The New Life in Christ

What should we say then?(A) Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply?(B) Absolutely not!(C) How can we who died to sin(D) still live in it? Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized(E) into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?(F) Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death,(G) in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead(H) by the glory of the Father,(I) so we too may walk in newness[a] of life.(J) For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death,(K) we will certainly also be[b] in the likeness of his resurrection. For we know that our old self[c](L) was crucified with him(M) so that the body ruled by sin[d] might be rendered powerless(N) so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died(O) is freed[e] from sin. Now if we died with Christ,(P) we believe that we will also live with him, because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead,(Q) will not die again. Death no longer rules over him.(R) 10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin(S) and alive to God in Christ Jesus.[f]

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey[g] its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts[h] of it to sin(T) as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God,(U) and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law(V) but under grace.(W)

From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God

15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?(X) Absolutely not!(Y) 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone[i] as obedient slaves,(Z) you are slaves of that one you obey(AA)—either of sin leading to death(AB) or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin,(AC) you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed[j] over,(AD) 18 and having been set free from sin,(AE) you became enslaved to righteousness. 19 I am using a human analogy(AF) because of the weakness of your flesh.[k] For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness.[l](AG) 21 So what fruit was produced[m] then from the things you are now ashamed of?(AH) The outcome of those things is death.(AI) 22 But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God,(AJ) you have your fruit, which results in sanctification(AK)—and the outcome is eternal life!(AL) 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. 6:4 Or a new way
  2. 6:5 Be joined with him
  3. 6:6 Lit man
  4. 6:6 Lit that the body of sin
  5. 6:7 Or justified; lit acquitted
  6. 6:11 Other mss add our Lord
  7. 6:12 Other mss add sin (lit it) in
  8. 6:13 Or members, also in v. 19
  9. 6:16 Lit that to whom you offer yourselves
  10. 6:17 Or entrusted
  11. 6:19 Or your human nature
  12. 6:20 Lit free to righteousness
  13. 6:21 Lit what fruit do you have

Who Is Your Master?

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? May it never be! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who were immersed into Messiah Yeshua were immersed into His death? Therefore we were buried together with Him through immersion into death—in order that just as Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have become joined together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also will be joined together in His resurrection— knowing our old man was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might be done away with, so we no longer serve sin. For he who has died is set free from sin.

Now if we have died with Messiah, we believe that we shall also live with Him. We know that Messiah, having been raised from the dead, no longer dies; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. 11 So also continually count yourselves both dead to sin and alive to God in Messiah Yeshua.

12 Therefore do not let sin rule in your mortal body so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not keep yielding your body parts to sin as tools of wickedness; but yield yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your body parts as tools of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that to whatever you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to what you obey—whether to sin resulting in death, or to obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching under which you were placed; 18 and after you were set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.

19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you yielded your body parts as slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness, so now yield your body parts as slaves to righteousness, resulting in holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness. 21 So then, what outcome did you have that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now, having been set free from sin and having become enslaved to God, you have your fruit resulting in holiness. And the outcome is eternal life. 23 For sin’s payment[a] is death, but God’s gracious gift is eternal life in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 6:23 Or the wages of sin.