Slave: The New Testament translators only translate the Greek word for slave, “slave,” when it’s referring to an actual physical slave, or when it’s referring to an inanimate object, like “slaves of sin” or “slaves of righteousness.” So there is this concept of slavery in the Scripture that has been completely hidden to the English reader. Now this was by design because the word “slave” is the most important, all-encompassing and clarifying word to describe a Christian used in the New Testament. And yet whenever a Christian is in view, it’s not translated “slave.”
The word is doulos. Have you heard that word? The word is doulos. In the Greek, that word means “slave,” never means anything but “slave.” It doesn’t mean “servant,” it doesn’t mean “worker,” it doesn’t mean “hired hand,” it doesn’t mean “helper.” There are six or seven Greek words that mean “servant” in some form. Doulos never means “servant.” A servant is someone hired to do something. The slave is someone owned. Big difference, huge difference, and yet all through the New Testament the word “slave” is masked by the word “servant,” or some form of the word “servant.” Truly a remarkable thing.
When I started doing the research on this word, I found 22 English translations of the New Testament, 22. There was only one of them. Of all the translations of the English New Testaments going back to the King James, up until today, there was only one of those 22 that translated doulos “slave” every single time, even though everyone knows it means slave and only slave. In fact, the most formidable of all Greek dictionaries, Kittel, says, “The word doulos means slave, the meaning is so unequivocal, no study of history is necessary.” It always means slave, and yet it’s not translated slave.
By John MacArthur
Ironman October 2nd at 5:30PM
Sunday Service October 6th, 2024
Bible Basics at 9:00 AM
Worship Service 10:00
Streaming: Live Streaming will be posted on the church website starting at 10:00 AM
Church Website: https://www.firstbaptist3rivers.com/
Pastor Alex Garcia 559-623-1002
First Baptist Church of Three Rivers