1   What should we say then? Should we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2   Absolutely not. We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? 3   Or do you not know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4   We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5   For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; 6   knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. 7   For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8   But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him; 9   knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him. 10   For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. 11   In the same way, consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12   Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13   Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14   For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace. 15   What then? Should we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Absolutely not. 16   Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17   But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18   Being made free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19   I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as slaves to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. 20   For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21   What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22   But now, being made free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of everlasting life. 23   For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is everlasting life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This website is public domain.