Romans 6:16
New International Version
Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

New Living Translation
Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

English Standard Version
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Berean Standard Bible
Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?

Berean Literal Bible
Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to him whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

King James Bible
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

New King James Version
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

New American Standard Bible
Do you not know that the one to whom you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of that same one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

NASB 1995
Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

NASB 1977
Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

Legacy Standard Bible
Do you not know that when you go on presenting yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Amplified Bible
Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)?

Christian Standard Bible
Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey —either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?

American Standard Version
Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Contemporary English Version
Don't you know that you are slaves of anyone you obey? You can be slaves of sin and die, or you can be obedient slaves of God and be acceptable to him.

English Revised Version
Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't you know that if you offer to be someone's slave, you must obey that master? Either your master is sin, or your master is obedience. Letting sin be your master leads to death. Letting obedience be your master leads to God's approval.

Good News Translation
Surely you know that when you surrender yourselves as slaves to obey someone, you are in fact the slaves of the master you obey--either of sin, which results in death, or of obedience, which results in being put right with God.

International Standard Version
Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Majority Standard Bible
Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?

NET Bible
Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness?

New Heart English Bible
Do 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?

Webster's Bible Translation
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants in obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

Weymouth New Testament
Do you not know that if you surrender yourselves as bondservants to obey any one, you become the bondservants of him whom you obey, whether the bondservants of Sin (with death as the result)

World English Bible
Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Have you not known that to whom you present yourselves servants for obedience, servants you are to him to whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

Berean Literal Bible
Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to him whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

Young's Literal Translation
have ye not known that to whom ye present yourselves servants for obedience, servants ye are to him to whom ye obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

Smith's Literal Translation
Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves servants for obedience, ye are servants to whom ye listen; either of sin to death, or of obedience to justice?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are whom you obey, whether it be of sin unto death, or of obedience unto justice.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do you not know to whom you are offering yourselves as servants under obedience? You are the servants of whomever you obey: whether of sin, unto death, or of obedience, unto justice.

New American Bible
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

New Revised Standard Version
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Do you not know, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are, for you obey him, whether it be to sin or whether it be of obedience to righteousness?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Do you not know, that to whomever you give yourselves up to serve in bondage, his Servants you are, whom you obey, whether you listen to sin or to righteousness?
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Know you not, that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obey, his servants you are whom you obey, whether of sin that leads to death, or of obedience that leads to righteousness?

Godbey New Testament
Do you not know, that to whom you present yourselves servants unto obedience, ye are servants to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness?

Haweis New Testament
Do ye not know, that to whomsoever ye present yourselves servants to obey, ye are his servants to whom ye obey; if of sin unto death, or of obedience, unto righteousness?

Mace New Testament
by no means, know ye not, that to whom ye subject your selves vassals at command, his vassals you are whom you thus obey; the vassals either of sin to destruction, or of obedience to justification?

Weymouth New Testament
Do you not know that if you surrender yourselves as bondservants to obey any one, you become the bondservants of him whom you obey, whether the bondservants of Sin (with death as the result)

Worrell New Testament
Know ye not that to whom ye present yourselves as slaves for obedience, his slaves ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness?

Worsley New Testament
God forbid! Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves servants to obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey? either of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Wages of Sin
15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.…

Cross References
John 8:34
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

2 Peter 2:19
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.

1 Corinthians 7:22
For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.

1 John 3:8
The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:4
Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness.

James 4:4
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

2 Corinthians 5:15
And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

Ephesians 2:1-3
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, / in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. / All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.

Hebrews 2:14-15
Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, / and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Genesis 4:7
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”

Joshua 24:15
But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live,

Proverbs 5:22
The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him.


Treasury of Scripture

Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

Know.

Romans 6:3
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

to whom.

Romans 6:13
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

whether of sin.

Romans 6:12,17,19-23
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof…

Jump to Previous
Bondmen Bondservants Conscious Death Desire Either End Leads Obedience Obedient Obey Offer Present Result Resulting Righteousness Servants Sin Slaves Someone Surrender Whether Yield Yourselves
Jump to Next
Bondmen Bondservants Conscious Death Desire Either End Leads Obedience Obedient Obey Offer Present Result Resulting Righteousness Servants Sin Slaves Someone Surrender Whether Yield Yourselves
Romans 6
1. We may not live in sin;
2. for we are dead unto it;
3. as appears by our baptism.
12. Let not sin reign anymore;
18. because we have yielded ourselves to the service of righteousness;
23. and because death is the wages of sin.














Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves
This phrase emphasizes the concept of voluntary servitude, a common practice in the Roman world where individuals could offer themselves as slaves to pay off debts or for other reasons. The idea of offering oneself aligns with the biblical theme of free will and choice, as seen in Joshua 24:15, where the Israelites are urged to choose whom they will serve. The notion of being an "obedient slave" underscores the total commitment and submission expected in this relationship, reflecting the call for believers to fully submit to God's will.

you are slaves to the one you obey
This highlights the principle that one's actions determine their master. In the cultural context of the Roman Empire, slavery was a legal and social institution, and obedience to a master was absolute. Biblically, this concept is mirrored in Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:24, where He states that no one can serve two masters. The idea is that allegiance and obedience reveal one's true master, whether it be sin or righteousness.

whether you are slaves to sin leading to death
The phrase "slaves to sin" refers to the inherent sinful nature of humanity, as described in Romans 3:23. Sin, in biblical terms, is a transgression against God's law, and its ultimate consequence is spiritual death, as stated in Romans 6:23. This reflects the Old Testament understanding of sin leading to separation from God, as seen in Genesis 3 with the fall of man. The imagery of slavery to sin conveys the bondage and control sin exerts over individuals, leading to spiritual and eternal death.

or to obedience leading to righteousness
This contrasts the previous phrase by presenting obedience as leading to righteousness. In biblical terms, righteousness is a state of being in right standing with God, often associated with faith and obedience to God's commands, as seen in Genesis 15:6 with Abraham's faith being credited as righteousness. The New Testament further develops this concept, with James 2:17 emphasizing that faith without works is dead, highlighting the necessity of obedience in the life of a believer. This phrase encapsulates the transformative power of choosing to obey God, resulting in a life characterized by righteousness and ultimately leading to eternal life.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the Book of Romans, Paul is writing to the Christian believers in Rome, addressing issues of sin, grace, and righteousness.

2. Roman Christians
The recipients of the letter, they are a diverse group of Jewish and Gentile believers living in the heart of the Roman Empire.

3. Sin
Personified as a master to whom one can be enslaved, leading to spiritual death.

4. Obedience
Represents submission to God's will, leading to righteousness and life.

5. Righteousness
The state of being morally right or justifiable, which is the result of obedience to God.
Teaching Points
Understanding Slavery to Sin
Recognize that sin is not just an action but a master that demands obedience, leading to spiritual death.

Choosing Your Master
Every person has a choice to make—whether to serve sin or to serve God. This choice determines the trajectory of one's life.

The Path to Righteousness
Obedience to God is not just about following rules but about aligning oneself with His will, which leads to righteousness and life.

The Consequences of Obedience
Understand that obedience to God results in a transformation of character and a deeper relationship with Him.

Living Out Your Freedom
Embrace the freedom found in Christ, which empowers believers to live righteously and reject the bondage of sin.(16) Know ye not.--An apparent tautology, but one which really teaches a deep ethical truth. Don't you know that what you make yourselves that you become? The habit which you form ends by becoming your "second nature."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Do you not know
οἴδατε (oidate)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

[when]
(hō)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

you offer
παριστάνετε (paristanete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3936: Or prolonged paristano from para and histemi; to stand beside, i.e. to exhibit, proffer, recommend, substantiate; or to be at hand, aid.

yourselves
ἑαυτοὺς (heautous)
Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself.

[as]
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

obedient
ὑπακοήν (hypakoēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5218: Obedience, submissiveness, compliance. From hupakouo; attentive hearkening, i.e. compliance or submission.

slaves,
δούλους (doulous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1401: (a) (as adj.) enslaved, (b) (as noun) a (male) slave. From deo; a slave.

you are
ἐστε (este)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

slaves
δοῦλοί (douloi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1401: (a) (as adj.) enslaved, (b) (as noun) a (male) slave. From deo; a slave.

to [the one]
(hō)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

you obey,
ὑπακούετε (hypakouete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 5219: From hupo and akouo; to hear under, i.e. To listen attentively; by implication, to heed or conform to a command or authority.

whether [you are slaves]
ἤτοι (ētoi)
Conjunction
Strong's 2273: Whether. From e and toi; either indeed.

to sin
ἁμαρτίας (hamartias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 266: From hamartano; a sin.

[leading] to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

death,
θάνατον (thanaton)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2288: Death, physical or spiritual. From thnesko; death.

or
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

to obedience
ὑπακοῆς (hypakoēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 5218: Obedience, submissiveness, compliance. From hupakouo; attentive hearkening, i.e. compliance or submission.

[leading] to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

righteousness?
δικαιοσύνην (dikaiosynēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1343: From dikaios; equity; specially justification.


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NT Letters: Romans 6:16 Don't you know that to whom you (Rom. Ro)
Romans 6:15
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