Does the Bible Support Slavery?

The Bible condemns kidnapping a person to sell them, and it says every person is made in God’s image. It also regulates slavery in ancient Israel and in the Roman world. It does not present chattel slavery as a Christian good. In Christ, Paul says there is neither slave nor free.

Key points

• Exodus 21:16And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.Exodus 21:16 · King James Version says the man who steals a man and sells him “shall surely be put to death.”
• Deuteronomy 24:7If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.Deuteronomy 24:7 · King James Version says the same about stealing a brother and selling him: “that thief shall die.”
• 1 Timothy 1:10For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;1 Timothy 1:10 · King James Version lists “menstealers” with sins contrary to sound doctrine.
• Leviticus 25:44Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.Leviticus 25:44 · King James Version tells Israel they may buy bondmen from the nations around them.
• Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.Galatians 3:28 · King James Version says there is neither bond nor free, for all are one in Christ Jesus.
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2414, says the seventh commandment forbids enterprises that lead to the enslavement of human beings. Is hell real? is the other hard passage in this cluster.

What the Bible says

Genesis 1:27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.Genesis 1:27 · King James Version (King James Version) says God made humanity in his image:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 1:27 · King James Version

Exodus 21:16And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.Exodus 21:16 · King James Version (King James Version) makes kidnapping a capital crime:

And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

Exodus 21:16 · King James Version

Deuteronomy 24:7If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.Deuteronomy 24:7 · King James Version (King James Version) says:

If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.

Deuteronomy 24:7 · King James Version

1 Timothy 1:10For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;1 Timothy 1:10 · King James Version lists “menstealers” among those the law is for, with people who practice sins “contrary to sound doctrine.”

The same Law also regulates servitude. Leviticus 25:44Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.Leviticus 25:44 · King James Version (King James Version) says:

Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.

Leviticus 25:44 · King James Version

In the churches Paul writes to, slaves and masters are both addressed. Ephesians 6:5Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;Ephesians 6:5 · King James Version tells servants to obey masters “as unto Christ.” Ephesians 6:9And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.Ephesians 6:9 · King James Version tells masters to forbear threatening, “knowing that your Master also is in heaven.” Colossians 4:1Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.Colossians 4:1 · King James Version says, “Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal.”

Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.Galatians 3:28 · King James Version (King James Version) says:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28 · King James Version

Philemon 1:16Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?Philemon 1:16 · King James Version (King James Version) tells a Christian master to receive Onesimus:

Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

Philemon 1:16 · King James Version

Where churches stand

The pages fetched from Southern Baptist, LCMS, PCA, ELCA, United Methodist, Orthodox, Latter-day Saint, and Jehovah’s Witness sources for the other articles on this shelf did not print a paragraph on slavery, so they are not quoted here.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2414, says:

The seventh commandment forbids acts or enterprises that for any reason - selfish or ideological, commercial, or totalitarian - lead to the enslavement of human beings, to their being bought, sold and exchanged like merchandise, in disregard for their personal dignity. It is a sin against the dignity of persons and their fundamental rights to reduce them by violence to their productive value or to a source of profit. St. Paul directed a Christian master to treat his Christian slave “no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, . . . both in the flesh and in the Lord.”

I can’t become a Christian because the Bible has slaves in it

The verses are in the book. Leviticus 25:44Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.Leviticus 25:44 · King James Version permits buying bondmen from the surrounding nations. Exodus 21:16And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.Exodus 21:16 · King James Version puts the kidnapper to death. Philemon 1:16Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?Philemon 1:16 · King James Version tells a master that the enslaved man is a brother. The catechism quoted above calls enslaving people a sin against their dignity. The Christian claim is that every person bears God’s image (Genesis 1:27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.Genesis 1:27 · King James Version) and that Jesus, who is God, makes slave and free one (Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.Galatians 3:28 · King James Version). That confession is the deity of Christ.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Bible call kidnapping a crime?

Exodus 21:16And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.Exodus 21:16 · King James Version and Deuteronomy 24:7If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.Deuteronomy 24:7 · King James Version require the death of the person who steals a man and sells him. 1 Timothy 1:10For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;1 Timothy 1:10 · King James Version lists menstealers.

Does the New Testament tell masters to free their slaves?

Philemon 1:16Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?Philemon 1:16 · King James Version tells Philemon to receive Onesimus as a beloved brother, no longer as a servant. Ephesians 6:9And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.Ephesians 6:9 · King James Version and Colossians 4:1Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.Colossians 4:1 · King James Version tell masters that they also have a Master in heaven and must give what is just and equal. Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.Galatians 3:28 · King James Version says bond and free are one in Christ.

Is American chattel slavery what these laws describe?

Leviticus 25:44Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.Leviticus 25:44 · King James Version is a law for ancient Israel about buying bondmen from neighboring nations. The catechism paragraph quoted above forbids buying and selling human beings as merchandise. The New Testament paragraphs address masters and slaves in the Roman world and call the slave a brother in the Lord.