Dead to Sin but Alive in Christ
6 ·So [L What then shall we say?] ·do you think we should [L shall we] continue sinning so that ·God will give us even more grace [L grace may increase/T abound]? 2 ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; 3:31]! We died to ·our old sinful lives [L sin], so how can we continue living ·with [or in] sin? 3 ·Did you forget [or Don’t you know] that all of us who ·became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized [L were baptized into Christ Jesus] ·shared his death in that baptism [or participated in his death through that baptism; L were baptized into his death]. 4 [L Therefore] When we were baptized, we were buried with Christ ·and shared his [and participated in his; L into] death. So, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the ·wonderful power [glorious power; L glory] of the Father, we also can live a new life.
5 Christ died, and we have been ·joined with [united with; grafted into] him ·by dying too [or by participating in his death; L in the likeness of his death]. So we will also be ·joined with [united with; grafted into] him by rising from the dead as he did. 6 We know that our old ·life [self; L person] died with Christ on the cross so that our ·sinful selves [or body controlled by sin; L body of sin] would have no power over us and we would not be slaves to sin. 7 Anyone who has died is ·made free [justified; declared righteous] from ·sin’s control [L sin].
8 [L Now; But] If we died with Christ, we ·know [have confidence; believe] we will also live with him. 9 Christ was raised from the dead, and we know that he cannot die again. Death has no ·power [mastery; dominion] over him now. 10 ·Yes [L For; Because], when Christ died, he died ·to defeat the power of sin [to take away sin; or with reference to sin] ·one time—enough for all time [once for all; Heb. 7:27]. [L But] He now has a new life, and his new life is ·with [or for the glory of; or with reference to] God. 11 In the same way, you should ·see [count; consider] yourselves as being dead to ·the power of sin [L sin] and alive ·with [to; with reference to] God ·through [or in; in union with] Christ Jesus.
12 So, do not let sin ·control your life [L reign; rule over you] ·here on earth [L in your mortal body] so that you ·do what your sinful self wants to do [L obey/submit to its (evil/sinful) desires]. 13 Do not offer ·the parts of your body [or any part of yourself; L your parts/members] to serve sin, as ·things to be used in doing [L instruments/weapons of] ·evil [unrighteousness; injustice]. Instead, offer yourselves to God as people who have died and now live. Offer ·the parts of your body [or every part of yourself; L your parts/members] to God ·to be used in doing good [L as instruments/weapons of righteousness/justice]. 14 [L For] Sin will not ·be your master [exercise dominion/power over you], because you are not under law but under God’s grace.
Be Slaves of Righteousness
15 ·So what should we do [L What then; 3:9]? Should we sin because we are under grace and not under law? ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; v. 2]! 16 ·Surely you know [L Don’t you know…?] that when you submit yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, ·the person you obey is your master [L you are slaves to the one you obey]. [L Either] You can ·follow [be slaves to] sin, which brings ·spiritual death [L death], or you can ·obey God [L (be slaves) to obedience], which ·makes you right with him [leads to righteousness]. 17 In the past ·sin controlled you [L you were slaves to sin]. But thank God, you ·fully obeyed [L obeyed from the heart] the ·things [accepted/orthodox teaching; L example/pattern of teaching] ·that you were taught [or that have claimed your allegiance; L to which you were delivered/entrusted]. 18 You were set free from sin, and now you are slaves to ·goodness [righteousness]. 19 I use ·this example [or an analogy from everyday life; or an inadequate human illustration (like slavery)] because ·this is hard for you to understand [L of the limitations/weakness of your human nature/flesh]. In the past you offered ·the parts of your body [or yourselves; L your parts/members] to be slaves to ·sin [impurity; defilement] and ·evil [lawlessness; wickedness]; ·you lived only for evil [or …leading to even more lawlessness/wickedness]. In the same way now you must offer ·yourselves [L your parts/members] to be slaves of ·goodness [righteousness]. ·Then you will live only for God [L …leading to holiness/sanctification].
20 [L For] When you were slaves to sin, ·goodness did not control you [L you were free (from obligation) to righteousness]. 21 And what ·was the result of [benefit/fruit did you reap from] doing those things that now make you ashamed? [L For] ·Those things only bring [L The end/result of those things is] death. 22 But now you are free from sin and have become slaves of God. This ·brings you [reaps the benefit/fruit of] ·a life that is only for God [holiness; sanctification], and ·this gives you life forever [L the end/result is eternal life]. 23 [L For; Because] The ·payment [wages] for sin is death. But God gives us the free gift of ·life forever [eternal life] in Christ Jesus our Lord.