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

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. 20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness. So what benefit did you then reap from those things that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death. 22But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life. 23For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life 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 7:5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful desires, aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.
• Proverbs 1:31Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.
• Proverbs 5:10lest strangers devour your strength, and your labor benefit another man’s house.
• Proverbs 9:17“Stolen waters are sweet, and food obtained in secret is pleasant!”
• Isaiah 3:10Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done.
• Jeremiah 17:10I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.
• Jeremiah 44:20Then Jeremiah replied to all the people, both men and women, who responded to him in this way.
• Galatians 6:7Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows,
• Ezra 9:6I prayed, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God! For our iniquities have climbed higher than our heads, and our guilt extends to the heavens.
• Job 40:4“Indeed, I am completely unworthy – how could I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth to silence myself.
• Job 42:6Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes!
• Jeremiah 3:3That is why the rains have been withheld, and the spring rains have not come. Yet in spite of this you are obstinate as a prostitute. You refuse to be ashamed of what you have done.
• Jeremiah 8:12Are they ashamed because they have done such disgusting things? No, they are not at all ashamed! They do not even know how to blush! So they will die just like others have died. They will be brought to ruin when I punish them, says the Lord.
• Jeremiah 31:19For after we turned away from you we repented. After we came to our senses we beat our breasts in sorrow. We are ashamed and humiliated because of the disgraceful things we did previously.’
• Ezekiel 16:61Then you will remember your conduct, and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on account of my covenant with you.
• Ezekiel 36:31Then you will remember your evil behavior and your deeds which were not good; you will loathe yourselves on account of your sins and your abominable deeds.

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