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Romans 6:1–14, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
Romans 6:1–14
Baptized into Christ's Death, Believers Walk in New Life
Baptized into Christ's death, believers walk in new life with their bodies as instruments of God.
Shall we remain in sin so that grace may increase? By no means. We died to sin. All who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death and buried with him, so that as Christ was raised we too might walk in newness of life. The old self was crucified with him so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Present yourselves to God as those brought from death to life, and your members as instruments of righteousness. Sin will not lord it over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Union with Christ is transfer of dominion, not hatred of bodies. Crucifying the old self does not authorize self-harm, bodily contempt, starvation, or personality erasure. Grace is not a license to keep serving sin.
How this should shape us
After you get out of the water, or remember that you did, give the next hour of your actual body—hands, screen, mouth, appetite—to the God who raised Jesus. Do not harm yourself in the name of dying with Christ, and do not treat grace as a pass to keep the old pattern.
Teach it back
Explain Romans 6:1–14 in your own words. Include its place in Romans, its movement, one material uncertainty, and one misuse the context rules out.
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Go deeper
The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.
Where careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties
Where do careful interpreters disagree?
Best judgment: Sacramental, covenantal, memorial, and participationist traditions differ over how baptism effects or signifies union; forensic, apocalyptic, and Orthodox readings emphasize related dimensions.
How certain? probableResearch trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Romans 6:1–14, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, and base text for original-language discussion.
Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Rom.txt, 6:1–14
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, material variants, and interpretive alternatives.
NET Bible official Romans chapter print view, 6:1–14, translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Supports: Complete evangelical Protestant whole-letter exposition, historical setting, argument flow, and theological synthesis.
Mathis, 'Romans,' introduction and commentary section covering 6:1–14, with bibliography and endnotes
Supports: Catholic exegetical orientation, salvation-history frame, concise verse notes, and faith-new-life synthesis.
USCCB, Romans introduction and chapter notes covering 6:1–14
Supports: Jewish historical context, Paul-within-Judaism alternatives, diatribe restraint, and anti-supersessionist controls.
Nanos, Jewish Annotated New Testament, first edition print pp. 253-286, introduction and annotations on 6:1–14
Supports: Abstract-level apocalyptic thesis about God's rescue of creatures from Sin and Death and renewed creaturely agency.
Gaventa, 'Places of Power in Paul's Letter to the Romans,' Interpretation 76.4 (2022), public abstract only
Supports: Orthodox-oriented participation and transformation account used alongside forensic and covenantal language in Romans 5-8.
Edwards, 'Justification, Sanctification and the Eastern Orthodox Concept of Theosis,' Consensus 14.1 (1988), complete open article
Supports: Documented ecumenical convergence and differences concerning grace, faith, renewal, good works, assurance, and judgment.
Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, 2019 edition, paragraphs 14-39 and attached denominational statements
Supports: Independent morphology, form, and lexical-range cross-check for material Greek claims.
STEP Bible Data repository, Greek morphology and lexical records for Romans 6:1–14
Sources for This Section
These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: Romans 6:1–14, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, and base text for original-language discussion.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Rom.txt, 6:1–14
Open the Romans Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible - Romans with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005-2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, material variants, and interpretive alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible official Romans chapter print view, 6:1–14, translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open NET Romans 6 notesmodern open commentary
Romans
Donny Ray Mathis II
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: Complete evangelical Protestant whole-letter exposition, historical setting, argument flow, and theological synthesis.
Exact location: Mathis, 'Romans,' introduction and commentary section covering 6:1–14, with bibliography and endnotes
Open source ↗modern catholic translation notes
The Letter to the Romans: introduction and chapter notes
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2010-2026 online edition
Supports: Catholic exegetical orientation, salvation-history frame, concise verse notes, and faith-new-life synthesis.
Exact location: USCCB, Romans introduction and chapter notes covering 6:1–14
Open source ↗modern jewish annotated new testament
Romans introduction and annotations in The Jewish Annotated New Testament
Mark D. Nanos; edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler
Oxford University Press, 2011
Supports: Jewish historical context, Paul-within-Judaism alternatives, diatribe restraint, and anti-supersessionist controls.
Exact location: Nanos, Jewish Annotated New Testament, first edition print pp. 253-286, introduction and annotations on 6:1–14
Open source ↗peer reviewed apocalyptic reading
Places of Power in Paul's Letter to the Romans
Beverly Roberts Gaventa
Interpretation 76.4, 2022
Supports: Abstract-level apocalyptic thesis about God's rescue of creatures from Sin and Death and renewed creaturely agency.
Exact location: Gaventa, 'Places of Power in Paul's Letter to the Romans,' Interpretation 76.4 (2022), public abstract only
Open source ↗ecumenical theological study
Justification, Sanctification and the Eastern Orthodox Concept of Theosis
Henry Edwards
Consensus 14.1, 1988
Supports: Orthodox-oriented participation and transformation account used alongside forensic and covenantal language in Romans 5-8.
Exact location: Edwards, 'Justification, Sanctification and the Eastern Orthodox Concept of Theosis,' Consensus 14.1 (1988), complete open article
Open source ↗modern ecumenical doctrinal dialogue
Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, twentieth-anniversary edition
Lutheran World Federation; Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; World Methodist Council; Anglican Consultative Council; World Communion of Reformed Churches
Lutheran World Federation, 2019
Supports: Documented ecumenical convergence and differences concerning grace, faith, renewal, good works, assurance, and judgment.
Exact location: Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, 2019 edition, paragraphs 14-39 and attached denominational statements
Open source ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Independent morphology, form, and lexical-range cross-check for material Greek claims.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data repository, Greek morphology and lexical records for Romans 6:1–14
Open source ↗