Romans 6
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
So what's our response? Should we continue to sin so we can have even more grace?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Of course not! Since we're already dead to sin, how can we continue to live in sin?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 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.
Through baptism we were buried with him in death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father we too can live a new life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection:
If we've become one with him in dying like he did, then we'll be raised like him too.
6 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.
We know that our old self was crucified with him to dispose of the dead body of sin so that we wouldn't be enslaved by sin any longer.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Since we died with Christ, we have confidence that we will also live with him,
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
for we know that because Christ has been raised from the dead he won't ever die, because death has no longer any power over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
In dying, he died to sin once and for all, but now he lives, and he lives for God!
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In just the same way you should consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Don't let sin have control over your mortal body, don't give in to its temptations,
13 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.
and don't use any parts of your body as evil tools of sin. Instead dedicate yourselves to God as those who have been brought back from death to life, and use all parts of your body as tools to do something good for God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Sin won't rule over you, because you're not under law but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
So then, should we sin because we're not under law, but under grace? Of course not!
16 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?
Don't you realize that if you make yourselves someone's slaves, obeying their orders, then you are slaves to the one you obey? If you are slaves of sin, the result is death; if you obey God, the result is you are made right with him.
17 But 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.
Thank God that though you once were slaves to sin, you whole-heartedly chose to follow the truth about God that you learned.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Now that you've been freed from sin, you've become slaves of doing what is morally right.
19 I 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.
I'm using this everyday example because your human thinking is limited. Just as you once enslaved yourselves to immorality, piling up sin upon sin, now you must enslave yourselves to what is pure and right.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
When you were slaves to sin you were not required to do what's right.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things [is] death.
But what were the results back then? Aren't you ashamed of the things you did? Such things that lead to death!
