Romans 6 · Verse 3

Romans 6:3

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:3, King James Version

Romans 6:3 in other translations

BSBOr aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
WEBOr don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
ASVOr are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
YLTare ye ignorant that we, as many as were baptized to Christ Jesus, to his death were baptized?
DARBYAre you ignorant that we, as many as have been baptised unto Christ Jesus, have been baptised unto his death?
BBEOr are you without the knowledge that all we who had baptism into Christ Jesus, had baptism into his death?
WebsterKnow ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death?

What does Romans 6:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ--compare 1Co 10:2. were baptized into his death?--sealed with the seal of heaven, and as it were formally entered and articled, to all the benefits and all the obligations of Christian discipleship in general, and of His death in particular. And since He was "made sin" and "a curse for us" (2Co 5:21; Ga 5:13), "bearing our sins in His own body on the tree," and "rising again for our justification" (Ro 4:25; 1Pe 2:24), our whole sinful case and condition, thus taken up into His Person, has been brought to an end in His death. Whoso, then, has been baptized into Christ's death has formally surrendered the whole state and life of sin, as in Christ a dead thing. He has sealed himself to be not only "the righteousness of God in Him," but "a new creature"; and as he cannot be in Christ to the one effect and not to the other, for they are one thing, he has bidden farewell, by baptism into Christ's death, to his entire connection with sin. "How," then, "can he live any longer therein?" The two things are as contradictory in the fact as they are in the terms.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 3. Know ye not. This is a further appeal to the Christian profession, and the principles involved in it, in answer to the objection. The simple argument in this verse and the two following is, that by our very profession made in baptism we have renounced sin, and have pledged ourselves to live to God.

So many of us, etc. All who were baptized; i.e. all professing Christians. As this renunciation of sin had been thus made by all who professed religion, so the objection could not have reference to Christianity in any manner.

Were baptized. The act of baptism denotes dedication to the service of him in whose name we are baptized. One of its designs is to dedicate or consecrate us to the service of Christ. Thus (1Cor 10:2) the Israelites are said to have been "baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;" i.e. they became consecrated, Or dedicated, or bound to him as their leader and lawgiver. In the place before us, the argument of the apostle is evidently draw from the supposition that we have been solemnly consecrated by baptism to the service of Christ; and that to sin is therefore a violation of the very nature of our Christian profession.

Into. (εις). This is the word which is used in Mt 28:19, "Teach all nations, baptizing them into (εις) the name of the Father," etc. It means, being baptized unto his service; receiving him as the Saviour and Guide, devoting all unto him and his cause.

Were baptized into his death. We were baptized with special reference to his death. Our baptism had a strong resemblance to his death. By that he became insensible to the things of the world; by baptism we in like manner become dead to sin. Farther, we are baptized with particular reference to the design of his death, the great leading feature and purpose of his work. That was to expiate sin; to free men from its power; to make them pure. We have professed our devotion to the same cause; and have solemnly consecrated ourselves to the same design--to put a period to the dominion of iniquity.

(1) "were baptized", or "are baptized" (h) "into his death" 1Cor 15:29

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Know ye not, etc. - Every man who believes the Christian religion, and receives baptism as the proof that he believes it, and has taken up the profession of it, is bound thereby to a life of righteousness. To be baptized into Christ, is to receive the doctrine of Christ crucified, and to receive baptism as a proof of the genuineness of that faith, and the obligation to live according to its precepts. Baptized into his death? - That, as Jesus Christ in his crucifixion died completely, so that no spark of the natural or animal life remained in his body, so those who profess his religion should be so completely separated and saved from sin, that they have no more connection with it, nor any more influence from it, than a dead man has with or from his departed spirit.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 6:3-10
Baptism teaches the necessity of dying to sin, and being as it were buried from all ungodly and unholy pursuits, and of rising to walk with God in newness of life. Unholy professors may have had the outward sign of a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness, but they never passed from the family of Satan to that of God. The corrupt nature, called the old man, because derived from our first father Adam, is crucified with Christ, in every true believer, by the grace derived from the cross. It is weakened and in a dying state, though it yet struggles for life, and even for victory. But the whole body of sin, whatever is not according to the holy law of God, must be done away, so that the believer may no more be the slave of sin, but live to God, and find happiness in his service.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Romans 6:3 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.

ἢēOrG2228
ἀγνοεῖτεagnoeiteare you unawareG50
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ὅσοιhosoias many asG3745
ἐβαπτίσθημενebaptisthēmenwere baptizedG907
εἰςeisintoG1519
ΧριστὸνChristonChristG5547
Ἰησοῦν,IēsounJesus,G2424
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὸνtontheG3588
θάνατονthanatondeathG2288
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
ἐβαπτίσθημεν;ebaptisthēmenwere baptized?G907

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

Cross references for Romans 6:3

  • Galatians 3:27

    For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

  • Galatians 2:20-21

    I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

  • Romans 6:8

    Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

  • 1 Corinthians 12:13

    For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

  • Romans 6:4-5

    Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

  • 1 Peter 3:21

    The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

  • Acts 2:38

    Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

  • Matthew 28:19

    Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

  • James 4:4

    Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

  • Romans 7:1

    Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

  • 1 Corinthians 9:13

    Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

  • Acts 19:5

    When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Know.
16; 7:1; 1Co 3:16; 5:6; 6:2,3,9,15,16,19; 9:13,24; 2Co 13:5; Jas 4:4
as were. or, as are.
Mt 28:19; 1Co 12:13; Ga 3:27; 1Pe 3:21
were.
4,5,8; 1Co 15:29; Ga 2:20,21

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

Context

  • Romans 6:2

    God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

  • Romans 6:3

    Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

  • Romans 6:4

    Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Read all of Romans 6

Romans 6:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿O no sabéis que todos los que somos bautizados en Cristo Jesús, somos bautizados en su muerte?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		– Ignorez-vous que nous tous qui avons été baptisés pour le christ Jésus, nous avons été baptisés pour sa mort?
German
Elberfelder 1871		oder wisset ihr nicht, daß wir, so viele auf Christum Jesum getauft worden, auf seinen Tod getauft worden sind?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		an ignoratis quia quicumque baptizati sumus in Christo Jesu, in morte ipsius baptizati sumus?