1What should we say then? Should we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2Absolutely not. We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? 3Or do you not know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; 6knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. 7For he who has died has been freed from sin.

8But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him; 9knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him. 10For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. 11In the same way, consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace.

15What then? Should we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Absolutely not. 16Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18Being made free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as slaves to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.

20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22But now, being made free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is everlasting life in Christ Jesus our Lord.