What does the Bible say about racism and slavery?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible teaches that every person bears God-given dignity, condemns racial pride and oppressive slavery, and calls his people to love neighbors and strangers with justice and mercy. God made all nations from one human family (Acts 17:26), and in Christ ethnic and social distinctions do not determine worth or access to God (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11). Scripture commands love for the sojourner because God shows no partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17-19; Leviticus 19:34). Though the New Testament addresses believers within an existing slave society, it undermines slavery's dehumanizing logic by calling masters to answer to Christ and receive enslaved Christians as beloved brothers (Ephesians 6:9; Philemon 1:15-16). The redeemed multitude includes every nation, tribe, people, and language (Revelation 7:9).
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Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- Colossians 3:11
where there can't be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
- Philemon 1:15-16
[15] For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever, [16] no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
- Ephesians 6:9
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.
- Revelation 7:9
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.
- Acts 17:26
He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings,
- Deuteronomy 10:17-19
[17] For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn't regard persons, nor takes reward. [18] He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing. [19] Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
- 1 Timothy 1:10
for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;
- Leviticus 19:34
The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.
- Exodus 22:21
"You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
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