King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
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What shall we say, then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God's grace will increase?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
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Certainly not! We have died to sin - how then can we go on living in it?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
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For surely you know that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, we were baptized into union with his death.
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
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By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
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For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was.
6 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.
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And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
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For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
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Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
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For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again - death will no longer rule over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
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And so, because he died, sin has no power over him; and now he lives his life in fellowship with God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
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Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self.
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.
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Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
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Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under God's grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
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What, then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law but under God's grace? By no means!
16 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?
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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.
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
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But thanks be to God! For though at one time you were slaves to sin, you have obeyed with all your heart the truths found in the teaching you received.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
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You were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
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(I use everyday language because of the weakness of your natural selves.) At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
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When you were the slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
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What did you gain from doing the things that you are now ashamed of? The result of those things is death!
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
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But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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For sin pays its wage - death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.