Romans6

American Standard Version · Public Domain

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¹What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

²God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?

³Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

⁴We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.

⁵For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection;

⁶knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin;

⁷for he that hath died is justified from sin.

⁸But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him;

⁹knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him.

¹⁰For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

¹¹Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.

¹²Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof:

¹³neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.

¹⁵What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid.

¹⁶Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

¹⁷But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered;

¹⁸and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.

¹⁹I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification.

²⁰For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness.

²¹What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

²²But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.

²³For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Romans 6.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Believers must die to sin, and live to God. (1, 2). This is urged by their Christian baptism and union with Christ. (3–10). They are made alive to God. (11–15). And are freed from the dominion of sin. (16–20). The end of sin is death, and of holiness everlasting life. (21–23).

vv1-2

The apostle is very full in pressing the necessity of holiness. He does not explain away the free grace of the gospel, but he shows that connexion between justification and holiness are inseparable. Let the thought be abhorred, of continuing in sin that grace may abound. True believers are dead to sin, therefore they ought not to follow it. No man can at the same time be both dead and alive. He is a fool who, desiring to be dead unto sin, thinks he may live in it.

vv3-10

Baptism teaches the necessity of dying to sin, and being as it were buried from all ungodly and unholy pursuits, and of rising to walk with God in newness of life. Unholy professors may have had the outward sign of a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness, but they never passed from the family of Satan to that of God. The corrupt nature, called the old man, because derived from our first father Adam, is crucified with Christ, in every true believer, by the grace derived from the cross. It is weakened and in a dying state, though it yet struggles for life, and even for victory. But the whole body of sin, whatever is not according to the holy law of God, must be done away, so that the believer may no more be the slave of sin, but live to God, and find happiness in his service.

vv11-15

The strongest motives against sin, and to enforce holiness, are here stated. Being made free from the reign of sin, alive unto God, and having the prospect of eternal life, it becomes believers to be greatly concerned to advance thereto. But, as unholy lusts are not quite rooted out in this life, it must be the care of the Christian to resist their motions, earnestly striving, that, through Divine grace, they may not prevail in this mortal state. Let the thought that this state will soon be at an end, encourage the true Christian, as to the motions of lusts, which so often perplex and distress him. Let us present all our powers to God, as weapons or tools ready for the warfare, and work of righteousness, in his service. There is strength in the covenant of grace for us. Sin shall not have dominion. God's promises to us are more powerful and effectual for mortifying sin, than our promises to God. Sin may struggle in a real believer, and create him a great deal of trouble, but it shall not have dominion; it may vex him, but it shall not rule over him. Shall any take occasion from this encouraging doctrine to allow themselves in the practice of any sin? Far be such abominable thoughts, so contrary to the perfections of God, and the design of his gospel, so opposed to being under grace. What can be a stronger motive against sin than the love of Christ? Shall we sin against so much goodness, and such love?

Key Words

WhatG5101Greek

τίς (tís): an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)

sayG2046Greek

ἐρέω (eréō): an alternate for G2036 (ἔπω) in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. speak or say

thenG3767Greek

οὖν (oûn): (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly

continueG1961Greek

ἐπιμένω (epiménō): to stay over, i.e. remain (figuratively, persevere)

sinG266Greek

ἁμαρτία (hamartía): a sin (properly abstract)

thatG2443Greek

ἵνα (hína): compare G3588 (ὁ)); in order that (denoting the purpose or the result)

graceG5485Greek

χάρις (cháris): graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude)

aboundG4121Greek

πλεονάζω (pleonázō): to do, make or be more, i.e. increase (transitively or intransitively); by extension, to superabound

HowG4459Greek

πῶς (pōs): an interrogative particle of manner; in what way? (sometimes the question is indirect, how?); also as exclamation, how much!

weG3748Greek

ὅστις (hóstis): which some, i.e. any that; also (definite) which same