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

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. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through 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 7:5When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.
• Proverbs 1:31Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes.
• Proverbs 5:10Strangers will consume your wealth, and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
• Proverbs 9:17“Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best!”
• Isaiah 3:10Tell the godly that all will be well for them. They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!
• Jeremiah 17:10But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
• Jeremiah 44:20Then Jeremiah said to all of them, men and women alike, who had given him that answer,
• Galatians 6:7Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
• Ezra 9:6I prayed, “O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens.
• Job 40:4“I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand.
• Job 42:6I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
• Jeremiah 3:3That’s why even the spring rains have failed. For you are a brazen prostitute and completely shameless.
• Jeremiah 8:12Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them, says the Lord.
• Jeremiah 31:19I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.’
• Ezekiel 16:61Then you will remember with shame all the evil you have done. I will make your sisters, Samaria and Sodom, to be your daughters, even though they are not part of our covenant.
• Ezekiel 36:31Then you will remember your past sins and despise yourselves for all the detestable things you did.

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