Romans 6:15-19
New English Translation
The Believer’s Enslavement to God’s Righteousness
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves[a] as obedient slaves,[b] you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness?[c] 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed[d] from the heart that pattern[e] of teaching you were entrusted to, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. 19 (I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.)[f] For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Romans 6:16 tn Grk “to whom you present yourselves.”
- Romans 6:16 tn Grk “as slaves for obedience.” See the note on the word “slave” in 1:1.
- Romans 6:16 tn Grk “either of sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness.”
- Romans 6:17 tn Grk “you were slaves of sin but you obeyed.”
- Romans 6:17 tn Or “type, form.”
- Romans 6:19 tn Or “because of your natural limitations” (NRSV). sn Verse 19 forms something of a parenthetical comment in Paul’s argument.
Romans 6:15-19
Common English Bible
Freedom from sin
15 So what? Should we sin because we aren’t under Law but under grace? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, that you are slaves of the one whom you obey? That’s true whether you serve as slaves of sin, which leads to death, or as slaves of the kind of obedience that leads to righteousness. 17 But thank God that although you used to be slaves of sin, you gave wholehearted obedience to the teaching that was handed down to you, which provides a pattern. 18 Now that you have been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. 19 (I’m speaking with ordinary metaphors because of your limitations.) Once, you offered the parts of your body to be used as slaves to impurity and to lawless behavior that leads to still more lawless behavior. Now, you should present the parts of your body as slaves to righteousness, which makes your lives holy.
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