Romans 6 · Verse 20

Romans 6:20

For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

Romans 6:20, King James Version

Romans 6:20 in other translations

BSB	For when you were slaves to sin, you were free of obligation to righteousness.
WEB	For when you were servants of sin, you were free from righteousness.
ASV	For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness.
YLT	for when ye were servants of the sin, ye were free from the righteousness,
DARBY	For when ye were bondmen of sin ye were free from righteousness.
BBE	When you were servants of sin you were free from righteousness.
Webster	For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

What does Romans 6:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

20. For when ye were the servants--"were servants" of Sin, ye were free from--rather, "in respect of" Righteousness--Difficulties have been made about this clause where none exist. The import of it seems clearly to be this:--"Since no servant can serve two masters, much less where their interests come into deadly collision, and each demands the whole man, so, while ye were in the service of Sin ye were in no proper sense the servants of Righteousness, and never did it one act of real service: whatever might be your conviction of the claims of Righteousness, your real services were all and always given to Sin: Thus had ye full proof of the nature and advantages of Sin's service." The searching question with which this is followed up, shows that this is the meaning.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 20. Ye were free from righteousness. That is, in your former state, you were not at all under the influence of righteousness. You were entirely devoted to sin; a strong expression of total depravity. It settles the question; and proves that they had no native goodness. The argument which is implied here, rather than expressed, is, that now they ought to be equally free from sin, since they had become released from their former bondage, and had become the servants of another master.

(b) "servants of sin" Rom 6:16 (1) "from" or, "to"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 20 Ye were free from righteousness - These two servitudes are incompatible; if we cannot serve God and Mammon, surely we cannot serve Christ and Satan. We must be either sinners or saints; God's servants or the devil's slaves. It cannot be as a good mistaken man has endeavored to sing: - "To good and evil equal bent, I'm both a devil and a saint." I know not whether it be possible to paint the utter prevalence of sin in stronger colors than the apostle does here, by saying they were Free from righteousness. It seems tantamount to that expression in Genesis, Gen 6:5, where, speaking of the total degeneracy of the human race, the writer says, Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. They were all corrupt; they were altogether abominable: there was none that did good; no, not one.

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…

Read the full comment on Romans 6:16-20 →

Romans 6:20 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.

ὅτεhoteWhenG3753

γὰρgarforG1063

δοῦλοιdouloislavesG1401

ἦτεēteyou wereG1510

τῆςtēs<the>G3588

ἁμαρτίας,hamartiasof sin,G266

ἐλεύθεροιeleutheroifreeG1658

ἦτεēteyou wereG1510

τῇtēa<the>G3588

δικαιοσύνῃ.dikaiosunēfrom righteousness.G1343

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

Cross references for Romans 6:20

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.
John 8:34
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the servants.
16,17; Joh 8:34
from. Gr. to.

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

Context

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 6:21
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

Read all of Romans 6

Romans 6:20 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque cuando fuisteis siervos del pecado, erais libres acerca de la justicia.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Car lorsque vous étiez esclaves du péché, vous étiez libres à l’égard de la justice.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn als ihr Sklaven der Sünde waret, da waret ihr Freie von der Gerechtigkeit.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Cum enim servi essetis peccati, liberi fuistis justitiæ.