Dead to Sin but Alive in Union with Christ
1 What shall we say, then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God's grace will increase? 2 Certainly not! We have died to sin—how then can we go on living in it? 3 For surely you know that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, we were baptized into union with his death. 4 By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.
5 For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was. 6 And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. 7 For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin. 8 Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again—death will no longer rule over him. 10 And so, because he died, sin has no power over him; and now he lives his life in fellowship with God. 11 In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.
12 Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self. 13 Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes. 14 Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under God's grace.
Slaves of Righteousness
15 What, then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law but under God's grace? By no means! 16 Surely you know that when you surrender yourselves as slaves to obey someone, you are in fact the slaves of the master you obey—either of sin, which results in death, or of obedience, which results in being put right with God. 17 But thanks be to God! For though at one time you were slaves to sin, you have obeyed with all your heart the truths found in the teaching you received. 18 You were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness. 19 (I use everyday language because of the weakness of your natural selves.) At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes.
20 When you were the slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. 21 What did you gain from doing the things that you are now ashamed of? The result of those things is death! 22 But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life. 23 For sin pays its wage—death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Ko lai nu sakām? Vai paliksim grēkā, lai vairojas žēlastība? Nekādā ziņā ne! 2 Kā lai mēs, kas grēkam esam miruši, vēl dzīvojam tajā? 3 Jeb vai jums nav zināms, ka mēs visi, kas Jēzus Kristus Vārdā esam kristīti, esam iegremdēti Viņa nāvē? 4 Jo mēs līdz ar Viņu kristībā esam aprakti nāvē, lai, tāpat kā Kristus Sava Tēva godības spēkā uzcelts no mirušiem, arī mēs dzīvotu atjaunotā dzīvē. 5 Jo, ja mēs Viņam esam kļuvuši līdzīgi nāvē, mēs būsim tādi arī augšāmcelšanā. 6 Jo mēs saprotam, ka mūsu vecais cilvēks ticis līdzi krustā sists, lai tiktu iznīcināta grēkam pakļautā miesa un lai mēs vairs nekalpotu grēkam, 7 jo, kas nomiris, tas ir taisnots no grēka. 8 Bet, ja mēs ar Kristu esam miruši, tad mēs - tāda ir mūsu ticība - arī dzīvosim kopā ar Viņu. 9 Jo mēs zinām, ka no mirušiem uzmodinātais Kristus vairs nemirst: nāvei nav vairs varas pār Viņu, 10 jo mirdams Viņš reiz par visām reizēm nomiris grēkam, bet, dzīvs būdams, Viņš dzīvo Dievam. 11 Tāpat spriediet arī jūs pār sevi, ka esat miruši grēkam, bet Jēzū Kristū dzīvojat Dievam. 12 Tāpēc lai grēks nevalda jūsu mirstīgajā miesā! Neklausait vairs viņas iekārēm! 13 Nenododiet arī savus locekļus par netaisnības ieročiem grēkam, bet nododiet sevi pašus Dievam kā tādi, kas no mirušiem kļuvuši dzīvi, un savus locekļus par taisnības ieročiem Dievam. 14 Tad grēks vairs nebūs jūsu kungs; jo jūs neesat padoti bauslībai, bet žēlastībai. 15 Ko nu tālāk? Vai lai grēkojam, tāpēc ka neesam padoti bauslībai, bet žēlastībai? Nekādā ziņā ne! 16 Vai nezināt, ka tam, kam jūs sevi nododat par paklausīgiem kalpiem, jums arī kā kalpiem jāklausa, vai nu grēkam uz nāvi, vai paklausībai Dievam - uz taisnību. 17 Bet pateicība Dievam, ka jūs, kas bijāt grēka vergi, no sirds esat kļuvuši paklausīgi tai mācībai, kurā esat mācīti, 18 un, no grēka atsvabināti, kalpojat taisnībai. 19 Es runāju cilvēcīgi jūsu cilvēcīgās vājības dēļ, jo, tāpat kā jūs senāk savus locekļus bijāt nodevuši par vergiem netikumībai un netaisnībai, kalpodami netaisnībai, tā tagad nododiet savus locekļus par kalpiem taisnībai, lai kļūtu svēti. 20 Jo, kamēr jūs bijāt grēka vergi, jūs neklausījāt taisnībai. 21 Kādi bija jūsu toreizējās dzīves augļi? Tādi, par kuriem jums tagad jākaunas! Viņu gals ir nāve! 22 Bet tagad, kad jūs esat atsvabināti no grēka un esat kļuvuši par Dieva kalpiem, jūsu ieguvums ir svēttapšana un tās gals - mūžīga dzīvība. 23 Tātad grēka alga ir nāve, bet Dieva balva ir mūžīga dzīvība Kristū Jēzū, mūsu Kungā.
