Dead to Sin but Alive in Christ

6 ·So [^LWhat then shall we say?] ·do you think we should [^Lshall we] continue sinning so that ·God will give us even more grace [^Lgrace may increase/^Tabound]? ² ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; 3:31]! We died to ·our old sinful lives [^Lsin], 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 [^Lwere baptized into Christ Jesus] ·shared his death in that baptism [or participated in his death through that baptism; ^Lwere baptized into his death]. ⁴ [^LTherefore] When we were baptized, we were buried with Christ ·and shared his [and participated in his; ^Linto] death. So, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the ·wonderful power [glorious power; ^Lglory] 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; ^Lin 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; ^Lperson] died with Christ on the cross so that our ·sinful selves [or body controlled by sin; ^Lbody 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 [^Lsin].

⁸ [^LNow; 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 [^LFor; 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]. [^LBut] 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 [^Lsin] 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 [^Lreign; rule over you] ·here on earth [^Lin your mortal body] so that you ·do what your sinful self wants to do [^Lobey/submit to its (evil/sinful) desires]. ¹³ Do not offer ·the parts of your body [or any part of yourself; ^Lyour parts/members] to serve sin, as ·things to be used in doing [^Linstruments/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; ^Lyour parts/members] to God ·to be used in doing good [^Las instruments/weapons of righteousness/justice]. ¹⁴ [^LFor] 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 [^LWhat 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 [^LDon’t you know…?] that when you submit yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, ·the person you obey is your master [^Lyou are slaves to the one you obey]. [^LEither] You can ·follow [be slaves to] sin, which brings ·spiritual death [^Ldeath], 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 [^Lyou were slaves to sin]. But thank God, you ·fully obeyed [^Lobeyed from the heart] the ·things [accepted/orthodox teaching; ^Lexample/pattern of teaching] ·that you were taught [or that have claimed your allegiance; ^Lto 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 [^Lof the limitations/weakness of your human nature/flesh]. In the past you offered ·the parts of your body [or yourselves; ^Lyour 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 [^Lyour parts/members] to be slaves of ·goodness [righteousness]. ·Then you will live only for God [^L…leading to holiness/sanctification].

²⁰ [^LFor] When you were slaves to sin, ·goodness did not control you [^Lyou 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? [^LFor] ·Those things only bring [^LThe 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 [^Lthe end/result is eternal life]. ²³ [^LFor; 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.