Romans 6:16 “Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you…”

Romans 6:16

Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

Know 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?

World English Bible

Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

American Standard Version

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

Geneva Bible 1599

Knowe ye not, that to whomsoeuer yee giue your selues as seruats to obey, his seruants ye are to whom ye obey, whether it be of sinne vnto death, or of obedience vnto righteousnesse?

Darby Translation

Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves bondmen for obedience, ye are bondmen to him whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Young's Literal Translation

have ye not known that to whom ye present yourselves servants for obedience, servants ye are to him to whom ye obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

Bible in Basic English

Are you not conscious that you are the servants of him to whom you give yourselves to do his desire? if to sin, the end being death, or if to do the desire of God, the end being righteousness.

.mt-body { max-height: none !important; -webkit-mask-image: none !important; mask-image: none !important; } .mt-bar { display: none !important; } .o-trans::after { display: block !important; }

Cross references

“to whom”

John 8:34 Matthew 6:24 Joshua 24:15 2 Peter 2:19 Romans 6:13

John 8:34 · BSB

Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Matthew 6:24 · BSB

No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Joshua 24:15 · BSB

But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you a…

2 Peter 2:19 · BSB

They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

Romans 6:13 · 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 righ…

“whether of sin”

Romans 6:19–23 Romans 6:17 Romans 6:12

Romans 6:19–23 · BSB

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness lead…

Romans 6:17 · BSB

But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.

Romans 6:12 · BSB

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Certainly not!

17But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.

Read Romans 6