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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Romans 6:18 Commentaries: and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newcom.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../vmenus/romans/6-18.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcom/romans/6-18.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/">Commentaries</a> > Romans 6:18</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../romans/6-17.htm" title="Romans 6:17">◄</a> Romans 6:18 <a href="../romans/6-19.htm" title="Romans 6:19">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/alford/romans/6.htm" title="Henry Alford - Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary">Alford</a> • <a href="/commentaries/barnes/romans/6.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/bengel/romans/6.htm" title="Bengel's Gnomen">Bengel</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/romans/6.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/romans/6.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/romans/6.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/romans/6.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/chrysostom/romans/6.htm" title="Chrysostom Homilies">Chrysostom</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/romans/6.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/romans/6.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/romans/6.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/romans/6.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/romans/6.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/egt/romans/6.htm" title="Expositor's Greek">Exp Grk</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/romans/6.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/romans/6.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/romans/6.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/romans/6.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/romans/6.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/romans/6.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/romans/6-11.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/romans/6.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/icc/romans/6.htm" title="ICC NT Commentary">ICC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/romans/6.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kelly/romans/6.htm" title="Kelly Commentary">Kelly</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/romans/6.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/romans/6.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/romans/6.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/romans/6.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/romans/6.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/meyer/romans/6.htm" title="Meyer Commentary">Meyer</a> • <a href="/commentaries/newell/romans/6.htm" title="Newell Commentary">Newell</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/romans/6.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pnt/romans/6.htm" title="People's New Testament">PNT</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/romans/6.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/romans/6.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/romans/6.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/romans/6.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/teed/romans/6.htm" title="Teed Bible Commentary">Teed</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/romans/6.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/vws/romans/6.htm" title="Vincent's Word Studies">VWS</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/romans/6.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/romans/6.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(18) <span class= "bld">Ye became the servants.</span>—Comp. “Whose service is perfect freedom,” adopted from St. Augustine.<p><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/romans/6.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>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 the believer has become a new creature. And there is great difference in the liberty of mind and spirit, so opposite to the state of slavery, which the true Christian has in the service of his rightful Lord, whom he is enabled to consider as his Father, and himself as his son and heir, by the adoption of grace. The dominion of sin consists in being willingly slaves thereto, not in being harassed by it as a hated power, struggling for victory. Those who now are the servants of God, once were the slaves of sin.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/romans/6.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>"Being then made free from sin." That is, as a master. You are not under its dominion; you are no longer its slaves. They were made free, as a servant is who is set at liberty, and who is, therefore, no longer under obligation to obey.<p>Ye became the servants ... - You became voluntarily under the dominion of righteousness; you yielded yourselves to it; and are therefore bound to be holy; compare the note at <a href="/john/8-32.htm">John 8:32</a>. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/romans/6.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>18. Being then—"And being"; it is the continuation and conclusion of the preceding sentence; not a new one.<p>made free from Sin, ye became the servants of—"servants to"<p>Righteousness—The case is one of emancipation from entire servitude to one Master to entire servitude to another, whose property we are (see on [2206]Ro 1:1). There is no middle state of personal independence; for which we were never made, and to which we have no claim. When we would not that God should reign over us, we were in righteous judgment "sold under Sin"; now being through grace "made free from Sin," it is only to become "servants to Righteousness," which is our true freedom.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/romans/6.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> <span class="bld">Made free from sin; </span> i.e. the servitude of sin; having received a manumission from that hard and evil master, you have given tap yourselves to a better and more ingenuous service. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/romans/6.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>Being then made free from sin,.... Not from a sinful nature; nor from a corrupt heart; nor from vain thoughts; nor from sinful words; nor from sinful actions altogether; but from the damning power of sin: sin brought all men under a sentence of condemnation; Christ has bore the execution of this sentence in himself for his people; hence, as considered in him, they are free from it; and such as are born again have passed from death to life, and shall never enter into condemnation: likewise, such persons are free from the guilt of sin; men are in a legal sense arraigned for sin, accused of it, and being convicted, are pronounced guilty before God; and awakened souls have a sense of it in themselves; but the blood of Christ sprinkled on their consciences frees them from it; though fresh sins committed bring fresh guilt, which requires the continual application of the blood of Jesus for pardon and cleansing: but what is chiefly designed here is freedom from the servitude of sin, as appears from the context. Now God's elect are not released voluntarily by their former masters; nor is their freedom obtained by their own power and will; but it is of God, Father, Son, and Spirit; and the Gospel is generally the means of it, and happy are those persons who are blessed with it! They are rid of a bad master; are freed from the worst of bondage; will be no more servants, as before; are delivered from the power, and out of the kingdom of darkness; are heirs of heaven, and shall enjoy the glorious liberty of the children of God: and for the time present are <p>become the servants of righteousness; servants to God, whose Gospel they obey; servants to Christ, whose righteousness they submit to; and servants to the law of righteousness, as held forth by Christ; they give up themselves to a course and life of righteousness, in which there are true honour, peace, and pleasure. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/romans/6.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2">Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.</span></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/meyer/romans/6.htm">Meyer's NT Commentary</a></div><a href="/romans/6-18.htm" title="Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.">Romans 6:18</a>. “But, freed from sin, ye have become servants of righteousness.” This is not to be regarded as the <span class="ital">conclusion</span> from the two premisses, <a href="/context/romans/6-16.htm" title="Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?...">Romans 6:16-17</a> (Rückert, Reiche), because <span class="greekheb">οὖν</span> is not used, and because substantially the same thought was already contained in <a href="/romans/6-17.htm" title="But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.">Romans 6:17</a>. Paul rather expresses once more the happy change in his readers just described; and does so in a thoughtfully chosen antithetical form, no longer however dependent on <span class="greekheb">ὁτι</span>, but independent and thus more emphatic (hence a colon is, with Lachmann, to be inserted before <span class="greekheb">ἐλευθ</span>.). But he leaves the reader to draw for himself the <span class="ital">conclusion</span>, namely: this <span class="greekheb">μὴ γένοιτο</span> is therefore fully justified.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>The <span class="greekheb">δέ</span> is the <span class="ital">autem</span> of continuation; the transition, however, is not from activity (<span class="greekheb">ὑπηκούσατε</span>) to passiveness (Hofmann, comp Th. Schott), for the latter is already given in <span class="greekheb">παρεδόθητε</span>, but from the state of the case expressed in <a href="/romans/6-17.htm" title="But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.">Romans 6:17</a> to a striking <span class="ital">specification, in a more precise form</span>, of the revolution in the relation of service, which was accomplished in them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">ἀπὸ τ</span>. <span class="greekheb">ἁμαρτ</span>.] that is, from the relation of slavery to it.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">ἐδουλ</span>. <span class="greekheb">τῇ δικαιοσ</span>.] <span class="ital">ye have been placed in the slave-relation to righteousness</span>; a representation of the complete dependence on the moral necessity of being righteous, implied in conversion. On the dative comp <a href="/1_corinthians/9-19.htm" title="For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more.">1 Corinthians 9:19</a>; <a href="/titus/2-3.htm" title="The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;">Titus 2:3</a>; <a href="/2_peter/2-19.htm" title="While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.">2 Peter 2:19</a>. <span class="ital">This</span> slavery, where the <span class="greekheb">δικαιοσύνη</span> is the mistress, is consequently the true moral freedom (<span class="greekheb">ἐλευθεροπρεπὲς δὲ ἡ ἀρετή</span>, Plat. <span class="ital">Alc.</span> <span class="ital">I.</span> p. 135 C.). Comp the similar paradox in <a href="/1_corinthians/7-22.htm" title="For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.">1 Corinthians 7:22</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/egt/romans/6.htm">Expositor's Greek Testament</a></div><a href="/romans/6-18.htm" title="Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.">Romans 6:18</a>. There is no absolute independence for man; our nature requires us to serve <span class="ital">some</span> master.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/romans/6.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">18</span>. <span class="ital">Being then</span>, &c.] This verse is a brief summary, in more direct terms, of the previous two verses. The emphasis is the reality, and immediateness, of the new servitude.—“<span class="ital">Then:</span>”—better, <span class="bld">But</span>. A slight contrast of thought is indicated, between the <span class="ital">willingness</span> of the obedience (<a href="/romans/6-17.htm" title="But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.">Romans 6:17</a>), and the consequent <span class="ital">obligation</span>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">righteousness</span>] See last note on <a href="/romans/6-16.htm" title="Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?">Romans 6:16</a>. The same reference of the word will hold good both here and there. The practical meaning thus is that pardon, as conveyed in the Divine justification, is now the (as it were) Master, the possessor of the obedience of the will; in other words, the ruling principle and motive.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/bengel/romans/6.htm">Bengel's Gnomen</a></div><a href="/romans/6-18.htm" title="Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.">Romans 6:18</a>. <span class="greekheb">Ἐλευθερωθέντες</span>, <span class="ital">being made free</span>) It will be of use to have this connected view of the plan of the apostle, up to the point which it has now reached:—<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>From this view, it is evident why Paul, in proving justification by faith alone, against those who are in doubt or error, makes frequent mention of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and of the other things, which follow as the consequences of justification. As righteousness flows from faith; adoption [sonship] accompanies righteousness; the gift of the Holy Spirit, with the cry, <span class="ital">Abba, Father</span>, and with newness of life, follows upon adoption; but faith and righteousness are not in themselves clearly perceived by sense; whereas the gift of the Holy Ghost produces very conspicuous and prominent [standing out palpable] effects; comp. [God] <span class="ital">bare them witness</span> [giving them <span class="ital">the Holy Ghost</span>] <a href="/acts/15-8.htm" title="And God, which knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did to us;">Acts 15:8</a>. Farther, the surpassing excellence of these fruits, most effectually proves the worthlessness of men’s works.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Romans 6:18<div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/romans/6-18.htm">Romans 6:18 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../romans/6-17.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Romans 6:17"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Romans 6:17" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../romans/6-19.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Romans 6:19"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Romans 6:19" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>