Ephesians 6:9 tells earthly masters to treat the people under their authority fairly and to stop using threats, because they answer to a Master in heaven who shows no favoritism. The verse is written by Paul, or by a writer in his name, to Christians in the church at Ephesus, and it speaks directly to those who hold power in households and workplaces.
You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.
Ephesians 6:9 (WEB)
What Ephesians 6:9 Means
The phrase “do the same things to them” points back to the verse before it, where servants are told to work wholeheartedly, as if serving the Lord rather than merely pleasing people watching them. Paul now asks masters to bring that same sincerity to how they treat those under them. Good treatment is not a favor reserved for when someone is looking. It is the right way to live under God’s eyes.
“Give up threatening” is a concrete instruction. In the ancient household, a master could wield harsh punishment, and Paul asks Christian masters to lay that tool down. The verse does not say that masters have no authority at all, nor does it spell out every detail of how the household should be run. It addresses the heart and manner of authority: it should not be exercised through intimidation.
The reason Paul gives is that every master has a Master in heaven, and that heavenly Lord “shows no partiality.” He does not judge by social rank, wealth, or status. Masters cannot expect special treatment before God simply because they are in charge on earth, and servants are not less valued in his sight.
The Context of Ephesians 6:9
Ephesians is a letter traditionally attributed to Paul, written to believers in and around Ephesus, a major city in the Roman province of Asia. Its first half celebrates the riches of God’s grace and the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ, and its second half turns to how that new identity shapes daily life. Chapter 5 addresses husbands and wives, and chapter 6 extends the same pattern to children and parents and then to servants and masters.
The verses just before this one (Ephesians 6:6-8) describe servants doing God’s will from the heart and expecting that the Lord will reward good work, whether the person is enslaved or free. Verse 9 mirrors that teaching for the other side of the relationship. Because the same principle, accountability to one Lord, runs through both verses, the verse reads as a call to mutual responsibility rather than a rule written only for one class of people.
Key Phrases in Ephesians 6:9
Colossians 4:1
Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
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Colossians gives a close parallel to this teaching, telling masters to give their servants what is right and fair, and reminding them that they too have a Master in heaven. Reading the two together strengthens the call to justice in authority.
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does the LORD require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
(WEB)
Micah sums up what the Lord requires as doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God. This verse gives a wider frame for Ephesians 6:9, showing that fair dealing with others is central to faithfulness.
A Short Prayer From Ephesians 6:9
Father, you are the Master of every person and every household, and you show no favoritism. Where I have authority over others, whether at work, at home, or in my community, help me to lead with fairness and restraint. Take away any habit of threatening or pressuring people to get my way, and replace it with patience and honest care.
Remind me that the people under my responsibility are yours, just as I am. Let my choices reflect your justice and kindness, and let me treat each person as someone you love. Amen.
