# Epistle of Barnabas 19.7

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Epistle of Barnabas](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/) (*Epistula Barnabae*)
- Date: ca. 70–135 (often ca. 130) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:402–404; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 340–407 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912), digitized by the Perseus Digital Library and published by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/19/7/

Summary: Slaves respect masters; masters must not treat slaves harshly.

## Greek text

οὐκ ἔσῃ διγνώμων οὐδὲ γλωσσώδης, ὑποταγήσῃ κυρίοις ὡς τύπῳ θεοῦ ἐν αἰσχύνῃ καὶ φόβῳ· οὐ μὴ ἐπιτάξῃς δούλῳ σου ἢ παιδίσκῃ ἐν πικρίᾳ, τοῖς ἐπὶ τὸν αὐτὸν θεὸν ἐλπίζουσιν, μή ποτε οὐ μὴ φοβηθήσονται τὸν ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέροις θεόν· ὅτι οὐκ ἦλθεν κατὰ πρόσωπον καλέσαι, ἀλλʼ ἐφʼ οὓς τὸ πνεῦμα ἡτοίμασεν.

## English translation (Claude)

You shall not be double-minded or double-tongued. You shall be subject to masters as to a representation of God, with respect and fear. You shall never give orders in bitterness to your male or female slave, who hope in the same God, lest they cease to fear the God who is over both; for he came not to call people according to their status, but those whom the Spirit prepared.

## Scripture references

- Eph 6:5: echo, medium confidence
- Eph 6:9: echo, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- As in Did. 4.10–11 and Eph 6:5–9, slavery is assumed, but masters are told that their slaves share the same God and hope.

## Citation (SBL)

Barn. 19.7 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/19/7/).