Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

So Don’t Let Sin Reign In You, But Present Yourselves To God As Alive From The Dead

¹² Therefore do not let sin be reigning in your mortal body so that you are obeying its desires, ¹³ nor be presenting your body-parts to sin as instruments^[a] of unrighteousness. But present yourselves to God as-if ^[b] being alive from the dead, and your body-parts to God as instruments of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall not lord-over you— for you are not under the Law^[c], but under grace.

This Does Not Mean We Should Sin Because We Are Not Under Law, But Under Grace

¹⁵ Therefore, what? Should we sin^[d] because we are not under the Law but under grace? May it never be!

You Were Freed From Slavery To Sin. So Present Yourselves As Slaves of Righteousness

¹⁶ Do you not know that to whom you are presenting yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to whom you are obeying— whether slaves of sin leading-to^[e] death, or slaves of obedience leading-to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that you were slaves of sin, but you obeyed from the heart the form^[f] of teaching to which you were delivered. ¹⁸ And having been set-free from sin, you were enslaved^[g] to righteousness ¹⁹ (I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh). For just as you presented your body-parts as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading-to lawlessness, so now present your body-parts as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.

The Fruit of Sin Is Shame And Death; Righteousness Leads To Holiness And Life

²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free to^[h] righteousness. ²¹ So what fruit were you having at that time? Things^[i] over which you are now ashamed! For the outcome of those things is death. ²² But now having been set-free from sin and enslaved to God, you are having your fruit leading-to holiness. And the outcome is eternal life! ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

⁴⁰ The one welcoming^[a] you is welcoming Me. And the one welcoming Me is welcoming the One having sent Me forth. ⁴¹ The one welcoming a prophet in the name^[b] of a prophet will receive the reward of a prophet. And the one welcoming a righteous one in the name of a righteous one will receive the reward of a righteous one. ⁴² And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple— truly I say to you he will by no means lose his reward”.