ecclesiastes 5:8
If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.
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Deuteronomy 24:14-15
Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns.Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.
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Matthew 24:48-51
But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself,‘ My master is staying away a long time,’and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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James 5:4
Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
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Revelation 19:16
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
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James 2:13
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
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Leviticus 19:13
“‘ Do not defraud or rob your neighbor.“‘ Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.
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Deuteronomy 15:12-15
If any of your people— Hebrew men or women— sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free.And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed.Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you.Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.
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Job 31:13-15
“ If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me,what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account?Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?
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Jeremiah 34:9-17
Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage.So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free.But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:“ This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I said,‘ Every seventh year each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you six years, you must let them go free.’ Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay attention to me.Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people. You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name.But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.“ Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim‘ freedom’ for you, declares the Lord—‘ freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.
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Nehemiah 5:5-13
Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry.I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them,“ You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with themand said:“ As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.So I continued,“ What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them— one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”“ We will give it back,” they said.“ And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised.I also shook out the folds of my robe and said,“ In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!” At this the whole assembly said,“ Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
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Malachi 3:5
“ So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.
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Isaiah 58:5-9
Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?“ Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.“ If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
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Job 24:11-12
They crush olives among the terraces; they tread the winepresses, yet suffer thirst.The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing.
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Luke 19:15
“ He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
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Isaiah 58:3
‘ Why have we fasted,’ they say,‘ and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’“ Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
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Matthew 23:8-9
“ But you are not to be called‘ Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.And do not call anyone on earth‘ father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.