When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.
Parallel translations
- WEB For when you were servants of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
- KJV For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
- BSB For when you were slaves to sin, you were free of obligation to righteousness.
- NKJV For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
- NASB For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in relation to righteousness.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When enslaved to sin, people are 'free' only in the sense of being unrestrained by righteousness. Such freedom is in reality a deadly bondage.
Overview
Paul exposes the false freedom of the unconverted life: free from righteousness's claims, yet wholly captive to sin. This ironic 'freedom' produced nothing good and led only to shame and death. The verse underscores that everyone serves something, and life apart from God is no true liberty.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Rom 6:16–17Don’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?
- John 8:34Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 6:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.