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Romans 6:19

I am speaking in [familiar] human terms because of your natural limitations [your spiritual immaturity]. For just as you presented your bodily members as slaves to impurity and to [moral] lawlessness, leading to further lawlessness, so now offer your members [your abilities, your talents] as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification [that is, being set apart for God's purpose].

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Consecration;   Depravity of Man;   Holiness;   Regeneration;   Righteous;   Righteousness;   Servant;   Thompson Chain Reference - Chastity-Impurity;   Defilement-Cleansing;   Filthiness;   Impurity;   Iniquity;   The Topic Concordance - Servants;   Sin;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Doctrines of the Gospel, the;   Fall of Man, the;   Holiness;   Human Nature of Christ, the;   Righteousness;   Servants;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Freedom;   Holiness;   Paul;   Righteousness;   Sanctification;   Slave;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Body;   Freedom;   Lawlessness;   Philippians, Theology of;   Sanctification;   Spirituality;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Flesh;   Holiness;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Antinomianism;   Flesh;   Freedom;   Human Free Will;   Romans, Book of;   Sanctification;   Slave/servant;   Wrath, Wrath of God;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Holiness;   Redeemer, Redemption;   Romans, Epistle to the;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   Sin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Body;   Debt, Debtor;   Discipline;   Regeneration;   Righteousness;   Sanctification;   Sin (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Liberty;   Sanctification;   6 Holiness Sanctification;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Illyr'icum,;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Essenes, the;   Flesh;   Infirmity;   Member;   Uncleanness;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 10;   My Utmost for His Highest - Devotion for October 9;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
I use this example from everyday life because you need help in understanding spiritual truths. In the past you offered the parts of your body to be slaves to your immoral and sinful thoughts. The result was that you lived only for sin. In the same way, you must now offer yourselves to be slaves to what is right. Then you will live only for God.
Revised Standard Version
I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I will speake grossly because of the infirmitie of youre flesshe. As ye have geve youre membres servauntes to vnclennes and to iniquitie fro iniquitie vnto iniquitie: even so nowe geve youre membres servantes vnto rightewesnes yt ye maye be sanctified.
Hebrew Names Version
I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.
International Standard Version
I am speaking in human terms because of the frailty of your flesh. Just as you once offered the parts of your bodyyour members">[fn] as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater disobedience, so now, in the same way, you must offer the parts of your bodyyour members">[fn] as slaves to righteousness that leads to sanctification.
New American Standard Bible
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your body's parts as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
New Century Version
I use this example because this is hard for you to understand. In the past you offered the parts of your body to be slaves to sin and evil; you lived only for evil. In the same way now you must give yourselves to be slaves of goodness. Then you will live only for God.
Update Bible Version
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as you presented your members [as] slaves to impurity and to iniquity to iniquity, even so now present your members [as] slaves to righteousness to sanctification.
Webster's Bible Translation
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, to ([work]) iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, to ([work]) holiness.
English Standard Version
I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
World English Bible
I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I speak as a man, because of the weakness of your flesh. As ye have presented your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity, unto iniquity, so now present your members servants of righteousness, unto holiness.
Weymouth's New Testament
your human infirmity leads me to employ these familiar figures--and just as you once surrendered your faculties into bondage to Impurity and ever-increasing disregard of Law, so you must now surrender them into bondage to Righteousness ever advancing towards perfect holiness.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y seie that thing that is of man, for the vnstidefastnesse of youre fleisch. But as ye han youun youre membris to serue to vnclennesse, and to wickidnesse `in to wickidnesse, so now yyue ye youre membris to serue to riytwisnesse in to hoolynesse.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
Contemporary English Version
I am using these everyday examples, because in some ways you are still weak. You used to let the different parts of your body be slaves of your evil thoughts. But now you must make every part of your body serve God, so that you will belong completely to him.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
I am using words in the way of men, because your flesh is feeble: as you gave your bodies as servants to what is unclean, and to evil to do evil, so now give them as servants to righteousness to do what is holy.
Complete Jewish Bible
(I am using popular language because your human nature is so weak.) For just as you used to offer your various parts as slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led to more lawlessness; so now offer your various parts as slaves to righteousness, which leads to being made holy, set apart for God.
Darby Translation
I speak humanly on account of the weakness of your flesh. For even as ye have yielded your members in bondage to uncleanness and to lawlessness unto lawlessness, so now yield your members in bondage to righteousness unto holiness.
Etheridge Translation
As among men I speak, because of the infirmity of your flesh, that as you have prepared your members for the service of uncleanness and of iniquity, so also now prepare ye your members for the service of righteousness and of holiness.
Murdock Translation
-(I speak as among men, because of the infirmity of your flesh.)-As ye [fn] gave up your members to the servitude of pollution and iniquity, so also now give ye up your members to the servitude of righteousness and sanctity.
King James Version (1611)
I speake after the maner of men, because of the infirmitie of your flesh: for as yee haue yeelded your members seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquitie, vnto iniquitie: euen so now yeelde your members seruants to righteousnesse, vnto holinesse.
New Living Translation
Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
New Life Bible
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.
New Revised Standard
I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
Geneva Bible (1587)
I speake after the maner of man, because of the infirmitie of your flesh: for as yee haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannes and to iniquitie, to commit iniquitie, so now giue your mebers seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse.
George Lamsa Translation
I speak after the manner of men because of the weakness of your flesh: for as you have yielded your members to the servitude of uncleanness and iniquity, so now yield your members to the servitude of righteousness and holiness.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In human fashion am I speaking, because of the weakness of your flesh; - for, just as ye presented your members as servants unto impurity and unto lawlessness for lawlessness, so now, present ye your members as servants unto righteousness for sanctification.
Douay-Rheims Bible
I speak an human thing, because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity, unto iniquity: so now yield your members to serve justice, unto sanctification.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I speake after the maner of men, because of the infirmitie of your fleshe. As ye haue geuen your members seruauntes to vncleannesse and iniquitie, vnto iniquitie: euen so nowe geue your members seruauntes to righteousnesse, vnto holynesse.
Good News Translation
(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.
Christian Standard Bible®
I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
(I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you presented your members as slaves to immorality and lawlessness, leading to lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification.
Literal Translation
I speak as a man on account of the weakness of your flesh. For as you presented your members as slaves to uncleanness and to lawless act unto lawless act, so now yield your members as slaves to righteousness unto sanctification.
Young's Literal Translation
In the manner of men I speak, because of the weakness of your flesh, for even as ye did present your members servants to the uncleanness and to the lawlessness -- to the lawlessness, so now present your members servants to the righteousness -- to sanctification,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I wil speake grosly, because of the weaknes of youre flesh. Like as ye haue geuen ouer youre membres to the seruyce of vnclennesse, from one wickednesse to another: Eue so now also geue ouer youre membres to the seruyce of righteousnesse, that they maye be holy.
Mace New Testament (1729)
(I allude to civil affairs, because of your unacquaintedness with spiritual matters:) as then you made your natural faculties subservient to impurity, and all manner of vice; make them now subservient to virtue and holiness.
THE MESSAGE
I'm using this freedom language because it's easy to picture. You can readily recall, can't you, how at one time the more you did just what you felt like doing—not caring about others, not caring about God—the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is it now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness?
New English Translation
(I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
New King James Version
I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I'm using cowboy lingo because I don't want you to say fancy words tripped you up. At one point, we were all hands in sin's outfit. But now, we ride for the Lord and are slaves of his for his good purposes.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
Legacy Standard Bible
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, leading to further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification.

Contextual Overview

1What shall we say [to all this]? Should we continue in sin and practice sin as a habit so that [God's gift of] grace may increase and overflow? 2Certainly not! How can we, the very ones who died to sin, continue to live in it any longer? 3Or are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4We have therefore been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory and power of the Father, we too might walk habitually in newness of life [abandoning our old ways]. 5For if we have become one with Him [permanently united] in the likeness of His death, we will also certainly be [one with Him and share fully] in the likeness of His resurrection. 6We know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. 7For the person who has died [with Christ] has been freed from [the power of] sin. 8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live [together] with Him, 9because we know [the self-evident truth] that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has power over Him. 10For the death that He died, He died to sin [ending its power and paying the sinner's debt] once and for all; and the life that He lives, He lives to [glorify] God [in unbroken fellowship with Him].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I speak: Romans 3:5, 1 Corinthians 9:8, 1 Corinthians 15:32, Galatians 3:15

because: Romans 8:26, Romans 15:1, Hebrews 4:15

for as ye: Romans 6:13, Romans 6:17, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 2:3, Colossians 3:5-7, 1 Peter 4:2-4

unto iniquity: Romans 6:16, 1 Corinthians 5:6, 1 Corinthians 15:33, 2 Timothy 2:16, 2 Timothy 2:17, Hebrews 12:15

now yield: Romans 6:13

unto holiness: Romans 6:22

Reciprocal: Leviticus 8:23 - Moses took Leviticus 13:40 - hair is fallen off his head Leviticus 14:14 - General 1 Kings 21:25 - sell himself Psalms 63:3 - lips Isaiah 55:13 - of the thorn Zechariah 8:6 - should Luke 15:16 - he would John 8:34 - Whosoever Romans 6:4 - even Romans 6:18 - servants Romans 7:5 - members Romans 7:6 - serve Romans 7:23 - members Romans 12:1 - that ye 1 Corinthians 6:20 - God 1 Corinthians 9:27 - and 2 Corinthians 5:10 - in Philippians 1:20 - Christ Colossians 3:7 - General 1 Thessalonians 4:4 - should Titus 2:12 - denying Hebrews 13:15 - the fruit

Cross-References

Genesis 6:2
that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and desirable; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose and desired.
Genesis 6:3
Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive and remain with man forever, because he is indeed flesh [sinful, corrupt—given over to sensual appetites]; nevertheless his days shall yet be a hundred and twenty years."
Genesis 6:8
But Noah found favor and grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Genesis 6:9
These are the records of the generations (family history) of Noah. Noah was a righteous man [one who was just and had right standing with God], blameless in his [evil] generation; Noah walked (lived) [in habitual fellowship] with God.
Genesis 6:15
"This is the way you are to make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits (450' x 75' x 45').
Genesis 6:16
"You shall make a window [for light and ventilation] for the ark, and finish it to at least a cubit (eighteen inches) from the top—and set the [entry] door of the ark in its side; and you shall make it with lower, second and third decks.
Genesis 8:17
"Bring out with you every living thing from all flesh—birds and animals and every crawling thing that crawls on the earth—that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth."
Psalms 36:6
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, Your judgments are like the great deep. O LORD, You preserve man and beast.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I speak after the manner of men,.... This refers either to what the apostle had said already concerning service and liberty, things which were known among men, and easy to be understood; or to the following exhortation: what he was about to say, he delivered in a manner suited to their understandings, and was ανθρωπινον, "that which was human"; not angelic, or what required the power, purity, and perfection of angels; or what was unreasonable or impossible, but what was their reasonable service, as men; and might be done through the grace of God, in the strength of Christ, and by the assistance of the Spirit: and though he might have insisted upon it with good reason, that they ought to be more diligent and industrious in the service of God than they had been in the service of sin; yet

because of the infirmity of their flesh, considering that they had flesh, or corrupt nature, and were attended with weakness in knowledge, faith, and obedience; he only pressed this upon them, that in like manner as they had been servants to sin, they would be servants to righteousness:

for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; what they yielded to the service of sin were their "members"; by which, as before, may be meant, either the powers and faculties of their souls, or the parts and members of their bodies, or both; and particularly the latter, as the eyes and ears, the tongue, the mouth, the hands, and feet, which are all employed by a natural man in the drudgery of sin: these are yielded to sin under the form and character of "servants"; and as such are governed, directed, and ordered to fulfil this and the other lust, which is done willingly and readily: these members are "yielded", presented, and given up cheerfully to this slavery; which is both scandalous and unrighteous: it is "to uncleanness"; which designs all sorts of pollution and filthiness, both of flesh and spirit: "and to iniquity"; everything that is contrary to the law, all unrighteousness and ungodliness; and it is added, "unto iniquity"; which may design all sorts of sin, a progress in it, adding continually to it; which shows them to have been thorough hearty servants of sin. Now what the apostle exhorts to, and requires of them, is, that

even so now they would yield their members servants to righteousness unto holiness; that is, let the same members that have been employed in the service of sin, be made use of in the service of righteousness: let your eyes be employed in looking and diligently searching into the Scriptures of truth; your ears in hearing the Gospel preached; your lips, mouth, and tongue, in expressing the praises of God, for what he has done for you; your hands in distributing to the interest of religion, and the necessities of the saints; and your feet in hastening to attend on public worship, and observe the testimonies of the Lord: let them be employed under the same form and character as servants, waiting upon the Lord, ready to fulfil his will; and in the same manner, freely, willingly, and cheerfully, and that constantly and universally, in all acts of righteousness and holiness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I speak after the manner of men - I speak as people usually speak; or I draw an illustration from common life, in order to make myself better understood.

Because of the infirmity of your flesh - The word “infirmity” means weakness, feebleness; and is opposed to vigor and strength. The word “flesh” is used often to denote the corrupt passions of people; but it may refer here to their intellect, or understanding; “Because of your imperfection of spiritual knowledge; or incapacity to discern arguments and illustrations that would be more strictly spiritual in their character.” This dimness or feebleness had been caused by long indulgence in sinful passions, and by the blinding influence which such passions have on the mind. The sense here is, “I use an illustration drawn from common affairs, from the well-known relations of master and slave, because you will better see the force of such an illustration with which you have been familiar, than you would one that would be more abstract, and more strictly spiritual.” It is a kind of apology for drawing an illustration from the relation of master and slave.

For as ye have yielded - Note, Romans 6:13. Servants to uncleanness. Have been in bondage to impurity. The word “uncleanness” here refers to impurity of life in any form; to the degraded passions that were common among the heathen; see Romans 1:0.

And to iniquity - Transgression of law.

Unto iniquity - For the purpose of committing iniquity. It implies that they had done it in an excessive degree. It is well for Christians to be reminded of their former lives, to awaken repentance, to excite gratitude, to produce humility and a firmer purpose to live to the honor of God. This is the use which the apostle here makes of it.

Unto holiness - In order to practice holiness. Let the surrender of your members to holiness be as sincere and as unqualified as the surrender was to sin. This is all that is required of Christians. Before conversion they were wholly given to sin; after conversion they should be wholly given to God. If all Christians would employ the same energies in advancing the kingdom of God that they have in promoting the kingdom, of Satan, the church would rise with dignity and grandeur, and every continent and island would soon feel the movement. No requirement is more reasonable than this; and it should be a source of lamentation and mourning with Christians that it is not so; that they have employed so mighty energies in the cause of Satan, and do so little in the service of God. This argument for energy in the divine life, the apostle proceeds further to illustrate by comparing the rewards obtained in the two kinds of servitude, that of the world, and of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 6:19. I speak after the manner of men — This phrase is often used by the Greek writers to signify what was easy to be comprehended; what was ad captum vulgi, level with common understandings, delivered in a popular style; what was different from the high flights of the poets, and the studied sublime obscurity of the philosophers.

Because of the infirmity of your flesh — As if he had said: I make use of metaphors and figures connected with well-known natural things; with your trades and situation in life; because of your inexperience in heavenly things, of which ye are only just beginning to know the nature and the names.

Servants to uncleanness, &c.] These different expressions show how deeply immersed in and enslaved by sin these Gentiles were before their conversion to Christianity. Several of the particulars are given in the first chapter of this epistle.


 
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