Romans 6:19

Romans 6:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
• New International Version (NIV)I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

Context of Romans 6:19

17But thank God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed. 18And having been set free from sin, you have become the slaves of righteousness [of conformity to God’s will and purpose]. I am speaking in [familiar] human terms because of your natural limitations [your spiritual immaturity]. For just as you presented your bodily members as slaves to impurity and to [moral] lawlessness, leading to further lawlessness, so now offer your members [your abilities, your talents] as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification [that is, being set apart for God’s purpose]. 20When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness [you had no desire to conform to God’s will]. 21So what benefit did you get at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? [None!] For the outcome of those things is death!

Romans 6:19 word by word

Ἀνθρώπινον λέγω διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν. ὥσπερ γὰρ παρεστήσατε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν δοῦλα τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ καὶ τῇ ἀνομίᾳ εἰς τὴν ἀνομίαν, οὕτως νῦν παραστήσατε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν δοῦλα τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ εἰς ἁγιασμόν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• after the manner of menἀνθρώπινοςanthrōpinos · humanG442
• because ofδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the infirmityὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the infirmityἀσθένειαastheneia · weakness: weakG769
• of yourσύsu · youG4771
• fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
• ye have yieldedπαρίστημιparistēmi paristanō · to stand byG3936
• membersμέλοςmelos · memberG3196
• servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• to uncleannessἀκαθαρσίαakatharsia · impurityG167
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to iniquityἀνομίαanomia · lawlessnessG458
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• even soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• to righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• holinessἁγιασμόςhagiasmos · holinessG38

Cross-references for Romans 6:19

• Romans 3:5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God is not wrong to inflict His wrath [on us], is He? (I am speaking in purely human terms.)
• 1 Corinthians 9:8Do I say these things only from a man’s perspective? Does the Law not endorse the same principles?
• 1 Corinthians 15:32What good has it done me if, [merely] from a human point of view, I fought with wild animals at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised [at all], let us eat and drink [enjoying ourselves now], for tomorrow we die.
• Galatians 3:15Brothers and sisters, I speak in terms of human relations: even though a last will and testament is just a human covenant, yet when it has been signed and made legally binding, no one sets it aside or adds to it [modifying it in some way].
• Romans 8:26In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words.
• Romans 15:1Now we who are strong [in our convictions and faith] ought to [patiently] put up with the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not just please ourselves.
• Hebrews 4:15For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.
• Romans 6:13Do not go on offering members of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness. But offer yourselves to God [in a decisive act] as those alive [raised] from the dead [to a new life], and your members [all of your abilities—sanctified, set apart] as instruments of righteousness [yielded] to God.
• 1 Corinthians 6:11And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].
• Ephesians 2:2in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].
• Colossians 3:5So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centered instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God].
• 1 Peter 4:2so that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living for human appetites and desires, but [lives] for the will and purpose of God.
• Romans 6:16Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)?
• 1 Corinthians 5:6Your boasting [over the supposed spirituality of your church] is not good [indeed, it is vulgar and inappropriate]. Do you not know that [just] a little leaven ferments the whole batch [of dough, just as a little sin corrupts a person or an entire church]?
• 1 Corinthians 15:33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
• 2 Timothy 2:16But avoid all irreverent babble and godless chatter [with its profane, empty words], for it will lead to further ungodliness,

Commentaries on Romans 6:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19I speak after the manner of men - This phrase is often used by the Greek writers to signify what was easy to be comprehended; what was ad captum vulgi, level with common understandings, delivered in a popular style; what was different from the high flights of the poets, and the studied sublime obscurity of the philosophers. Because of the infirmity of your flesh - As if he had said: I make use of metaphors and figures connected with well-known natural…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19I speak after the manner of men - I speak as people usually speak; or I draw an illustration from common life, in order to make myself better understood. Because of the infirmity of your flesh - The word “infirmity” means weakness, feebleness; and is opposed to vigor and strength. The word “flesh” is used often to denote the corrupt passions of people; but it may refer here to their intellect, or understanding; “Because of your imperfection of spiritual…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 Every man is the servant of the master to whose commands he yields himself; whether it be the sinful dispositions of his heart, in actions which lead to death, or the new and spiritual obedience implanted by regeneration. The apostle rejoiced now they obeyed from the heart the gospel, into which they were delivered as into a mould. As the same metal becomes a new vessel, when melted and recast in another mould, so the believer has become a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19Paul uses the Greek word sarx (human nature, or flesh) to describe human weakness and the tendency to sin. Paul uses the illustration of slavery to show the relationship of the human nature to sin.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. I speak after the manner of men--descending, for illustration, to the level of common affairs. because of the infirmity of your flesh--the weakness of your spiritual apprehension. for as ye have yielded--"as ye yielded," the thing being viewed as now past. your members servants to Uncleanness and to Iniquity unto--the practice of iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to Righteousness unto holiness--rather, "unto (the attainment of)…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 6:19

• Consecration
• Depravity of Man
• Holiness
• Regeneration
• Righteous
• Righteousness
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Destroy
• Flesh
• Fruit
• Holiness
• Newness
• Obey
• Reign
• Wages
• Works, Good
• Baptismal Regeneration

Commentaries on Romans 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings