¹⁷ But ^(A)thanks be to God that ^[a]though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that ^[b](B)form of teaching to which you were entrusted, ¹⁸ and after being ^(C)freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness. ^19 (D)I am speaking ^[c]in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just ^(E)as you presented ^[d]the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, ^[e]resulting in further lawlessness, so now present ^[f]your body’s parts as slaves to righteousness, ^[g]resulting in sanctification.

²⁰ For ^(F)when you were slaves of sin, you were free in relation to righteousness. ²¹ Therefore what ^[h](G)benefit were you then ^[i]deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is ^(H)death. ²² But now having been ^(I)freed from sin and ^(J)enslaved to God, you ^[j]derive your ^[k](K)benefit, ^[l]resulting in sanctification, and ^(L)the outcome, eternal life. ²³ For the wages of ^(M)sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is ^(N)eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.