Romans 6 6

Romans 6:6 kjv

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.

Romans 6:6 nkjv

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

Romans 6:6 niv

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin?

Romans 6:6 esv

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.

Romans 6:6 nlt

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.

Romans 6 verses

Romans 6 6 Meaning

Romans 6:6 declares a foundational truth of the Christian faith: the believer's "old man" – referring to the former, unregenerate self dominated by sin – has been definitively crucified with Christ. This pivotal event, accomplished in Christ's death and applied to believers through spiritual union with Him, serves a crucial dual purpose. Firstly, it ensures that "the body of sin" – the entirety of fallen human nature as an instrument of sin's power – might be rendered powerless or inoperative. Secondly, and as a direct result, it empowers believers to no longer live under the tyrannical reign of sin, thus being freed from its enslavement. It marks a radical break from past identity and establishes the basis for new life.

Romans 6 6 Context

Romans chapter 6 opens with Paul directly addressing a potential misinterpretation of the grace he expounded upon in chapter 5. Having taught that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Rom 5:20), some might conclude that continuing in sin would only serve to amplify grace. Paul forcefully rejects this antinomian suggestion with "God forbid!" (Rom 6:1-2). He then launches into an explanation of the believer's union with Christ through baptism, portraying it not just as a ritual but as a spiritual identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection (Rom 6:3-5). Verse 6 stands as a core declaration within this explanation, stating the known truth that our former self has been decisively put to death with Christ. This truth undergirds the call to "reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin" (Rom 6:11) and the exhortation to "not let sin therefore reign" (Rom 6:12). The immediate historical context involves Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome, many from pagan backgrounds, grappling with the ethical implications of salvation by grace alone and the radical transformation it necessitates.

Romans 6 6 Word analysis

• Knowing this (γινώσκοντες τοῦτο - ginōskontes touto): This is a present participle, implying a continuous or active state of "knowing." It’s not just intellectual assent but a profound, established awareness that believers possess. This knowledge is foundational and critical for understanding one's new identity and walking in freedom.
• that our old man (ὅτι ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος - hoti ho palaios hēmōn anthrōpos):
  • Old man (ho palaios anthrōpos): Refers to the unregenerate self, the person identified with Adam, living according to the flesh, and completely dominated by the principle and power of sin. It encompasses one's former identity, allegiances, and way of life before conversion and union with Christ. It is distinct from the physical body or just sinful acts; it's the very core of our former, unredeemed humanity.
• is crucified with him (συνεσταυρώθη - synestaurōthē):
  • Crucified with (synestaurōthē): An aorist passive indicative verb, signifying a past, definite, and completed action that was done to us but with Christ. The Greek prefix syn- emphasizes shared participation or union. It means the "old man" fully participated in Christ's crucifixion, metaphorically speaking. The crucifixion was a brutal, public, and definitive end; thus, the "old man" is put to a permanent death. This is a forensic, theological reality established by God.
• that the body of sin (ἵνα καταργηθῇ τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας - hina katargēthē to sōma tēs hamartias):
  • That (hina): Introduces a purpose clause, explaining why the old man was crucified.
  • Body of sin (to sōma tēs hamartias): This does not mean the physical body itself is evil, nor that the physical body is destroyed. Rather, it refers to the entirety of human nature, specifically as it is organized and enslaved by sin, functioning as sin's instrument (cf. Rom 7:24 where it's called "body of this death"). It is the corporate entity of sin's power within us, the organized totality of our fallen self, capable of carrying out sin.
  • might be destroyed (καταργηθῇ - katargēthē): Aorist passive subjunctive, indicating purpose. This word means to "render inoperative," "nullify," "deprive of power," "abolish," "make void," "de-energize." It does not mean utter annihilation of the presence of sin or the physical body. Instead, it means that the dominating power and tyrannical reign of sin within the "body of sin" is decisively broken and its efficacy brought to naught. While sin's presence may remain, its power to compel and enslave has been undone.
• that henceforth (εἰς τὸ μηκέτι - eis to mēketi): Another purpose clause, detailing the practical consequence and goal following the rendering ineffective of sin's power. It implies a complete break from former patterns.
• we should not serve sin (δουλεύειν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ - douleuein tē hamartia):
  • Serve (douleuein): To be enslaved to, to be a bondservant, or slave. This describes the prior condition of unbelievers, completely subjected to sin's dictates (Rom 6:17, 20).
  • Sin (hamartia): Here refers to sin not just as individual acts, but as an oppressive power or master. The verse declares freedom from this enslavement.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him: This emphasizes a fundamental theological truth that the believer must embrace and understand. It highlights the believer's past, completed, and definitive identification with Christ's death, establishing a radical break from the pre-conversion identity and nature ruled by sin. This is the foundation upon which the call to live righteously is built.
• that the body of sin might be destroyed: This phrase identifies the immediate and profound purpose of the "old man" being crucified. It targets the very core of human nature as an instrument for sin, ensuring that its controlling power is utterly nullified. It is not an eradication of all sinful desires or temptations but the decisive dismantling of sin's authoritative reign over the believer's personhood.
• that henceforth we should not serve sin: This final clause states the ultimate, practical goal and consequence. The de-powered "body of sin" leads directly to liberation from the forced service to sin. The purpose is for the believer to live in freedom, no longer obligated or enslaved to fulfill sin's desires. This marks a transition from compelled obedience to sin to a volitional ability to choose righteousness.

Romans 6 6 Bonus section

• Threefold Reality of Sin: Theologians often distinguish between the penalty of sin (dealt with at conversion through justification, Rom 5:1), the power of sin (addressed in Romans 6, where the "old man" is crucified), and the presence of sin (which persists in believers during life, leading to the struggle described in Rom 7:7-25, and will only be fully removed in glorification, 1 Jn 1:8). Romans 6:6 directly targets the power of sin, breaking its dominion.
• Indicative Before Imperative: Romans 6:6 is an "indicative" statement – a declaration of what is true about the believer in Christ. It states a fact ("your old man is crucified"). Paul consistently provides theological facts before giving ethical commands (the "imperatives"). This means our ability to "not serve sin" is not based on self-effort, but on acknowledging and leveraging the truth of our union with Christ.
• Union with Christ (Koinonia): The phrase "crucified with him" highlights the crucial doctrine of Union with Christ (koinonia or symbiosis). It's not just that Christ died for us, but that we died in and with Him. This spiritual reality provides the ground for all Christian experience and transformation. This union is the mechanism by which Christ's finished work is applied to the believer, making His death and resurrection ours.
• Contrast with the "Flesh" (Sarx): While the "old man" (παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος) in Rom 6:6 describes our former identity wholly enslaved to sin, Paul sometimes uses "flesh" (σάρξ - sarx) in Romans 7 and 8 to refer to the residual, unredeemed human nature that still wars against the Spirit in believers. The "old man" has been judicially dealt with, while the "flesh" remains a present battleground for sanctification.

Romans 6 6 Commentary

Romans 6:6 is a powerhouse verse encapsulating the heart of spiritual liberation in Christ. It provides the definitive answer to the question of continuing in sin after grace. Paul asserts that believers, through their spiritual union with Christ, have undergone a radical, forensic, and transformative event: the crucifixion of their "old man." This is not an aspirational hope but a completed fact, the theological basis for genuine sanctification. The "old man"—our entire person governed by sin—died with Christ. The result is the deactivation of "the body of sin," which represents the human system empowered by and subjected to sin. This "destruction" means sin's tyrannical rule and power over the believer is broken, rendering it inoperative as a master. Consequently, the believer is freed from serving sin. While the presence of sin (the ability to be tempted and to stumble) remains in this life, its power to compel absolute obedience has been irrevocably shattered by the cross. This verse, therefore, undergirds our ongoing fight against sin, affirming that we fight from a position of victory and freedom, not from continued enslavement. It calls believers to live out this established reality by refusing to yield to sin, knowing its authority over them is dissolved.For practical usage, when faced with temptation, a believer can affirm, "My old self was crucified with Christ. The power of sin has been broken. I am no longer a slave to this sin." This remembrance shifts perspective from powerlessness to empowerment, enabling choices that reflect Christ's victory.