Romans 6:21

Romans 6:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
• New International Version (NIV)What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!
• English Standard Version (ESV)But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
• New King James Version (NKJV)What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

Context of Romans 6:21

19I’m speaking in a human way because of the weakness of your corrupt nature. Clearly, you once offered all the parts of your body as slaves to sexual perversion and disobedience. This led you to live disobedient lives. Now, in the same way, offer all the parts of your body as slaves that do what God approves of. This leads you to live holy lives. 20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from doing what God approves of. What did you gain by doing those things? You’re ashamed of what you used to do because it ended in death. 22Now you have been freed from sin and have become God’s slaves. This results in a holy life and, finally, in everlasting life. 23The payment for sin is death, but the gift that God freely gives is everlasting life found in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:21 word by word

τίνα οὖν καρπὸν εἴχετε τότε, ἐφ᾽ οἷς νῦν ἐπαισχύνεσθε; τὸ γὰρ τέλος ἐκείνων θάνατος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·οὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• fruitκαρπόςkarpos · fruitG2590
• had yeἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• those things whereofὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ye areἐπαισχύνομαιepaischunomai · be ashamed ofG1870
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• the endτέλοςtelos · goal/taxG5056
• of those thingsἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288

Cross-references for Romans 6:21

• Romans 7:5While we were living under the influence of our corrupt nature, sinful passions were at work throughout our bodies. Stirred up by the laws in Moses’ Teachings, our sinful passions did things that result in death.
• Proverbs 1:31They will eat the fruit of their lifestyle. They will be stuffed with their own schemes.
• Proverbs 5:10or strangers will benefit from your strength and you will have to work hard in a pagan’s house.
• Proverbs 9:17“Stolen waters are sweet, and food eaten in secret is tasty.”
• Isaiah 3:10Tell the righteous that blessings will come to them. They will taste the fruit of their labor.
• Jeremiah 17:10I, the Lord, search minds and test hearts. I will reward each person for what he has done. I will reward him for the results of his actions.
• Jeremiah 44:20Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, to everyone who answered him,
• Galatians 6:7Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest.
• Ezra 9:6and said, “I am ashamed, my God. I am embarrassed to look at you. Our sins have piled up over our heads, and our guilt is so overwhelming that it reaches heaven.
• Job 40:4“I’m so insignificant. How can I answer you? I will put my hand over my mouth.
• Job 42:6That is why I take back what I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show that I am sorry.”
• Jeremiah 3:3So the rain has been withheld, and there have been no spring showers. Yet, you have the shameless look of a prostitute, and you refuse to blush.
• Jeremiah 8:12Are they ashamed that they do disgusting things? No, they’re not ashamed. They don’t even know how to blush. So they will die with those who die. They will be brought down when I punish them,’ ” says the Lord.
• Jeremiah 31:19After I was turned around, I changed the way I thought and acted. After I was taught a lesson, I hung my head in shame. I was so ashamed and humiliated, because of all the stupid things I have done ever since I was young.’
• Ezekiel 16:61Then you will remember what you have done. You will be ashamed when I return your older and younger sisters to you. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of my promise with you.
• Ezekiel 36:31Then you will remember your evil ways and the bad things that you did, and you will hate yourselves for all these wicked and disgusting things.

Commentaries on Romans 6:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21What fruit had ye then in those things - God designs that every man shall reap benefit by his service. What benefit have ye derived from the service of sin? Whereof ye are now ashamed? - Ye blush to remember your former life. It was scandalous to yourselves, injurious to others, and highly provoking to God. The end of those things is death - Whatever sin may promise of pleasure or advantage, the end to which it necessarily tends is the destruction of body…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21What fruit, then … - What reward, or what advantage. This is an argument drawn from the experience of Christians respecting the indulgence of sinful passions. The question discussed throughout this chapter is, whether the gospel plan of justification by faith leads to indulgence in sin? The argument here is drawn from the past experience which Christians have had in the ways of transgression. They have tried it; they know its effects; they have tasted its…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-23Verses 21-23 The pleasure and profit of sin do not deserve to be called fruit. Sinners are but ploughing iniquity, sowing vanity, and reaping the same. Shame came into the world with sin, and is still the certain effect of it. The end of sin is death. Though the way may seem pleasant and inviting, yet it will be bitterness in the latter end. From this condemnation the believer is set at liberty, when made free from sin. If the fruit is unto holiness, if…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21death: Throughout chapters 5–8, Paul uses death to describe the eternal consequences of sin (5:12, 14, 15, 17, 21; 6:16, 23; 7:5, 9–10, 13, 24; 8:2, 6, 13). This language refers back to God’s warning to Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:17). This death is not mainly physical. It means human separation from God's fellowship or union with God. If not reversed through faith in Christ and, it will last forever.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death--What permanent advantage, and what abiding satisfaction, have those things yielded? The apostle answers his own question:--"Abiding satisfaction, did I ask? They have left only a sense of 'shame.' Permanent advantage? 'The end of them is death.'" By saying they were "now ashamed," he makes it plain that he is not referring to that disgust at…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 6:21

• Death
• Holiness
• Regeneration
• Righteous
• Righteousness
• Servant
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Destroy
• Fruit
• Newness
• Obey
• Reign
• Wages
• Works, Good
• Ashamed
• Baptismal Regeneration
• Bible, the

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