Miruši grēkam – dzīvi Kristū
1 Ko tad nu sacīsim? Vai paliksim grēkā, lai vairotos žēlastība? 2 Nē, taču! Mēs, kas esam nomiruši grēkam, kā lai mēs vēl dzīvojam tajā? 3 Vai tad jūs nezināt, ka mēs, kas kristīti uz Jēzu Kristu, esam kristīti uz viņa nāvi? 4 Tā mēs kristībā līdz ar viņu esam aprakti nāvē, lai tāpat kā Kristus, kas caur Tēva godību uzmodināts no mirušajiem, arī mēs staigātu jaunā dzīvē. 5 Ja mēs ar viņu esam savienoti nāves līdzībā, tad būsim ar viņu savienoti arī augšāmcelšanās līdzībā, 6 zinādami, ka vecais cilvēks mūsos ir līdz ar viņu krustā sists, lai tiktu iznīcināta grēcīgā miesa, tā ka mēs vairs nekalpojam grēkam, 7 jo tas, kas nomiris, ir attaisnots un brīvs no grēka. 8 Ja esam miruši līdz ar Kristu, mēs ticam, ka arī dzīvosim līdz ar viņu, 9 zinādami, ka no mirušiem augšāmceltais Kristus vairs nemirs. Nāve vairs nevalda pār viņu, 10 jo mirdams viņš reiz par visām reizēm ir nomiris grēkam, bet dzīvodams viņš dzīvo Dievam. 11 Tā uzskatiet arī jūs sevi kā mirušus grēkam, bet dzīvus Dievam Jēzū Kristū. 12 Lai jūsu mirstīgajā miesā vairs nevalda grēks, kas liek paklausīt tās iekārēm! 13 Neatdodiet savus locekļus grēkam par netaisnības ieročiem, bet nododiet sevi Dievam kā tādus, kas no mirušiem darīti dzīvi, un savus locekļus dodiet par taisnības ieročiem Dievam! 14 Grēks vairs nevaldīs pār jums, jo jūs neesat padoti bauslībai, bet gan žēlastībai.
Taisnības kalpi
15 Ko nu? Vai varam grēkot, ja vairs neesam padoti bauslībai, bet gan žēlastībai? Nē, taču! 16 Vai tad nezināt, ka, nodevuši sevi verdzības klausībā, jūs esat vergi tam, kam paklausāt, – vai nu grēkam, kas ved nāvē, vai paklausībai Dievam, kas ved uz taisnību. 17 Bet lai pateicība Dievam, ka, reiz būdami grēka vergi, jūs no sirds esat paklausījuši tai mācībai, kas jums nodota, 18 un, atbrīvoti no grēka, jūs paklausāt taisnībai. 19 Jūsu cilvēciskā nespēka dēļ es runāju vienkāršā cilvēku valodā. Tāpat kā jūs, ļaunu darīdami, reiz nodevāt savus locekļus kā vergus nešķīstībai un ļaundarībai, tā tagad nododiet savus locekļus kā vergus taisnībai uz svētumu. 20 Kad jūs bijāt grēka vergi, jūs nekalpojāt taisnībai. 21 Kāds tad toreiz bija jūsu auglis? Tāds, par ko jums tagad jākaunas; tas viss ved nāvē. 22 Bet tagad, kad esat atbrīvoti no grēka un kļuvuši par kalpiem Dievam, jūsu darba auglis ir svētums; tas viss ved mūžīgajā dzīvībā. 23 Jo alga par grēku ir nāve, bet Dieva dāvana ir mūžīgā dzīvība Jēzū Kristū, mūsu Kungā.
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.
