18 Therefore, as through 8one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through xone 9Man’s righteous act the free gift came yto all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by zone Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

20 Moreover athe law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace babounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

6 What shall we say then? aShall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who bdied to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that cas many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus dwere baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were eburied with Him through baptism into death, that fjust as Christ was raised from the dead by gthe glory of the Father, heven so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 iFor if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that jour old man was crucified with Him, that kthe body of sin might be 1done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For lhe who has died has been 2freed from sin. 8 Now mif we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that nChrist, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, oHe died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, pHe lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, 3reckon yourselves to be qdead indeed to sin, but ralive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 sTherefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your tmembers as 4instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but upresent yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as 4instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For vsin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God

15 What then? Shall we sin wbecause we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that xto whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart ythat form of doctrine to which you were 5delivered. 18 And zhaving been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 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 6for holiness.

20 For when you were aslaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 bWhat fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For cthe end of those things is death. 22 But now dhaving been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit 7to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For ethe wages of sin is death, but fthe 8gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.