Romans 6
1 What then shall we say? are we still to continue in sin that favour may abound?
So what's our response? Should we continue to sin so we can have even more grace?
2 Far be it! we who have died unto sin, how, any longer, shall we live therein?
Of course not! Since we're already dead to sin, how can we continue to live in sin?
3 Or know ye not that, we, as many as were immersed into Christ [Jesus], into his death were immersed?
Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 We were, therefore, buried together with him through our immersion into his death, in order that—just as Christ was raised from among the dead through the glory of the Father, so, we also, in newness of life should walk.
Through baptism we were buried with him in death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father we too can live a new life.
5 For, if we have come to be grown together in the likeness of his death, certainly, in that of his resurrection also, shall we be.
If we've become one with him in dying like he did, then we'll be raised like him too.
6 Of this taking note—that, our old man, was crucified together with him in order that the sinful body might be made powerless, that we should, no longer, be in servitude to sin;
We know that our old self was crucified with him to dispose of the dead body of sin so that we wouldn't be enslaved by sin any longer.
7 For, he that hath died, hath become righteously acquitted from his sin.
Anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now, if we have died together with Christ, we believe that we shall also live together with him;
Since we died with Christ, we have confidence that we will also live with him,
9 Knowing that, Christ having been raised from among the dead, no more dieth, —death, over him, no more, hath lordship, —
for we know that because Christ has been raised from the dead he won't ever die, because death has no longer any power over him.
10 For, in that he died, unto sin, died he once for all, but, in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
In dying, he died to sin once and for all, but now he lives, and he lives for God!
11 So, ye also, be reckoning yourselves to be—dead indeed unto sin, but, alive unto God in Christ Jesus.
In just the same way you should consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin, therefore, reign in your death-doomed body, that ye should be obedient to its covetings;
Don't let sin have control over your mortal body, don't give in to its temptations,
13 Neither be presenting your members as weapons of unrighteousness unto sin, but present yourselves unto God as though alive from among the dead, and your members as weapons of righteousness unto God;
and don't use any parts of your body as evil tools of sin. Instead dedicate yourselves to God as those who have been brought back from death to life, and use all parts of your body as tools to do something good for God.
14 For, sin, over you, shall not have lordship, for ye are not under law, but under favour.
Sin won't rule over you, because you're not under law but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law but under favour? Far be it!
So then, should we sin because we're not under law, but under grace? Of course not!
16 Know ye not that, unto whom ye are presenting yourselves as servants for obedience, servants ye are unto [him unto] whom ye are obedient, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness?
Don't you realize that if you make yourselves someone's slaves, obeying their orders, then you are slaves to the one you obey? If you are slaves of sin, the result is death; if you obey God, the result is you are made right with him.
17 But thanks be unto God, that—whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient out of the heart unto the mould of teaching into which ye were delivered;
Thank God that though you once were slaves to sin, you whole-heartedly chose to follow the truth about God that you learned.
18 And, being freed from sin, ye were made servants unto righteousness; —
Now that you've been freed from sin, you've become slaves of doing what is morally right.
19 In human fashion am I speaking, because of the weakness of your flesh; —for, just as ye presented your members as servants unto impurity and unto lawlessness [for lawlessness], so now, present ye your members as servants unto righteousness for sanctification.
I'm using this everyday example because your human thinking is limited. Just as you once enslaved yourselves to immorality, piling up sin upon sin, now you must enslave yourselves to what is pure and right.
20 For, when ye were servants of sin, ye were free as to righteousness; —
When you were slaves to sin you were not required to do what's right.
21 What fruit, therefore, had ye then—in things for which ye now are taking shame to yourselves? For, the end of those things, is death.
But what were the results back then? Aren't you ashamed of the things you did? Such things that lead to death!
22 Whereas, now, having been freed from sin, and made servants unto God, ye have your fruit for sanctification and, the end, life age-abiding. (aiōnios g166)
But now that you're set free from sin, and have become God's slaves, the results will be a pure life—and in the end, eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
