Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

6 What shall we say, then?^(A) Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?^{(B) 2} By no means! We are those who have died to sin;^(C) how can we live in it any longer? ³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized^(D) into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death^(E) in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead^(F) through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.^(G)

¹² Therefore do not let sin reign^(A) in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness,^(B) but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.^{(C) 14} For sin shall no longer be your master,^(D) because you are not under the law,^(E) but under grace.^(F)

¹⁷ But thanks be to God^(A) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,^(B) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching^(C) that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin^(D) and have become slaves to righteousness.^(E)

¹⁹ I am using an example from everyday life^(F) 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^(G) leading to holiness. ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin,^(H) you were free from the control of righteousness.^{(I) 21} What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!^{(J) 22} But now that you have been set free from sin^(K) and have become slaves of God,^(L) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.^{(M) 23} For the wages of sin is death,^(N) but the gift of God is eternal life^(O) in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.