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• Leviticus 25:45-46 "Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, . . . and they shall be your possession . . . they shall be your bondmen forever."
• Genesis 9:25 "And he [Noah] said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren."
• Exodus 21:2,7 "If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. . . . And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the manservants do."
• Joel 3:8 "And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the Lord hath spoken it."
• Luke 12:47,48 [Jesus speaking] "And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes."
• Colossians 3:22 "Servants, obey in all things your masters."

  vs.

• Isaiah 58:6 "Undo the heavy burdens . . . let the oppressed go free, . . . break every yoke."
• Matthew 23:10 "Neither be ye called Masters: for one is your Master, even Christ."

  Pro-slavery bible verses were cited by many churches in the South during the Civil War, and were used by some theologians in the Dutch Reformed Church to justify apartheid in South Africa. There are more pro-slavery verses than cited here.

- http://www.ffrf.org/books/lfif/?t=contra

So is the Bible for slavery or against slavery?

< STRONG The Bible condemns race-based and "man stealing" forms of slavery, however slavery in general wasn't prohibited because it was very different from our modern understanding of slavery.

The Bible does not condemn every practice of slavery, however that does not mean that all forms of slavery were permitted. The Bible actually condemns race-based slavery and "man stealing."

Consider the Hebrews' enslavement in Egypt: The Hebrews weren't slaves by choice, but because they were Hebrews (Ex 13:14). Because of their nationality/race, they were forced into bondage and suffered greatly (Ex 3:7). God poured out horrible plagues on Egypt because of this and delivered the Hebrews from their captivity, making it clear how He feels about racial slavery (Ex 7-11). We can see a more recent example of racial slavery when we look at the past few centuries. In the United States, Africans were considered to be slaves because of their nationality/race. They were forced into bondage and also suffered greatly. Many slave owners even considered Africans to be inferior human beings. Undoubtedly, the Bible condemns this type of slavery.

In addition, "man stealing" is a type of slavery condemned in both the Old and New Testaments. "Man stealing" refers to when people are round-up (or abducted) by slave-hunters and sold into slavery. This occurred in Africa in the 19th century: Africans were taken captive by slave-hunters, sold to slave-tradres, and brought to the New World to work on farms and plantations. God strongly condemns this practice, as we can see in the Mosaic Law: "Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to death” (Ex 21:16). In support, 1 Tim 1:8-10 lists slave-traders among those considered "ungodly and sinful," including murderers, adulterers, perverts, and liars.

The Bible condemns racial slavery and "man stealing," but what about slavery in general?

What many fail to understand is that slavery in biblical times was very different from the slavery that was practiced in the past few centuries in many parts of the world. The slavery in the Bible was not based exclusively on race. People were not enslaved because of their nationality or the color of their skin. In Bible times, slavery was more a matter of social status. People sold themselves as slaves when they could not pay their debts or provide for their families. In New Testament times, sometimes doctors, lawyers, and even politicians were slaves of someone else. Some people actually chose to be slaves so as to have all their needs provided for by their masters. [emphasis added]

Hence, slavery in biblical times was much different than the slavery we know now-a-days. Moreover, the slavery that was practiced wasn't without any guidelines, rather, instructions were given on how slaves were to be treated (Deut 15:12-15, Eph 6:9, Col 4:1).

- http://www.gotquestions.org/bible-slavery.html

>> The Bible clearly promotes slavery as we know it today. It discusses how to obtain slaves, beat them, and talks about them being bought and sold like livestock. 

Except for murder, slavery has got to be one of the most immoral things a person can do...The Bible clearly approves of slavery in many passages, and it goes so far as to tell how to obtain slaves, how hard you can beat them, and when you can have sex with the female slaves...While many slaves may have worked as household servants, that doesn't mean that they were not slaves who were bought, sold, and treated worse than livestock.

The following passage shows that slaves are clearly property to be bought and sold like livestock.

However, you may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way.  (Leviticus 25:44-46 NLT)

The following passage describes how the Hebrew slaves are to be treated...(Ex 21:2-6)...Notice how they can get a male Hebrew slave to become a permanent slave by keeping his wife and children hostage until he says he wants to become a permanent slave...

The following passage describes the sickening practice of sex slavery...

When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are.  If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again.  But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her.  And if the slave girl's owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave girl, but he must treat her as his daughter.  If he himself marries her and then takes another wife, he may not reduce her food or clothing or fail to sleep with her as his wife.  If he fails in any of these three ways, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment.  (Exodus 21:7-11 NLT)

...A man can buy as many sex slaves as he wants as long as he feeds them, clothes them, and screws them!

What does the Bible say about beating slaves?  It says you can beat both male and female slaves with a rod so hard that as long as they don't die right away you are cleared of any wrong doing...(Exodus 21:20-21 NAB)...

- http://www.evilbible.com/Slavery.htm

< Please refer to this page examining the types of slavery in the Bible.

This article goes into an in-depth discussion on the types of slavery in the Bible, including chattel slavery, indentured servitude, bride sale, and vassalage. It covers the scripture topics you brought up.

http://bibleapologetics.wordpress.com/slavery-in-the-bible-25/#bride

>> WEAK Jesus approves of slavery, even of beating slaves.

In the following parable, Jesus clearly approves of beating slaves even if they didn't know they were doing anything wrong.

The servant will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty, he refused to do it.  "But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly.  Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given." (Luke 12:47-48 NLT)

- http://www.evilbible.com/Slavery.htm

< STRONG You don't properly understand the parable. It's talking about being good stewards for Christ and about His return, not slavery.

Jesus is talking about His return, saying how we "must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected" (Luke 12:40). Read the following verses to get a better understanding:

"If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I assure you, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and begins oppressing the other servants, partying, and getting drunk-- well, the master will return unannounced and unexpected. He will tear the servant apart and banish him with the unfaithful. The servant will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty, he refused to do it. "But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given..." (Luke 12:42-48). [emphasis added]

This parable concerns us (the servants) and whether we are good stewards for Christ, awaiting His return. When He returns and finds His servant being unfaithful, He will "banish" and "severely punish" him (referring to Judgment day). Servants who are not aware of their wrong doing are just those who don't think they are doing wrong, but, in fact, still are. They will also be punished.  

This parable has nothing to do with slavery, and so was wrongly included in the argument.

-JM

< The Bible doesn't formally condemn slavery. Why? Perhaps moderate forms of slavery, such as indentured servitude, were sometimes beneficial. 

It is possible that certain moderate forms of “servitude”—for example, indentured (voluntary) servitude—were considered morally beneficial before God under certain circumstances in the Old Testament. Examples of this are seen in voluntary indenturement in order to earn a living or to learn a trade. It may also have included the indenturement of a criminal in order for the offender to render restitution. But in none of these kinds of cases would the so-called slave be viewed as a mere piece of property without human rights. Nor would the time of servitude be constituted as a life term of bondage...The Bible clearly indicates that in God’s sight there is “neither slave nor free” (Galatians 3:28), and that both are accountable to God (Ephesians 6:5-9). In fact, in the apostolic church, slaves were granted all the rights and privileges of free men (see the Book of Philemon).Therefore it is clear that some forms of servitude practiced in biblical times bear little resemblance to the tyrannical types of slavery found in many parts of the ancient and modern world.

- http://www.reasons.org/theology/bible-difficulties/does-bible-condone-slavery

< The Bible doesn't formally condemn slavery because it would have been impossible to remove slavery from the culture. Instead, biblical teachings of intrinsic value and worth would do the job.

The institution of slavery (in the usual sense of total and lifetime ownership of a human being) was so deeply rooted in ancient culture that it could not be dismantled overnight. It was viewed as playing a critical role economically and politically for the various states. However, God’s way of eliminating slavery was to allow biblical teachings to spread throughout the culture. Indeed, it was the Judeo-Christian teaching that human beings have intrinsic value and worth as a result of being made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27) that brought an end to slavery. Many in the abolitionist movements of England and America in the nineteenth century were evangelical Christians...

So while the Bible doesn’t formally and explicitly condemn slavery, the unique ethical message contained in Scripture concerning human dignity was the moral force that succeeded in eliminating slavery as an institution. The gospel message remains a powerful force against human evil and social injustice.

- http://www.reasons.org/theology/bible-difficulties/does-bible-condone-slavery

< The Bible never actually condones slavery. Instead it gives slaves a spiritual basis for worth, dignity, equality and hope to face difficult circumstances.

Numerous New Testament texts, such as Colossians 4:1, Galatians 3:28, and the Book of Philemon, make the case for the inherent spiritual worth of slaves, which effectively laid a base for deep down authentic change in social practice, over time. God's way is often to work from within, dealing primarily with the spiritual component...While recognizing the reality of slavery as it existed in various forms, the Bible never actually condones it. It rather gives slaves, both then and more recently, a spiritual basis for worth, dignity, equality, and hope to face difficult circumstances. In the end, at a deeper level, its position is clear...And guess what. Beginning in the second century, many masters, upon converting to Christ, began to release their slaves. Slavery was abolished in Great Britain after people began being converted to Christ under the preaching of John Wesley and George Whitefield.

- http://christiananswers.net/q-aiia/aiia-slavery.html

< Why didn't Jesus boldy speak out against slavery?

It's immoral and he should have addressed it.

< It wasn't imperialistic or immoral like modern slavery.

On the contrary, slavery in Bible times significantly differed from slavery in modern times. It was not based on race. It was often less imperialistic. Some believe that in many cases it was actually more of an indentured servant type arrangement...

- http://christiananswers.net/q-aiia/aiia-slavery.html

See the first argument on this page for more.

< Jesus was typically apolitical.

Encouraging direct confrontation over such a hot button social issue may have fomented revolution, providing Rome with a political excuse for persecuting Christians.

- http://christiananswers.net/q-aiia/aiia-slavery.html