Romans 6

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

1So what should we say? Should we keep on sinning so God's kindness grows even bigger?

2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

2Certainly not! We died to sin. So how can we keep on living in it?

3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

3Don't you know this? All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.

NoteTo be baptized is to be put down into water and lifted out again. It shows that a person belongs to Jesus.

4Therefore 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.

4So when we were baptized, we were buried with him into death. The Father's glory raised Christ from the dead. In the same way, we can now live a brand new life.

5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

5We have been joined to him in a death like his. So we will also be joined to him when he was raised to life again.

6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

6We know our old self was nailed to the cross with him. That happened so sin's power over our body would be broken. Then we would not be slaves to sin anymore.

7For he that is dead is freed from sin.

7Anyone who has died is set free from sin.

8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

8We died with Christ. So we believe we will also live with him.

9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

9Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death has no power over him now.

10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

10He died one time, and that death dealt with sin for good. Now he is alive, and he lives for God.

11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin. Count yourselves alive for God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

12So do not let sin be king in your body, which will one day die. Do not obey the things sin wants.

13Neither 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.

13Do not hand over parts of your body to sin, to do wrong. Instead, give yourselves to God. You were dead, and now you are alive. Give the parts of your body to God, to do what is right.

14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

14Sin will not be your master. You are not under the law. You are under God's kindness.

Note"The law" means the rules God gave to Moses long ago. "Grace" in the old wording means God's kindness, which nobody earns.

15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

15What then? Should we sin because we are under God's kindness and not under the law? Certainly not!

16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

16Don't you know this? When you obey someone, you become that person's slave. You can be a slave to sin, and that leads to death. Or you can obey God, and that leads to right living.

17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

17But thank God for this. You used to be slaves to sin. Now you have obeyed, with your whole heart, the teaching you were given.

18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

18You were set free from sin. Now you are slaves to doing what is right.

19I 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.

19I am saying this in everyday words, because it is hard for you to understand. You once gave the parts of your body to be slaves to dirty and wrong things. You only got worse. Now give those same parts to be slaves to right living, so you belong to God.

20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

20When you were slaves to sin, right living had no claim on you.

21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

21What did you get from those things back then? You are ashamed of them now. Those things end in death.

22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

22But now you are free from sin, and you are slaves to God. What you get now is a life set apart for God. And the end of it is life forever.

23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

23Sin pays a wage, and that wage is death. But God's free gift is life forever through Jesus Christ our Lord.

NoteA wage is the pay a worker earns for the work they did. A gift is not earned at all.