Romans 6 2

Romans 6:2 kjv

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

Romans 6:2 nkjv

Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Romans 6:2 niv

By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

Romans 6:2 esv

By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Romans 6:2 nlt

Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?

Romans 6 verses

Romans 6 2 Meaning

Romans 6:2 stands as a powerful and absolute refutation to the idea that believers should continue living in sin to somehow amplify God's grace. It declares the utter incompatibility of a life consecrated to Christ with a continued lifestyle of deliberate sin. Through union with Christ, believers have undergone a fundamental spiritual break with the dominion of sin, effectively "dying" to its power and enslavement. To suggest otherwise contradicts the very nature of salvation and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6 2 Context

Romans 6:2 follows directly from the rhetorical question posed in Romans 6:1, "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" This query arises as a natural (but false) deduction from Paul's robust declaration in Romans 5:20, that where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. The Corinthian church, to which this letter could also be circulated, faced moral issues, indicating that practical application of grace was often misinterpreted. Paul's audience included both Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome, necessitating a theology that affirmed the profound transformation wrought by Christ, contrasting with both a legalistic approach that could not empower ethical living, and a potential antinomian (anti-law) stance that might exploit grace. Paul passionately refutes the idea of perpetuating sin, setting the stage for his explanation of baptism as a symbol of death to the old life and resurrection to a new life in Christ. The historical context reflects a world where many pagan religions allowed for a separation between belief and ethical behavior, and some philosophical schools struggled with practical ethics, thus Paul's emphasis on a radical ethical shift for the believer was distinctive.

Romans 6 2 Word analysis

• By no means! (Greek: Μὴ γένοιτο, Me genoito): This is one of the strongest possible expressions of denial in Greek, conveying fervent repudiation or abhorrence. It literally means "May it never be!", "God forbid!", or "Impossible!" Paul uses this phrase repeatedly in Romans to emphatically reject dangerous misunderstandings of the Gospel. It signals a definitive, absolute prohibition of the suggested idea, serving as a passionate rhetorical device.
• How can we (Greek: Πῶς ἡμεῖς, Pos hēmeis): This is a rhetorical question, indicating the logical and theological impossibility of the statement that follows. Paul appeals to the understanding and conviction of his readers, implying that the conclusion "continue in sin" should be seen as utterly contrary to their identity and experience in Christ. It expresses deep bewilderment at the very suggestion.
• who died (Greek: οἵτινες ἀπεθάνομεν, hoitines apethanomen): The aorist indicative verb "died" denotes a completed, decisive historical event that occurred in the past and has lasting significance. This refers to the believer's spiritual death to the reign of sin, primarily through their union with Christ's crucifixion (as explored in the verses that follow, particularly concerning baptism). It is a death not of cessation of existence, but a death in relation to a master or power. The believer is positionally severed from sin's former dominion, having exchanged one lord (sin) for another (Christ).
• to sin (Greek: τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, tē hamartia): The dative case here indicates a separation or orientation. Believers died "to" sin, meaning sin no longer holds its authoritative power over them. Sin is personified here as a power, master, or sphere of influence. This does not mean sin is no longer present or attractive, but that its dominion, its right to enslave, has been broken.
• still live (Greek: ἔτι ζήσομεν, eti zēsomen): The Greek eti ("still" or "yet") underscores the contradiction. The verb "live" in the future indicative (or deliberative subjunctive in some readings) describes a continued lifestyle, a practice of dwelling or being active in. The implication is, "How could we, after such a definitive break, still pursue and make our home in the very thing we died to?"
• in it? (Greek: ἐν αὐτῇ, en autē): The preposition en ("in") further reinforces the idea of dwelling or continuing within the sphere or dominion of sin. It describes being enclosed or surrounded by it.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "By no means! How can we": This pairing reveals Paul's fervent, impassioned rejection and highlights the absurdity of the premise. It sets the tone for an argument built on the foundational change salvation brings. It's a rhetorical one-two punch that asserts both spiritual truth and logical coherence.
• "who died to sin": This phrase encapsulates the core theological truth of the believer's radical transformation. It’s an indicative statement, a declaration of what has already happened to the believer through their identification with Christ's death. This "death" is central to understanding the new spiritual status and capacity for righteous living.
• "still live in it?": This completion of the rhetorical question exposes the irreconcilable tension between the new reality ("died to sin") and the proposed continuation of the old lifestyle ("still live in it"). It emphasizes the profound incongruity and the moral imperative that arises from a true spiritual metamorphosis.

Romans 6 2 Bonus section

The powerful phrase "Μὴ γένοιτο" (Me genoito) is one of Paul’s most distinctive and emphatic rhetorical devices. He employs it ten times in Romans alone (Rom 3:4, 3:6, 3:31, 6:1, 6:15, 7:7, 7:13, 9:14, 11:1, 11:11), consistently to deliver a resolute and impassioned rebuttal to perceived misinterpretations or erroneous conclusions drawn from his theological arguments. In Romans 6, its dual use (verses 2 and 15) underlines the vital importance of understanding grace not as a license for licentiousness, but as the dynamic power for liberation and transformation. This highlights a persistent concern in the early church regarding the practical implications of justification by faith apart from works of the law, a concern Paul directly confronts by showing that true grace always leads to ethical change.

Furthermore, "died to sin" clarifies a crucial distinction: while believers are delivered from the dominion and penalty of sin, the presence of sin in their lives (the flesh, the struggle against temptation) remains a reality, as seen later in Romans 7. Romans 6:2-14 primarily addresses the former, laying the foundation for an understanding of sanctification where believers are called to live out the truth of their new identity, presenting their members as instruments of righteousness to God. This positional truth provides the basis for the subsequent imperatives to walk in newness of life.

Romans 6 2 Commentary

Romans 6:2 powerfully negates the notion of continuing in sin once one has received God's grace. Paul’s strong refusal, "By no means!" (Μὴ γένοιτο), establishes the foundational truth that salvation is not merely forgiveness of sin but liberation from the dominion of sin. The pivotal concept is that believers have "died to sin." This isn't a metaphorical or aspirational death, but a completed spiritual event (an aorist verb) that occurs through our union with Christ's death on the cross. This death severs our enslavement to sin as a master, marking a radical change in status and relationship. Therefore, for someone who has decisively ended their former allegiance to sin, to "still live in it" — to deliberately persist in a sinful lifestyle — is presented as both illogical and spiritually impossible for a truly regenerated heart. Grace empowers us for new obedience, rather than excusing old rebellion.

Practical examples:

• A former alcoholic, through faith in Christ, dies to the dominion of alcohol; he cannot then argue that because grace abounds, he is free to return to his old habits.
• Someone previously dominated by greed or dishonest business practices, having died to the power of self-interest, cannot genuinely continue exploiting others and claim spiritual integrity.
• An individual who died to envy or bitterness cannot justify habitually holding grudges or fostering resentment, for their very spiritual nature has been transformed to bear good fruit.