1 W hat shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

What does this mean? Are we to keep on sinning so that God will give us more of His loving-favor?

2 G od forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?

No, not at all! We are dead to sin. How then can we keep on living in sin?

3 O r are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

All of us were baptized to show we belong to Christ. We were baptized first of all to show His death.

4 W e were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.

We were buried in baptism as Christ was buried in death. As Christ was raised from the dead by the great power of God, so we will have new life also.

5 F or if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection;

If we have become one with Christ in His death, we will be one with Him in being raised from the dead to new life.

6 k nowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin;

We know that our old life, our old sinful self, was nailed to the cross with Christ. And so the power of sin that held us was destroyed. Sin is no longer our boss.

7 f or he that hath died is justified from sin.

When a man is dead, he is free from the power of sin.

8 B ut if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him;

And if we have died with Christ, we believe we will live with Him also.

9 k nowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him.

We know that Christ was raised from the dead. He will never die again. Death has no more power over Him.

10 F or the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

He died once but now lives. He died to break the power of sin, and the life He now lives is for God.

11 E ven so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.

You must do the same thing! Think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But now you have new life because of Jesus Christ our Lord. You are living this new life for God.

12 L et not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof:

So do not let sin have power over your body here on earth. You must not obey the body and let it do what it wants to do.

13 n either present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Do not give any part of your body for sinful use. Instead, give yourself to God as a living person who has been raised from the dead. Give every part of your body to God to do what is right.

14 F or sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.

Sin must not have power over you. You are not living by the Law. You have life because of God’s loving-favor.

15 W hat then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid.

What are we to do then? Are we to sin because we have God’s loving-favor and are not living by the Law? No, not at all!

16 K now 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?

Do you not know that when you give yourself as a servant to be owned by someone, that one becomes your owner? If you give yourself to sin, the end is death. If you give yourself to God, the end is being right with Him.

17 B ut thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered;

At one time you were held by the power of sin. But now you obey with all your heart the teaching that was given to you. Thank God for this!

18 a nd being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.

You were made free from the power of sin. Being right with God has power over you now.

19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification.

I speak with words easy to understand because your human thinking is weak. At one time you gave yourselves over to the power of sin. You kept on sinning all the more. Now give yourselves over to being right with God. Set yourself apart for God-like living and to do His work.

20 F or when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness.

When sin had power over your life, you were not right with God.

21 W hat fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

What good did you get from the things you are ashamed of now? Those things bring death.

22 B ut now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.

But now you are free from the power of sin. You have become a servant for God. Your life is set apart for God-like living. The end is life that lasts forever.

23 F or the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You get what is coming to you when you sin. It is death! But God’s free gift is life that lasts forever. It is given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.