Slavery to Sin or to Righteousness
Romans 6:15-23
Rom.6.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τι: PRON,nom,sg,neut
- ουν: CONJ
- αμαρτησωμεν: VERB,aor,act,sub,1,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εσμεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- υπο: PREP
- νομον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αλλα: CONJ
- υπο: PREP
- χαριν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- μη: PART
- γενοιτο·: VERB,aor,mid,opt,3,sg
Parallels
- Romans 6:1-2 (verbal): Same rhetorical move—'What then? Shall we...'—and the identical refusal 'Μη γενοιτο' rejecting sinning because of grace.
- Romans 3:8 (thematic): Paul rejects the perverse argument 'Let us do evil that good may come,' a similar misuse of divine purpose to justify sin.
- Galatians 5:13 (thematic): Warns believers not to use their freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, parallel moral teaching about liberty under grace.
- Titus 2:11-12 (thematic): Links the appearance of God's grace with instruction to renounce ungodliness and live righteously—showing grace leads to holiness, not license.
- 1 Corinthians 6:12 (thematic): Addresses 'all things are lawful' reasoning and insists liberty must not lead to being mastered by sin—parallel caution against abusing freedom.
Alternative generated candidates
- What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
- What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
Rom.6.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουκ: PART,neg
- οιδατε: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- ω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- παριστανετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- εαυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- δουλους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- υπακοην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- δουλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- εστε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- ω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- υπακουετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- ητοι: PART
- αμαρτιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- εις: PREP
- θανατον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- υπακοης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- δικαιοσυνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Romans 6:15 (structural): Immediate context — continues the same rhetorical contrast about obedience and frames the choice between slavery to sin or to righteousness.
- Romans 6:18 (verbal): Uses the language of being set free from sin to become 'slaves of righteousness,' directly paralleling the slave/obedience vocabulary.
- Romans 6:20 (thematic): Spells out the contrast: former slavery to sin versus present standing in relation to righteousness, echoing the categories in 6:16.
- John 8:34 (verbal): Jesus' statement 'Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin' echoes the idea that obedience determines to whom one is enslaved.
- 1 Corinthians 7:22-23 (allusion): Paul elsewhere frames believers' status in terms of slavery and ownership ('you were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men'), resonating with the ethical implication of whom one obeys.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as servants for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey—whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
- Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey—whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Rom.6.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- χαρις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- ητε: VERB,impf,act,ind,2,pl
- δουλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- αμαρτιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- υπηκουσατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- δε: CONJ
- εκ: PREP
- καρδιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- ον: PART,pres,act,nom,sg,m
- παρεδοθητε: VERB,aor,pass,ind,2,pl
- τυπον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- διδαχης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Romans 6:16 (verbal): Immediate context: contrasts slavery to sin and obedience—questions about presenting oneself 'to obey' link directly with Rom 6:17's 'you were slaves of sin' and 'obedient' language.
- Romans 6:18 (thematic): Close thematic antithesis—having been set free from sin you became 'slaves of righteousness,' balancing Rom 6:17's statement that believers were formerly 'slaves of sin' but obeyed the teaching.
- Ephesians 6:6 (verbal): Pauline parallel phraseology: 'not with eyeservice... but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart' echoes Rom 6:17's 'obedient from the heart' formulation.
- Romans 1:5 (thematic): Speaks of Paul’s mission 'to bring about the obedience of faith'—connects the idea of receiving teaching/the gospel and producing obedient response (obedience as fruit of the received message).
- 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (thematic): Describes believers who 'received the word' and 'became imitators'—parallels Rom 6:17's theme of having been delivered a pattern/teaching and responding in heartfelt obedience.
Alternative generated candidates
- But thanks be to God that, though you were once slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart the form of teaching to which you were delivered.
- But thanks be to God that, although you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted.
Rom.6.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ελευθερωθεντες: VERB,aor,pass,ptc,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- απο: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- αμαρτιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- εδουλωθητε: VERB,aor,pass,ind,2,pl
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- δικαιοσυνη·: NOUN,dat,sg,f
Parallels
- Romans 6:16 (verbal): Same slavery metaphor—yielding to sin versus obedience leading to slavery; develops the logic that whom one obeys determines one’s master.
- Romans 6:22 (verbal): Closely parallels the contrast of being set free from sin and now serving (or bearing fruit toward) righteousness and sanctification; continues the chapter’s slave/freedom vocabulary.
- Romans 6:6-7 (structural): Argument’s foundation: believer’s death to sin and freedom from its dominion (death’s power), which undergirds the claim of becoming slaves to righteousness.
- John 8:34-36 (thematic): Uses the same slave/freedom contrast—those who sin are 'children of slavery,' while the Son’s liberation leads to true freedom—echoing Rom 6’s freedom-from-sin motif.
- 1 Peter 2:24 (thematic): Speaks of Christ bearing sins 'that we might die to sin and live to righteousness,' paralleling the idea of being freed from sin’s dominion so as to live in righteousness.
Alternative generated candidates
- And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
- And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Rom.6.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ανθρωπινον: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- δια: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ασθενειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- σαρκος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- υμων·ωσπερ: PRON,gen,pl,2
- γαρ: PART
- παρεστησατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- μελη: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- δουλα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- ακαθαρσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- ανομια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ανομιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ουτως: ADV
- νυν: ADV
- παραστησατε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,pl
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- μελη: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- δουλα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- δικαιοσυνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- αγιασμον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Romans 6:12-14 (structural): Immediate context developing the same argument: do not let sin reign in your mortal body but present yourselves to God; contrasts sin’s rule with righteousness and God’s grace.
- Romans 6:16 (verbal): Uses the slave/obedience imagery ('you were slaves of sin' leading to death vs. obedience leading to righteousness'), paralleling the slavery-to-impurity vs. slavery-to-righteousness contrast.
- Romans 6:13 (verbal): Commands to 'present your members' appear here in nearly identical language, contrasting instruments of unrighteousness with instruments of righteousness dedicated to God.
- Romans 12:1 (thematic): Similar sacrificial/presentational language—believers are urged to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice, echoing the call to present oneself to God for sanctification.
- 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 (thematic): Discusses 'members' and bodily behavior (especially sexual purity) and portrays the body as belonging to Christ, reinforcing the ethical implications of presenting members to righteousness rather than sin.
Alternative generated candidates
- I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
- I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you once presented the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness, so now present them as slaves to righteousness that leads to sanctification.
Rom.6.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Οτε: CONJ
- γαρ: PART
- δουλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ητε: VERB,impf,act,ind,2,pl
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- αμαρτιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- ελευθεροι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- ητε: VERB,impf,act,ind,2,pl
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- δικαιοσυνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- Rom.6.16 (verbal): Uses the same slavery vocabulary and logic — presenting yourselves as slaves shows who you obey; parallels the claim 'you were slaves of sin.'
- Rom.6.18 (verbal): Near-identical contrast phrase: 'freed from sin... became slaves of righteousness,' directly balancing 6:20's statement about being 'free in regard to righteousness.'
- Rom.6.22 (structural): Develops the consequence of the former condition: being set free from sin and becoming slaves to God produces sanctification and life, the positive counterpart to 6:20's negative description.
- John 8:34 (verbal): Jesus' saying 'Everyone who sins is a slave to sin' uses the same slavery imagery to describe the condition and lack of true freedom from righteousness.
- Gal.5:13 (thematic): Paul's theme of Christian freedom contrasted with slavery to sin — 'do not use your freedom... as an opportunity for the flesh' echoes the opposition between freedom and slavery in moral allegiance.
Alternative generated candidates
- For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
- For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to righteousness.
Rom.6.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τινα: PRON,acc,sg,m
- ουν: CONJ
- καρπον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ειχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- τοτε: ADV
- εφ᾽οις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- νυν: ADV
- επαισχυνεσθε: VERB,pres,mid,ind,2,pl
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- γαρ: PART
- τελος: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- εκεινων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- θανατος·: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Romans 6:23 (verbal): Direct verbal/thematic parallel: identifies the ultimate outcome of sin as death ('For the wages of sin is death'), echoing 'the end of those things is death.'
- Romans 6:22 (structural): Immediate contrast within the same section: where 6:21 notes the shameful fruit and death of sin, 6:22 highlights the opposing fruit—holiness and eternal life—from being freed from sin.
- Galatians 6:7-8 (thematic): Sowing/reaping motif parallels the idea of moral fruit and final consequences: sowing to the flesh leads to corruption/death, sowing to the Spirit leads to life.
- James 1:15 (verbal): Closely related sequence language: 'lust when it hath conceived bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death,' echoing the claim that the end/result of sinful practices is death.
Alternative generated candidates
- So what fruit did you then have from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
- What fruit did you then have from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
Rom.6.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- νυνι: ADV
- δε: CONJ
- ελευθερωθεντες: PART,aor,pass,nom,m,pl
- απο: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- αμαρτιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- δουλωθεντες: PART,aor,pass,nom,m,pl
- δε: CONJ
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- εχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- καρπον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- εις: PREP
- αγιασμον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δε: CONJ
- τελος: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- ζωην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αιωνιον: ADJ,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Rom.6:18 (verbal): Uses the same language of being set free from sin and becoming servants/slaves to God (ελευθερωθεντες...δουλωθεντες), affirming the moral change described in 6:22.
- Rom.6:23 (thematic): Contrasts the outcomes of sin and God’s rule: while sin brings death as its wage, God’s rule culminates in the gift/goal of eternal life (το δε τελος ζωην αιωνιον).
- John 8:34-36 (thematic): Jesus’ teaching that whoever sins is a slave to sin and that the Son sets people free parallels Paul’s contrast between slavery to sin and slavery to God leading to sanctification and life.
- Rom.8:13-14 (thematic): Speaks of living according to the Spirit (not the flesh) resulting in life, and of being led as children of God—echoing the connection in 6:22 between service to God, sanctification, and eternal life.
- Gal.5:13 (thematic): Calls believers to use freedom not as license for the flesh but to serve one another in love; parallels Paul’s idea that freedom from sin leads to a different service—service to God that bears fruit in sanctification.
Alternative generated candidates
- But now, having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your fruit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.
- But now, having been set free from sin and enslaved to God, you have your fruit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.
Rom.6.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- γαρ: PART
- οψωνια: NOUN,nom,pl,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- αμαρτιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- θανατος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δε: CONJ
- χαρισμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ζωη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- αιωνιος: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- Χριστω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- κυριω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
Parallels
- Gen.2.17 (thematic): Earliest statement linking disobedience to death: God warns that eating the forbidden fruit will bring death, paralleling Paul’s claim that sin’s consequence is death.
- Rom.5.12 (structural): Within Romans Paul develops the same cause-effect motif: sin entered the world and death through sin, providing the theological background for Rom 6:23’s summary.
- John 3:16 (verbal): Both verses contrast human lostness with God’s gracious provision: John speaks of God giving his Son so believers have eternal life, echoing Rom 6:23’s 'gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.'
- James 1:15 (thematic): James traces a moral sequence that culminates in death—desire → sin → death—resonating with Paul’s formula that sin’s wage is death.
- Eph.2.8-9 (allusion): Paulic language about salvation as a gift: like Rom 6:23, Ephesians emphasizes that salvation is not earned but is God’s gift (by grace/faith), underscoring the contrast with wages.
Alternative generated candidates
- For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?
By no means! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you were once slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you once yielded your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness, so now yield them as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
For when you were slaves to sin, you were free in relation to righteousness.
What fruit did you then have from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now, freed from sin and made slaves of God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end is eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.