¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey^(A)—whether you are slaves to sin,^(B) which leads to death,^(C) or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God^(D) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,^(E) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching^(F) that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin^(G) and have become slaves to righteousness.^(H)

¹⁹ I am using an example from everyday life^(I) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness^(J) leading to holiness. ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin,^(K) you were free from the control of righteousness.^{(L) 21} What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!^{(M) 22} But now that you have been set free from sin^(N) and have become slaves of God,^(O) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.^{(P) 23} For the wages of sin is death,^(Q) but the gift of God is eternal life^(R) in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.