Romans 6
Good News Translation
Dead to Sin but Alive in Union with Christ
6 What shall we say, then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God's grace will increase? 2 Certainly not! We have died to sin—how then can we go on living in it? 3 For surely you know that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, we were baptized into union with his death. 4 (A)By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.
5 For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was. 6 And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. 7 For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin. 8 Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again—death will no longer rule over him. 10 And so, because he died, sin has no power over him; and now he lives his life in fellowship with God. 11 In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.
12 Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self. 13 Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes. 14 Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under God's grace.
Slaves of Righteousness
15 What, then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law but under God's grace? By no means! 16 Surely you know that when you surrender yourselves as slaves to obey someone, you are in fact the slaves of the master you obey—either of sin, which results in death, or of obedience, which results in being put right with God. 17 But thanks be to God! For though at one time you were slaves to sin, you have obeyed with all your heart the truths found in the teaching you received. 18 You were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness. 19 (I use everyday language because of the weakness of your natural selves.) At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes.
20 When you were the slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. 21 What did you gain from doing the things that you are now ashamed of? The result of those things is death! 22 But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life. 23 For sin pays its wage—death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6
New King James Version
Dead to Sin, Alive to God
6 What shall we say then? (A)Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who (B)died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that (C)as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus (D)were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were (E)buried with Him through baptism into death, that (F)just as Christ was raised from the dead by (G)the glory of the Father, (H)even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 (I)For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that (J)our old man was crucified with Him, that (K)the body of sin might be [a]done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For (L)he who has died has been [b]freed from sin. 8 Now (M)if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that (N)Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, (O)He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, (P)He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, [c]reckon yourselves to be (Q)dead indeed to sin, but (R)alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 (S)Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your (T)members as [d]instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but (U)present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For (V)sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God
15 What then? Shall we sin (W)because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that (X)to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart (Y)that form of doctrine to which you were [e]delivered. 18 And (Z)having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness [f]for holiness.
20 For when you were (AA)slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 (AB)What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For (AC)the end of those things is death. 22 But now (AD)having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit [g]to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For (AE)the wages of sin is death, but (AF)the [h]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes
- Romans 6:6 rendered inoperative
- Romans 6:7 cleared
- Romans 6:11 consider
- Romans 6:13 Or weapons
- Romans 6:17 entrusted
- Romans 6:19 unto sanctification
- Romans 6:22 unto sanctification
- Romans 6:23 free gift
Romans 6
English Standard Version
Dead to Sin, Alive to God
6 What shall we say then? (A)Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can (B)we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us (C)who have been baptized (D)into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were (E)buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as (F)Christ was raised from the dead by (G)the glory of the Father, we too might walk in (H)newness of life.
5 For (I)if we have been united with him in (J)a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that (K)our old self[a] (L)was crucified with him in order that (M)the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For (N)one who has died (O)has been set free[b] from sin. 8 Now (P)if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that (Q)Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; (R)death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, (S)once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves (T)dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Let not (U)sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 (V)Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but (W)present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For (X)sin (Y)will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Slaves to Righteousness
15 What then? (Z)Are we to sin (AA)because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves (AB)to anyone as obedient slaves,[c] you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But (AC)thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the (AD)standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, (AE)having been set free from sin, (AF)have become slaves of righteousness. 19 (AG)I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For (AH)just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members (AI)as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
20 (AJ)For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 (AK)But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things (AL)of which you are now ashamed? (AM)For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you (AN)have been set free from sin and (AO)have become slaves of God, (AP)the fruit you get leads to sanctification and (AQ)its end, eternal life. 23 (AR)For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes
- Romans 6:6 Greek man
- Romans 6:7 Greek has been justified
- Romans 6:16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; twice in this verse; also verses 17, 19 (twice), 20
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
