Romans 6:18

Romans 6:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
• New International Version (NIV)You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

Context of Romans 6:18

16Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. 19Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. 20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.

Romans 6:18 word by word

Ἐλευθερωθέντες δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐδουλώθητε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Beingἐλευθερόωeleutheroō · to set freeG1659
• thenδέde · thenG1161
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• sinὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• sinἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• ye became the servantsδουλόωdouloō · to enslaveG1402
• of righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343

Cross-references for Romans 6:18

• Romans 6:14Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
• Psalms 116:16O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains.
• Psalms 119:32I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding.
• Luke 1:74We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear,
• John 8:32And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
• 1 Corinthians 7:21Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it.
• Galatians 5:1So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
• 1 Peter 2:16For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.
• Romans 6:19Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
• Isaiah 26:13O Lord our God, others have ruled us, but you alone are the one we worship.
• Isaiah 54:17But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Commentaries on Romans 6:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Being then made free from sin - is a term that refers to the manumission of a slave. They were redeemed from the slavery of sin, and became the servants of righteousness. Here is another prosopopoeia: both sin and righteousness are personified: sin can enjoin no good and profitable work; righteousness can require none that is unjust or injurious.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18“Being then made free from sin.” That is, as a master. You are not under its dominion; you are no longer its slaves. They were made free, as a servant is who is set at liberty, and who is, therefore, no longer under obligation to obey. Ye became the servants … - You became voluntarily under the dominion of righteousness; you yielded yourselves to it; and are therefore bound to be holy; compare the note at John 8:32.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
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Being then--"And being"; it is the continuation and conclusion of the preceding sentence; not a new one. made free from Sin, ye became the servants of--"servants to" Righteousness--The case is one of emancipation from entire servitude to one Master to entire servitude to another, whose property we are (see on Ro 1:1). There is no middle state of personal independence; for which we were never made, and to which we have no claim. When we would not that…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 6:18

• Holiness
• Regeneration
• Righteous
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Destroy
• Fruit
• Newness
• Obey
• Reign
• Wages
• Works, Good
• Baptismal Regeneration
• Bible, the
• Canon of the New Testament

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