those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” Why does Paul use such cumbersome language? Instead of “do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness,” wouldn’t it be easier to say, “Don’t be unrighteous?” Doesn’t Paul know about succinct writing? At the end of the verse comes a similarly verbose phrase: “[Present] your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” Here again, why not just say, “Be righteous” or,