Christian Standard Bible
Romans 6:19
19I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.
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, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, 18and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification. 20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness. 21So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? The outcome of those things is death.
Read all of Romans 6Romans 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 highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? I am using a human argument: Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?
- 1 Corinthians 9:8Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing?
- 1 Corinthians 15:32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus as a mere man, what good did that do me? If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.
- Galatians 3:15Brothers and sisters, I’m using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to a validated human will.
- Romans 8:26In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.
- Romans 15:1Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves.
- Hebrews 4:15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
- Romans 6:13And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.
- 1 Corinthians 6:11And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
- Ephesians 2:2in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient.
- Colossians 3:5Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.
- 1 Peter 4:2in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will.
- Romans 6:16Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey — either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?
- 1 Corinthians 5:6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?
- 1 Corinthians 15:33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
- 2 Timothy 2:16Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness,
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
In the dictionaries
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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries