Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God

(A)What shall we say then? Are we to (B)continue in sin so that grace may increase? [a](C)Far from it! How shall we who (D)died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been (E)baptized into (F)Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been (G)buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was (H)raised from the dead through the (I)glory of the Father, so we too may walk in (J)newness of life. For (K)if we have become [b]united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [c]in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our (L)old [d]self was (M)crucified with Him, in order that our (N)body of sin might be [e]done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for (O)the one who has died is [f]freed from sin.

Now (P)if we have died with Christ, we believe that (Q)we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been (R)raised from the dead, [g]is never to die again; (S)death no longer is master over Him. 10 For [h]the death that He died, He died to sin once for all time; but [i]the life that He lives, He lives to [j]God. 11 So you too, consider yourselves to be (T)dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore sin is not to (U)reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on (V)presenting [k]the parts of your body to sin as [l]instruments of unrighteousness; but (W)present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and [m]your body’s parts as [n]instruments of righteousness for God. 14 For (X)sin shall not (Y)be master over you, for (Z)you are not under [o]the Law but (AA)under grace.

15 What then? (AB)Are we to sin because we are not under [p]the Law but under grace? [q](AC)Far from it! 16 Do you not (AD)know that the one to whom you present yourselves as (AE)slaves for obedience, you are slaves of that same one whom you obey, either of (AF)sin [r]resulting in death, or of obedience [s]resulting in righteousness? 17 But (AG)thanks be to God that [t]though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that [u](AH)form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18 and after being (AI)freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness. 19 (AJ)I am speaking [v]in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just (AK)as you presented [w]the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, [x]resulting in further lawlessness, so now present [y]your body’s parts as slaves to righteousness, [z]resulting in sanctification.

20 For (AL)when you were slaves of sin, you were free in relation to righteousness. 21 Therefore what [aa](AM)benefit were you then [ab]deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is (AN)death. 22 But now having been (AO)freed from sin and (AP)enslaved to God, you [ac]derive your [ad](AQ)benefit, [ae]resulting in sanctification, and (AR)the outcome, eternal life. 23 For the wages of (AS)sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is (AT)eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 6:2 Lit May it never happen!
  2. Romans 6:5 Or united with the likeness
  3. Romans 6:5 Or with
  4. Romans 6:6 Lit person (Gr anthropos)
  5. Romans 6:6 Or made powerless
  6. Romans 6:7 Or acquitted
  7. Romans 6:9 Lit no longer dies
  8. Romans 6:10 Lit that which He died
  9. Romans 6:10 Lit that which He lives
  10. Romans 6:10 I.e., the Father
  11. Romans 6:13 Lit your parts to sin
  12. Romans 6:13 Or weapons
  13. Romans 6:13 Lit your parts as
  14. Romans 6:13 Or weapons
  15. Romans 6:14 Or law
  16. Romans 6:15 Or law
  17. Romans 6:15 Lit May it never happen!
  18. Romans 6:16 Lit to death
  19. Romans 6:16 Lit to righteousness
  20. Romans 6:17 Lit you were slaves...but you became
  21. Romans 6:17 Or pattern
  22. Romans 6:19 I.e., reluctantly using slavery as an analogy
  23. Romans 6:19 Lit your parts as
  24. Romans 6:19 Lit to lawlessness
  25. Romans 6:19 Lit your parts as
  26. Romans 6:19 Lit to sanctification
  27. Romans 6:21 Lit fruit
  28. Romans 6:21 Lit having
  29. Romans 6:22 Lit have
  30. Romans 6:22 Lit fruit
  31. Romans 6:22 Lit to sanctification

Sin’s Power Is Broken

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

12 Do not let sin control the way you live;[a] do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. 6:12 Or Do not let sin reign in your body, which is subject to death.