Many individuals became slaves as a result of debt or capture in war. Free men who fell into debt would sell themselves into slavery for a period of time (depending on the size of the debt) with the hope of later regaining their freedom. At the time of the New Testament, slavery was not based upon ethnicity and Roman law considered slaves to be persons.1
Some slaves were highly trained and educated, working in the civil service, in banking, or as doctors. They were provided with food, clothes, and shelter and they were also taken care of when sick. Other slaves worked in manual labour and experienced a very difficult life. They were frequently humiliated and treated harshly.2 Roman citizens were known to threaten with beatings or sexual harassment, or to sell the male slaves to another household with the result that they were parted for ever from their loved ones.3
In general, the treatment of slaves depended largely on their owners. They had very little protection from Roman law.4
5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,