New English Translation
Romans 6:19
19(I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to 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 thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to, 18and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. (I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness. 21So what benefit did you then reap from those things that you are now ashamed of? For the end 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 demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.)
- 1 Corinthians 9:8Am I saying these things only on the basis of common sense, or does the law not say this as well?
- 1 Corinthians 15:32If from a human point of view I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.
- Galatians 3:15Brothers and sisters, I offer an example from everyday life: When a covenant has been ratified, even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it.
- Romans 8:26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.
- Romans 15:1But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves.
- Hebrews 4:15For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.
- Romans 6:13and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.
- 1 Corinthians 6:11Some of you once lived this way. 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 formerly lived according to this world’s present path, according to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience,
- Colossians 3:5So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.
- 1 Peter 4:2in that he spends the rest of his time on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires.
- Romans 6:16Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness?
- 1 Corinthians 5:6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough?
- 1 Corinthians 15:33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
- 2 Timothy 2:16But avoid profane chatter, because those occupied with it will stray further and further into 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
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
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