{Servants} (hoi oiketai). Note article with the class as
with andres ( 3:7 ), though not with gunaikes ( 3:1 ).
Oiket(8873), old word from oikos (house), means one in the same
house with another (Latin _domesticus_), particularly house
servants (slaves) in distinction from the general term doulos
(slave). "Ye domestics." See similar directions to Christian
servants (slaves) in  Col 3:22-25  Eph 6:5-7  1Ti 6:1f.  Tit
2:9f . Oiket(8873) in N.T. occurs only here,  Lu 16:13  Ac 10:7  Ro
14:4 . {Be in subjection} (hupotassomenoi). Present middle
participle of hupotass(935c), common late compound to subject
oneself to one ( Lu 2:51 ). Either the participle is here used as
an imperative (so in  3:1,7 ) as in  Ro 12:16f. , or the
imperative este has to be supplied (Robertson, _Grammar_, p.
945). {To your masters} (	ois despotais). Dative case of
despot(8873), old word for absolute owner in contrast with
doulos. It is used also of God ( Lu 2:29  Ac 4:24,29 ) and of
Christ ( 2Pe 2:1  Jude 1:4 ). Kurios has a wider meaning and
not necessarily suggesting absolute power. {To the good and
gentle} (	ois agathois kai epieikesin). Dative case also with
the article with class. For epieik(8873) see on 浥as 3:17|. There
were slave-owners (masters) like this as there are housekeepers
and employers of workmen today. This is no argument for slavery,
but only a sidelight on a condition bad enough at its best. {To
the froward} (	ois skoliois). "To the crooked." Old word, also
in  Lu 3:5  Ac 2:40  Php 2:15 . Unfortunately there were
slave-holders as there are employers today, like this group. The
test of obedience comes precisely toward this group.