Romans 6 · Verse 16

Romans 6:16

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?

Romans 6:16, King James Version

Romans 6:16 in other translations

BSB	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?
WEB	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?
ASV	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?
YLT	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?
DARBY	Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves bondmen for obedience, ye are bondmen to him whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
BBE	Are you not conscious that you are the servants of him to whom you give yourselves to do his desire? if to sin, the end being death, or if to do the desire of God, the end being righteousness.
Webster	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?

What does Romans 6:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 6:15-16

15-16. What then? ... Know ye not--it is a dictate of common sense.

Read the full comment on Romans 6:15-16 →

Barnes' Notes

Verse 16. Know ye not, etc. The objection noticed in Rom 6:15 the apostle answers by a reference to the known laws of servitude or slavery, (Rom 6:16-20,) and by showing that Christians, who had been the slaves of sin, have now become the servants of righteousness, and were therefore bound by the proper laws of servitude to obey their new master; as if he had said, "I assume that you know; you are acquainted with the laws of servitude; you know what is required in such cases." This would be known to all who had been either masters or slaves, or who had observed the usual laws and obligations of servitude.

To whom ye yield yourselves. To whom ye give up yourselves for servitude or obedience. The apostle here refers to voluntary servitude; but where this existed, the power of the master over the time and services of the servant was absolute. The argument of the apostle is, that Christians had become the voluntary servants of God, and were therefore bound to obey him entirely. Servitude among the ancients, whether voluntary or involuntary, was rigid, and gave the master an absolute right over his slave, Lk 17:9, Jn 8:34, 15:15.

To obey. To be obedient; or for the purpose of obeying his commands.

To whom ye obey. To whom ye come under subjection. That is, you are bound to obey his requirements.

Whether of sin. The general law of servitude the apostle now applies to the case before him. If men became the servants of sin, if they gave themselves to its indulgence, they would obey it, let the consequences be what they might. Even with death, and ruin, and condemnation before them, they would obey sin. They give indulgence to their evil passions and desires, and follow them as obedient servants, even if they lead them down to hell. Whatever be the consequences of sin, yet he who yields to it must abide by them, even if it leads him down to death and eternal woe.

Or of obedience, etc. The same law exists in regard to holiness or obedience. The man who becomes the servant of holiness will feel himself bound by the law of servitude to obey, and to pursue it to its regular consequences.

Unto righteousness. Unto justification; that is, unto eternal life. The expression stands contrasted with "death," and doubtless means that he who thus becomes the voluntary servant of holiness will feel himself bound to obey it, unto complete and eternal justification and life. Comp. Rom 6:21,22. The argument is drawn from what the Christian would feel of the nature of obligation. He would obey him to whom he had devoted himself.

(y) "whom ye yield" Jn 8:34, 2Pet 2:19

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 16 To whom ye yield yourselves - Can you suppose that you should continue to be the servants of Christ if ye give way to sin? Is he not the master who exacts the service, and to whom the service is performed? Sin is the service of Satan; righteousness the service of Christ. If ye sin ye are the servants of Satan, and not the servants of God. The word δουλος, which we translate servant, properly signifies slave; and a slave among the Greeks and Romans was considered as his master's property, and he might dispose of him as he pleased. Under a bad master, the lot of the slave was most oppressive and dreadful; his ease and comfort were never consulted; he was treated worse than a beast; and, in many cases, his life hung on the mere caprice of the master. This state is the state of every poor, miserable sinner; he is the slave of Satan, and his own evil lusts and appetites are his most cruel task-masters. The same word is applied to the servants of Christ, the more forcibly to show that they are their Master's property; and that, as he is infinitely good and benevolent, therefore his service must be perfect freedom. Indeed, he exacts no obedience from them which he does not turn to their eternal advantage; for this master has no self-interest to secure. See on Rom 1:1 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 6:16-20

Every man is the servant of the master to whose commands he yields himself; whether it be the sinful dispositions of his heart, in actions which lead to death, or the new and spiritual obedience implanted by regeneration. The apostle rejoiced now they obeyed from the heart the gospel, into which they were delivered as into a mould. As the same metal becomes a new vessel, when melted and recast in another mould, so the believer has become a new creature. And there is great difference in the liberty of mind and spirit, so opposite to the state of slavery, which the true Christian has in the service of his rightful Lord, whom he is enabled to consider as his Father, and himself as his son and heir, by the adoption of grace. The dominion of sin consists in being willingly slaves thereto, not in being harassed by it as a hated power, struggling for victory. Those who now are the servants of God, once were the slaves of sin.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Romans 6:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οὐκoukNotG3756

οἴδατεoidateknow you

ὅτιhotithatG3754

ᾧhōto whomG3739

παριστάνετεparistaneteyou yieldG3936

ἑαυτοὺςhe'autousyourselvesG1438

δούλουςdoulous[as] slavesG1401

εἰςeisforG1519

ὑπακοήν,hupakoēnobedience,G5218

δοῦλοίdouloislavesG1401

ἐστεesteyou areG1510

ᾧhōto him whomG3739

ὑπακούετε,hupakoueteyou obey,G5219

ἤτοιētoiwhetherG2273

ἁμαρτίαςhamartiasof sinG266

εἰςeistoG1519

θάνατονthanatondeathG2288

ἢēorG2228

ὑπακοῆςhupakoēsof obedienceG5218

εἰςeistoG1519

δικαιοσύνην;dikaiosunēnrighteousness?G1343

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 6:16

John 8:34
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
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.
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.
2 Peter 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
Romans 6:12-13
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 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.
Romans 6:19-23
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. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. …
Romans 6:17
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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Know.
3
to whom.
13; Jos 24:15; Mt 6:24; Joh 8:34; 2Pe 2:19
whether of sin.
12,17,19-23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Romans 6:15
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Romans 6:16
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?
Romans 6:17
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.

Read all of Romans 6

Romans 6:16 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¿No sabéis que á quien os prestáis vosotros mismos por siervos para obedecer le, sois siervos de aquel á quien obedecéis, ó del pecado para muerte, ó de la obediencia para justicia?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Ne savez-vous pas qu’à quiconque vous vous livrez vous-mêmes comme esclaves pour obéir, vous êtes esclaves de celui à qui vous obéissez, soit du péché pour la mort, soit de l’obéissance pour la justice.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wisset ihr nicht, daß, wem ihr euch darstellet als Sklaven zum Gehorsam, ihr dessen Sklaven seid, dem ihr gehorchet? entweder der Sünde zum Tode, oder des Gehorsams zur Gerechtigkeit?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Nescitis quoniam cui exhibetis vos servos ad obediendum, servi estis ejus, cui obeditis, sive peccati ad mortem, sive obeditionis ad justitiam?