People & groups
Slave and servant
Terms for people under another’s authority, ranging from household service to ownership.
Also called · Bondservant · Household servant
What it means
Biblical societies included forms of enslavement tied to war, debt, birth, and trade. Conditions and laws differed by period, but the loss of freedom was real.
Some original words cover a wider range than one English label. Translation must use context without hiding coercion or assuming every servant had identical status.
How it appears in the Bible
Scripture regulates ancient slavery, remembers Israel’s liberation, and uses servant language both socially and metaphorically.
Translation note
“Servant” may fit some contexts, but it should not erase passages where a person was enslaved or treated as property.