Romans 6:23 kjv
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23 nkjv
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 niv
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 esv
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 nlt
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 2:17 | "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." | First decree of death as a consequence of disobedience. |
| Deut 30:19 | "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse...choose life." | Choice between two paths, one leading to life, the other to death. |
| Ezek 18:4 | "The soul who sins will die." | Direct affirmation of the individual consequence of sin. |
| Psa 9:17 | "The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God." | Sin's outcome leading to destruction and separation. |
| Prov 14:12 | "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." | The deceptiveness of sin's path. |
| Matt 7:13-14 | "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many..." | The two roads, one leading to destruction (death), the other to life. |
| Jn 3:16 | "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." | God's ultimate gift and the condition for eternal life. |
| Jn 5:24 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." | Immediate possession of eternal life through faith. |
| Jn 10:28 | "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." | Assurance and security of eternal life for believers. |
| Jn 17:3 | "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." | Definition of eternal life as knowing God and Christ. |
| Rom 5:8 | "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." | God's initiating act of grace while humanity was undeserving. |
| Rom 5:12 | "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men..." | Origin and spread of sin and death to all humanity. |
| Rom 5:15 | "But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many." | The contrast between the trespass leading to death and the gift leading to life. |
| Rom 6:4 | "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead...we too might walk in newness of life." | Believer's identification with Christ's death to sin and resurrection to new life. |
| Rom 8:1-2 | "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." | No condemnation for those in Christ, delivered from sin and death. |
| 1 Cor 15:56 | "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law." | The close link between sin, death, and the law. |
| Eph 2:8-9 | "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." | Emphasizes salvation as entirely by grace, through faith, and a gift, not earned. |
| Col 3:4 | "When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." | Christ is the source and content of our life. |
| Jas 1:15 | "Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." | The progression from sinful desire to sin and then to death. |
| 1 Jn 5:11-12 | "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." | Eternal life is possessed by having Christ. |
| Rev 21:8 | "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." | The ultimate, eternal manifestation of death as the result of sin. |
Romans 6 verses
Romans 6 23 Meaning
Romans 6:23 is a profound theological statement encapsulating the essence of the Christian message. It delineates two contrasting paths and their ultimate destinations. The first path, driven by sin, inevitably leads to death—a spiritual separation from God, which culminates in eternal condemnation. The second path, offered by God, is a gratuitous gift of eternal life, made available solely through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is a declaration of divine justice and boundless grace.
Romans 6 23 Context
Romans 6:23 serves as a conclusive summary statement for the arguments presented throughout Romans Chapter 6. The preceding verses in Chapter 6 directly address the critical theological question posed at the end of Chapter 5: "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" Paul emphatically answers, "By no means!" (Rom 6:1-2). He then elaborates on the believer's identification with Christ's death and resurrection through baptism (Rom 6:3-11), signifying a definitive break from the dominion of sin. The apostle exhorts believers to no longer present their members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness but to God as instruments of righteousness (Rom 6:12-13).
Paul further develops the contrast between slavery to sin and slavery to righteousness. He explains that freedom from sin is not freedom to sin, but freedom from its power, leading instead to willing servitude to God (Rom 6:14-22). Throughout these verses, he uses the vivid imagery of a master and slave, showing that everyone serves either sin or righteousness, and the wages or benefits of each service are vastly different. Verse 23 brings this argument to a powerful conclusion, succinctly stating the grim consequence of sin and the glorious outcome of God's grace. Historically, this message was delivered to believers in Rome, living in a culture that often indulged in various forms of immorality, making Paul's call to new life and his clear demarcation between sin and righteousness particularly potent. There's also an indirect polemic against any Gnostic or antinomian tendencies that might have suggested grace nullified the need for moral transformation.
Romans 6 23 Word analysis
- For: Greek gar (γὰρ). Introduces an explanation or justification for the preceding statement (in vv. 20-22, that those freed from sin became enslaved to righteousness, receiving holiness and eternal life). It logically connects the summary.
- the wages: Greek opsōnia (ὀψώνια). This word originally referred to a soldier's pay or rations, earned service. It implies a deserved recompense, a payment earned for work performed. It is not an arbitrary penalty but the just due. This choice of word highlights that death is not a punishment unjustly inflicted but the natural, earned consequence of persistent sin.
- of sin: Greek hamartia (ἁμαρτία). A broad term meaning "missing the mark," "falling short" of God's perfect standard, whether in thought, word, or deed. It encompasses rebellion, disobedience, and all that is contrary to God's nature and will. Here, it refers to sin as a continuous act, a way of life, or a ruling principle.
- is death: Greek thanatos (θάνατος). Refers to separation. It begins as spiritual death—separation from God (Eph 2:1)—and culminates in eternal death, described as "the second death" (Rev 21:8), a permanent, conscious separation from God's presence and glory. It implies the cessation of true life (divine communion and purpose), not annihilation.
- but: Greek de (δὲ). A strong adversative conjunction, indicating a sharp contrast, shifting from the negative outcome to the positive alternative.
- the free gift: Greek charisma (χάρισμα). Distinctly different from opsōnia. It means "a gift of grace" or "grace-gift." It signifies something freely bestowed, unmerited, given out of pure goodwill and love, without any work or desert on the part of the recipient. This underlines God's benevolent character and the undeserved nature of salvation.
- of God: Greek theos (θεός). Emphasizes that this life-giving gift originates entirely from God; it is His initiative, His provision. It highlights His sovereign grace.
- is eternal life: Greek zōē aiōnios (ζωὴ αἰώνιος). More than mere endless existence. It describes a quality of life—God's own life (Jn 17:3), characterized by knowing Him, peace, righteousness, joy, and spiritual communion. It is life in its fullest, richest sense, an inheritance that begins in the present for the believer and extends into unending fellowship with God.
- in Christ Jesus: Greek en Christō Iēsou (ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ). Specifies the sole means by which this gift is received. Union with Christ (being "in Christ") is essential; salvation and eternal life are mediated through His person and work. It signifies an intimate, saving relationship with Jesus, where His righteousness covers the believer.
- our Lord: Greek tou kyriou hēmōn (τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν). Affirms Christ's divine authority and sovereignty. Believers recognize Jesus as their Master and submit to His Lordship, further clarifying the nature of their saving relationship. It underscores both ownership and adoration.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- For the wages of sin is death: This phrase establishes a direct, cause-and-effect relationship. "Wages" stresses justice—what is earned. "Sin" is the action or state that accrues these wages. "Death" is the just and inevitable outcome. It implies a legal, economic transaction where humanity has incurred an ultimate debt.
- but the free gift of God is eternal life: This phrase introduces the stark contrast. The "but" dramatically shifts the trajectory. "Free gift" (charisma) explicitly states it's not earned, emphasizing grace and divine benevolence. It's "of God," underscoring His initiative. "Eternal life" signifies a qualitatively superior and enduring alternative to death.
- in Christ Jesus our Lord: This final phrase is crucial for pinpointing the source and means of the "free gift." It anchors the concept of salvation firmly in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ, His sacrifice and resurrection. It’s through identifying with and submitting to Him as Lord that this gift is accessed, highlighting the non-meritorious nature of receiving it while affirming His supremacy.
Romans 6 23 Bonus section
The antithesis presented in Romans 6:23 between "wages" (opsōnia) and "free gift" (charisma) is a profound rhetorical device Paul employs to underscore the unbridgeable gap between human effort (which in sin only leads to death) and divine grace. Opsōnia highlights a transactional justice where due compensation is given, whether positive or negative. Sin, therefore, has an earned, just outcome of death. Charisma, on the other hand, comes from charis (grace), emphasizing its utterly gratuitous nature, demanding nothing from the recipient, other than humble acceptance. This verse can also be seen as an appeal to human intuition regarding fairness (wages) versus generosity (gift), making God's provision for salvation profoundly understandable yet overwhelmingly glorious. The teleology (the study of ends or purposes) of each path is diametrically opposed: one leads to separation and spiritual demise, the other to endless, meaningful union with the Divine. It's not just a matter of eternal quantity (length of life) but of eternal quality (kind of life).
Romans 6 23 Commentary
Romans 6:23 is often hailed as a theological bedrock, summarizing the human predicament and God's gracious solution. It profoundly contrasts the unyielding spiritual law of "you reap what you sow" (Gal 6:7) with the overflowing, unmerited generosity of God. Sin, characterized by rebellion against God, naturally and inevitably culminates in death – a multi-faceted separation from the Source of life. This "wage" is not an arbitrary penalty, but the just and deserved outcome for a life alienated from God's holy standard. It’s what one "earns" by their actions.
Conversely, the verse presents God's unparalleled antidote: "eternal life." This is not an earned wage but a "free gift" (charisma), freely given out of divine love and grace. This gift provides a complete reversal of sin's consequence. Moreover, the gift of eternal life is specifically tied to "Christ Jesus our Lord." It is exclusively through union with Him – by faith in His atoning sacrifice and resurrection, and acknowledging His sovereignty – that humanity can receive this unparalleled gift. This passage serves as a constant reminder that salvation is a rescue from deserved judgment and an endowment with undeserved life, all provided by God's amazing grace through Jesus Christ.
Practical Example: Imagine a factory where workers consistently make defective products, yet they demand full payment. The "wages" for their shoddy work would be unemployment or a reprimand, symbolizing death. But if the factory owner, out of sheer generosity, not only forgives their poor performance but also gives them a bonus and trains them for new, life-giving tasks without them earning it, that's akin to the "free gift of God" in Christ.