1What then shall we say? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? [6:2] Certainly not! We who died to sin — how shall we still live in it? [6:3] Or do you not know that all of us who were immersed into Christ Jesus were immersed into his death? [6:4] Therefore we were buried with him through immersion into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. [6:5] For if we have become grown together with him in the likeness of his death, so also we will be in the likeness of his resurrection — [6:6] knowing this: that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be enslaved to sin. [6:7] For the one who has died has been freed from sin. [6:8] Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him — [6:9] knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has mastery over him. [6:10] For the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. [6:11] So also do reckon yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. [6:12] Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so as to obey its desires. [6:13] And do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. [6:14] For sin will not have mastery over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
ROM 6:1-14
Dead to Sin, Alive to God
In the world it was spoken into
In the Roman world, baptism was a radical act of initiation, marking a decisive break from one’s former life. For Jewish listeners, immersion rituals were familiar, but baptism into Christ’s death carried a unique theological weight, symbolizing participation in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Greco-Roman audiences would have understood the imagery of burial and resurrection through mystery cults, which promised new life through ritual death. However, Paul’s language of being 'united' with Christ’s death and resurrection was distinct, emphasizing an organic, inseparable connection rather than a temporary ritual. The call to 'consider yourselves dead to sin' would resonate with Stoic ideals of self-mastery, but Paul’s focus was on divine grace, not human effort. The imagery of slavery and freedom was deeply familiar in a society where slavery was ubiquitous, and manumission was a costly, transformative act. Paul’s audience would have grasped the profound shift from being enslaved to sin to being alive to God, a transformation rooted in Christ’s resurrection power.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
ROM 6:1
- KJV
- What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
- BSB
- What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?
- Koinōnos
- What then shall we say? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound?
ROM 6:2
- KJV
- God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
- BSB
- Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?
- Koinōnos
- Certainly not! We who died to sin — how shall we still live in it?
ROM 6:3
- KJV
- Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
- BSB
- Or arenʼt you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
- Koinōnos
- Or do you not know that all of us who were immersed into Christ Jesus were immersed into his death?
ROM 6:4
- KJV
- Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
- BSB
- We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.
- Koinōnos
- Therefore we were buried with him through immersion into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
ROM 6:5
- KJV
- For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
- BSB
- For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.
- Koinōnos
- For if we have become grown together with him in the likeness of his death, so also we will be in the likeness of his resurrection —
ROM 6:6
- KJV
- Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
- BSB
- We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
- Koinōnos
- knowing this: that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be enslaved to sin.
ROM 6:7
- KJV
- For he that is dead is freed from sin.
- BSB
- For anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
- Koinōnos
- For the one who has died has been freed from sin.
ROM 6:8
- KJV
- Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
- BSB
- Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.
- Koinōnos
- Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him —
ROM 6:9
- KJV
- Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
- BSB
- For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.
- Koinōnos
- knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has mastery over him.
ROM 6:10
- KJV
- For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
- BSB
- The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.
- Koinōnos
- For the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
ROM 6:11
- KJV
- Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- BSB
- So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
- Koinōnos
- So also do reckon yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
ROM 6:12
- KJV
- Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
- BSB
- Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.
- Koinōnos
- Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so as to obey its desires.
ROM 6:13
- KJV
- Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
- BSB
- Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.
- Koinōnos
- And do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness.
ROM 6:14
- KJV
- For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
- BSB
- For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
- Koinōnos
- For sin will not have mastery over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
ROM 6:3
- were baptized:The word translated 'were baptized' literally meant to be immersed or plunged. It evoked the imagery of being completely submerged, like a cloth being dyed or a ship sinking.
ROM 6:5
- united:The term used here for 'united' carried the sense of being grown together or congenitally joined, like a plant grafted onto another, implying an organic and inseparable connection.
ROM 6:6
- may be annulled:The word translated 'may be annulled' meant to render something ineffective, idle, or powerless. It suggests making something cease to operate or be active, rather than simply canceling it.
ROM 6:11
- do consider:The word translated 'do consider' was a term from accounting or mathematics, meaning to calculate, reckon, or credit something as a fact. It implies a deliberate, reasoned assessment.