# Didache 4.10

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Didache](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/didache/) (*Doctrina duodecim apostolorum*)
- Date: ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:316; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 308–333 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized 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/didache/4/10/

Summary: Do not treat slaves harshly, since God is over both master and slave.

## Greek text

οὐκ ἐπιτάξεις δούλῳ σου ἢ παιδίσκῃ, τοῖς ἐπὶ τὸν αὐτὸν θεὸν ἐλπίζουσιν, ἐν πικρίᾳ σου, μήποτε οὐ μὴ φοβηθήσονται τὸν ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέροις θεόν· οὐ γὰρ ἔρχεται κατὰ πρόσωπον καλέσαι, ἀλλʼ ἐφʼ οὓς τὸ πνεῦμα ἡτοίμασεν.

## English translation (Claude)

You shall not 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 you both; for he does not come to call people according to their standing, but those whom the Spirit has prepared.

## Scripture references

- Eph 6:9: allusion, medium confidence
- Col 4:1: echo, medium confidence

## Citation (SBL)

Did. 4.10 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/didache/4/10/).
