Romans 6:19
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.
Romans 6:19 in other translations
| BSB | 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. |
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| WEB | 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. |
| ASV | 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. |
| YLT | 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--t sanctification, |
| DARBY | 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. |
| BBE | 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. |
| Webster | 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. |
What does Romans 6:19 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Because of the infirmity of your flesh. The word infirmity means weakness, feebleness; and is opposed to rigour and strength. The word flesh is used often to denote the corrupt passions of men; 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. Rom 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 Rom 1.
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 web 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 honour of God. This is the use which the apostle here makes of it.
Unto holiness. In order to practise 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.
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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…
Romans 6:19 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Romans 6:19
- Romans 6:13
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.
- 1 Peter 4:2-4
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
- Colossians 3:5-7
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
- Ephesians 2:2-3
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
- 1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
- Romans 6:16-17
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? 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.
- Romans 3:5
But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
- Galatians 3:15
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
- 1 Corinthians 5:6
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
- 2 Timothy 2:16-17
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus;
- Romans 15:1
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
- Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Romans 6:18
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
- Romans 6:19
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.
- Romans 6:20
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Romans 6:19 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Humana cosa digo, por la flaqueza de vuestra carne: que como para iniquidad presentasteis vuestros miembros á servir á la inmundicia y á la iniquidad, así ahora para santidad presentéis vuestros miembros á servir á la justicia. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | (je parle à la façon des hommes, à cause de l’infirmité de votre chair). Car ainsi que vous avez livré vos membres comme esclaves à l’impureté et à l’iniquité pour l’iniquité, ainsi livrez maintenant vos membres comme esclaves à la justice pour la sainteté. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Ich rede menschlich, wegen der Schwachheit eures Fleisches. Denn gleichwie ihr eure Glieder dargestellt habt zur Sklaverei der Unreinigkeit und der Gesetzlosigkeit zur Gesetzlosigkeit, also stellet jetzt eure Glieder dar zur Sklaverei der Gerechtigkeit zur Heiligkeit. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Humanum dico, propter infirmitatem carnis vestræ: sicut enim exhibuistis membra vestra servire immunditiæ, et iniquitati ad iniquitatem, ita nunc exhibete membra vestra servire justitiæ in sanctificationem. |