Romans 6

1 Someone might [RHQ] say [in reply to what I have written] that [since God acted kindly toward us] in a way we did not deserve [because we sinned], perhaps we should continue to sin in order that he may continue to act even more kindly toward us [and keep on forgiving us]! [RHQ]

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

2 [I would reply], No, certainly not! We [ought to consider that] our sinful desires [MET] [cannot make us do what they want us to do], [just like we cannot make] a corpse do what we want it to do. So it is not right that we continue to sin! [RHQ]

It can not be. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer in it?

3 When we were baptized {[asked someone to] baptize us} in order to show that we have a relationship with (OR, are united to) Jesus Christ, our [being baptized was to declare that it was as though] we died with Christ. ([I want] you to remember that!/Do you not know that?) [RHQ]

Know you not that as many of us as were immersed into Christ Jesus, were immersed into his death?

4 So, when we were baptized {someone baptized us}, [it was as though] we were buried with Christ. [We were baptized] in order to indicate that [we would not let our sinful desires make us do what they want us to do, just like people cannot make] a corpse [do what they want it to] do [MET]. We [were baptized] to [signify that we would] continually conduct our lives in a new way, just like Christ was caused to live again in a new way by the great [power] of [God his] Father.

Therefore, we are buried with him, by immersion, into death, that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so also we should walk in a new life.

5 Because of our close relationship with Christ, we have [separated ourselves from the former way in which we conducted our lives], just like he [was separated from his physical life when he] died [MET]. But God will also certainly [enable us to live in a new way, just like he] enabled Christ to live again.

For if we have become united to him by the likeness of his death, we shall certainly be united to him by the likeness of his resurrection;

6 We must keep remembering that when Christ died on the cross [MET], [it was as though] our sinful nature [died with him. It has] lost its power to make us do what it wants us to do [MET]. That happened in order that we would not do the sinful [things that our bodies] [MET], which desire to sin, want us to do, and in order that we would no longer have to sin [MET], as slaves [have to do what their masters want].

knowing this, that our former man has been crucified with him, in order that the sinful body may be deprived of its power, so that we should no longer serve sin:

7 [We are, as it were, freed] {[free]} [from] sinful [desires] [MET] [controlling us, just like] those who have died are free [from anything controlling them].

for he that is dead is freed from sin.

8 Since [it is as though] we died with Christ, we believe that we will continue to live with him.

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him;

9 We know that since [God] enabled Christ to live again after he died, Christ will never die again. Nothing will ever be able to make him die again [PRS].

because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more; death has dominion over him no longer;

10 When he died, he died once for [people] who had sinned, and he will never die again; but in regard to his living [again now], he lives in order to [serve/honor] God.

for, as it regards his dying, he, once for all, died to sin; but as it regards his living, he lives to God.

11 Similarly, you must consider that [it is as though] you have become [unable to do what your] sinful [desires] [MET] want, as a corpse [is not able to do what anyone wants it to do]. You must also consider that because of your relationship to Christ Jesus you are living [in a new way] in order to [serve/honor] God.

So also do you count yourselves as dead indeed to sin, but as living to God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 So, do not let the [desire to] sin [PRS] control your bodies [MET] with the result that you do the sinful things that you desire to do. [Remember that] your bodies will surely die, [but your spirits will never die].

Therefore, let not sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey it;

13 Do not let any of your body parts do wicked things, as [you did] [MET] [when you were spiritually] dead. Instead, present yourselves to God as people who are alive [spiritually]. Present all your body parts to God, [to allow him] to use them to [do] righteous things.

and present not your members to sin, as instruments of unrighteousness: but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead; and your members to God, as instruments of righteousness.

14 Do not let a [desire to] sin control you [PRS]. The laws [that God gave Moses] did not enable you [to stop sinning]. But [now] God controls you and kindly helps you [not to sin].

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

15 [I suppose that certain people might think about what I have just said and they might] say [RHQ], “[You say that] the laws [God gave Moses] did not [enable us to stop sinning, but that God is now] treating us kindly in ways we do not deserve. ([That seems to mean that God permits] us to continue sinning./[Does that mean that God permits] us to continue sinning?) [RHQ]” My reply to that is no, we should certainly not continue [sinning]

What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? It can not be.

16 [Slaves] have to obey [what their masters command] [MET] [them to do]. (I want you to remember this./Do you not know this?) [RHQ] Similarly, if you present yourselves to someone [in order to] obey him, you will be the slaves [MET] of the person you obey. Similarly, [if you have yielded yourselves to do the] sinful things [you desire], you are slaves of your sinful desires [PRS], and you will be eternally separated from God. [If you have yielded yourselves] to obey [God], you are slaves of God and you need to [live] righteously.

Know you not, that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obey, his servants you are whom you obey, whether of sin that leads to death, or of obedience that leads to righteousness?

17 You were once slaves [to] your sinful [desires]. But you began to sincerely obey the new teaching [MET] that you were taught {that [people] taught you}. I thank God for that.

But thanks be to God, that though you were the servants of sin, yet you have obeyed from the heart the form of teaching, in which you have been instructed;

18 [I] also [thank God that] you have been freed {[that] he has freed you} from [being controlled by a desire to] sin, and that you have become [as though you were] slaves [MET] to [living] righteously [MET].

and being made free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness.

19 I am illustrating what I say [by talking about slavery] because your human nature prevents you from understanding [spiritual truth] easily. [In the past] you willingly did the immoral and unlawful things that [your minds compelled] your bodies to do [MET], [just like] slaves [do what their masters compel them to do]. As a result, you did even more unlawful things. Now, [you need to] willingly allow [your minds to compel] your bodies to [act] righteously [MET], in order that you will behave in a holy/pure way.

I speak of what is common among men, oil account of the weakness of your flesh: for as you have presented your members as servants to uncleanness, and to lawlessness, in order to lawlessness, so now present your members as servants to righteousness, in order to holiness.

20 When you were [like] slaves [because your sinful desires compelled you to do] sinful things [MET], you were not [concerned about behaving] righteously [MET].

For when you were the servants of sin, you were free with respect to righteousness.

21 Nevertheless, [doing] those things resulted in your being separated from God, so you did not benefit at all from [doing] the [sinful] things that you are now ashamed of. [RHQ]

What fruit, therefore, had you at that time, in those things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

22 But you have been freed {[God] has freed you} from [letting the desire to] sin control you. You have become [as though you are] [MET] the slaves of God. So now the result is that God has caused you to completely belong to him and, as a result, you will live eternally. (aiōnios g166)

But now, since you have been made free from sin, and have become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

23 [What people receive for] sinning [is that they are] eternally separated from God. That is [like] wages that [people receive] [MET]. But what God gives us is a gift. What he gives us is that we live eternally because of [our relationship with] (OR, because [we are united to]) Christ Jesus our Lord. (aiōnios g166)

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (aiōnios g166)