Romans 6:18 kjv
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Romans 6:18 nkjv
And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Romans 6:18 niv
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 6:18 esv
and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
Romans 6:18 nlt
Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
Romans 6 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 6:6 | We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. | Crucifixion with Christ ends sin's dominion. |
| Rom 6:7 | For whoever has died has been set free from sin. | Death with Christ brings freedom from sin. |
| Rom 6:11 | So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. | Practical application: living dead to sin. |
| Rom 6:12 | Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. | Warning against allowing sin to rule. |
| Rom 6:13 | Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God... as instruments for righteousness. | Active choice to serve God in righteousness. |
| Rom 6:16 | Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey...? | Illustrates the master-slave dynamic. |
| Rom 6:17 | But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching... | Gratitude for the heart-obedience that led to freedom. |
| Rom 6:19 | For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. | Emphasizes the change in practical service. |
| Rom 6:22 | But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. | Summary of freedom's fruit and ultimate destiny. |
| Rom 8:2 | For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. | Spirit's role in liberation. |
| Gal 5:1 | For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. | Upholding gospel freedom. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. | New identity in Christ. |
| Eph 2:10 | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. | Created anew for good works/righteousness. |
| Eph 4:24 | And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. | Clothing oneself with God's character. |
| Col 3:10 | And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. | Renewal into God's image. |
| Tit 2:14 | He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. | Christ's purpose: redeeming for good works. |
| 1 Pet 2:16 | Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. | Freedom to serve God, not sin. |
| 1 Cor 7:22 | For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was called as free is a slave of Christ. | Paradox of freedom and slavery in Christ. |
| Ps 119:45 | And I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts. | Old Testament concept of freedom through God's law. |
| Rom 12:1 | I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. | Dedication of oneself to God. |
| Heb 9:14 | How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. | Purification for divine service. |
Romans 6 verses
Romans 6 18 Meaning
The verse concisely states that believers, through a divine act, have been liberated from the oppressive dominion and control of sin, and as a result, they have been subjected to the authority and service of righteousness. It highlights a fundamental and transformative change of allegiance and ownership in the life of a Christian.
Romans 6 18 Context
Romans 6:18 appears within a pivotal section of Paul's letter, building on the profound theological truths of chapters 3-5 concerning justification by faith. Chapter 6 specifically addresses the practical implications of this justification: the believer's relationship with sin. Paul refutes the idea that grace encourages continued sin (Rom 6:1-2), arguing that believers have "died to sin" through their union with Christ's death and resurrection (Rom 6:3-11). He then issues exhortations not to let sin reign (Rom 6:12-14) and, immediately preceding verse 18, poses the rhetorical question in Romans 6:15-17 about whether believers are still enslaved to sin. Verse 18 is the concluding positive declaration affirming their new state.
Historically, the concept of slavery was ubiquitous in Roman society. While brutal and involuntary in many forms, some individuals might "sell" themselves into servitude for various reasons (debt, protection, or career advancement) or could be manumitted. Paul uses this pervasive social reality metaphorically, not to endorse literal slavery, but to illustrate a change of masters, allegiances, and obligations for believers. The former master, sin, offered only death; the new Master, righteousness/God, offers life.
Romans 6 18 Word analysis
- And (καί - kai): This conjunction serves to connect the verse directly to the preceding thought in verse 17, reinforcing that their obedience to the teaching leads to this new state.
- having been set free (ἐλευθερωθέντες - eleutherōthentes): A completed past action (aorist passive participle). The liberation is decisive and effective. The passive voice implies an external agent—God—who performs this liberating act, not human effort. It means to be liberated from bondage, confinement, or restraint.
- from sin (ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας - apo tēs hamartias): Signifies a separation "from" or "away from" the power, dominion, and reign of sin, personified as a tyrannical master (as depicted in Rom 6:6,12,14,17). This refers to the sphere of influence and the spiritual condition, not merely individual acts.
- you became (ἐδουλώθητε - edoulōthēte): Another completed past action (aorist passive indicative). This signifies a decisive change of state or allegiance. Again, the passive voice highlights a divine intervention that makes them slaves to righteousness, contrasting with an active choice to be enslaved to sin.
- slaves (δοῦλοι - douloi): This is the core metaphor. It denotes belonging, devoted service, and unqualified obedience to a master. It implies complete allegiance, surrender, and duty. In this spiritual context, it highlights the Christian's absolute loyalty and commitment.
- of righteousness (τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ - tē dikaiosynē): The dative case indicates "to" or "for" righteousness. Righteousness is personified as the new benevolent Master. It represents living in conformity with God's moral will and character. This is not self-generated human righteousness, but that which aligns with divine standards and flows from God.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And having been set free from sin": This phrase underlines the decisive, past, and divinely initiated act of liberation from the powerful grip and ruling influence of sin. It marks a foundational, non-negotiable shift in spiritual identity.
- "you became slaves of righteousness": This highlights the resultant and equally decisive new state. The freedom from sin is not freedom to do anything, but freedom to serve a new, beneficent Master—Righteousness—demanding allegiance and bringing true life. It's a new servitude, leading to blessing and holiness.
Romans 6 18 Bonus section
The concept of "slavery" to righteousness is often called a "glorious paradox" in Christian theology. While ancient slavery was generally oppressive, Paul intentionally repurposes the term. In the spiritual realm, being enslaved to Christ (and thus to righteousness, as Christ perfectly embodies it) means ultimate liberation. This slavery frees one from the enslaving grip of self, the world, and evil, leading to true fulfillment. The divine passive ("having been set free," "you became slaves") is crucial. It underscores that this transformation is not by human will or effort but by God's sovereign act in the life of the believer through the work of Christ and the Spirit. While initiated by God, the subsequent verses (e.g., Rom 6:19) clearly show that this new status demands active, volitional participation from the believer in presenting oneself to righteousness. It moves from a positional truth to a practical imperative.
Romans 6 18 Commentary
Romans 6:18 presents the outcome of the believer's union with Christ: a complete change of allegiance. The freedom from sin, wrought by divine grace, does not lead to lawlessness but to a new form of servitude. Believers are no longer enslaved to the destructive power of sin but have been placed into active, willing service to righteousness. This "slavery" to righteousness is liberating, as it aligns one's life with God's holy character and purpose, leading to genuine spiritual life and eventual sanctification. It underscores the active nature of faith: having been made righteous, we are now called to live righteously. This new position of being "slaves of righteousness" entails living under its authority, obeying its dictates, and exhibiting its fruit, which is a fundamental aspect of Christian discipleship.