MY BIBLE INTERPRETATION

Slavery

I am opposed to slavery. But what does the Bible say?

"'Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life...'"

Leviticus 25:44-46x

NIV

So, the Bible clearly condones slavery, as long as the slaves are foreigners. This is quite intriguing, particularly since, in the Civil War, the side that was fighting against slavery, the North, won the war. Shouldn't have God agreed with the South's stance instead? But wait...

"Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper's possession."	Exodus 21:16 NIV
We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers... for slave traders... and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.	I Timothy 1:9x,10y,10z-11 NIV
"Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner..."	Exodus 22:21x NIV

So it seems that it was okay for the Southerners to have slaves. But what they were doing wrong was kidnapping, trading, and beating slaves.

References

NIV New International Version. 1984. International Bible Society. http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/?action=getVersionInfo&vid=31

Notes

x The quote includes the beginning of the verse but does not continue to the end of that verse.

y The quote does not start at the beginning of the verse, nor does it continue to the end of that verse.

z The quote does not start at the beginning of the verse, but it includes the end of the verse.

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Last updated: 5/19/25
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