The Meaning of Romans 6:23 Explained

Romans 6:23

KJV: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

YLT: for the wages of the sin is death, and the gift of God is life age-during in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Darby: For the wages of sin is death; but the act of favour of God, eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

ASV: For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  the wages  of sin  [is] death;  but  the gift  of God  [is] eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

What does Romans 6:23 Mean?

Study Notes

sin
Sin.
sinned
Sin, Summary: The literal meanings of the Heb. and (Greek - ἀλεκτοροφωνία sin," "sinner," etc)., disclose the true nature of sin in its manifold manifestations. Sin is transgression, an overstepping of the law, the divine boundary between good and evil Psalms 51:1 ; Luke 15:29 , iniquity, an act inherently wrong, whether expressly forbidden or not; error, a departure from right; Psalms 51:9 ; Romans 3:23 , missing the mark, a failure to meet the divine standard; trespass, the intrusion of self-will into the sphere of divine authority Ephesians 2:1 , lawlessness, or spiritual anarchy 1 Timothy 1:9 , unbelief, or an insult to the divine veracity John 16:9 .
Sin originated with Satan Isaiah 14:12-14 , entered the world through Adam Romans 5:12 , was, and is, universal, Christ alone excepted; Romans 3:23 ; 1 Peter 2:22 , incurs the penalties of spiritual and physical death; Genesis 2:17 ; Genesis 3:19 ; Ezekiel 18:4 ; Ezekiel 18:20 ; Romans 6:23 and has no remedy but in the sacrificial death of Christ; Hebrews 9:26 ; Acts 4:12 availed of by faith Acts 13:38 ; Acts 13:39 . Sin may be summarized as threefold: An act, the violation of, or want of obedience to the revealed will of God; a state, absence of righteousness; a nature, enmity toward God.

Verse Meaning

Paul brought his thoughts on this subject to a summary conclusion in this verse. The principle stated here is applicable to all people, believers and unbelievers. It contrasts the masters, sin and God, with the outcomes, death and eternal life. Paul also distinguished the means whereby death and life come to people. Death is the wage a person earns by his or her working, but eternal life is a gift free to those who rely on the work of Another.
Wages normally maintain life, but these wages result in death. Employers usually pay them out regularly and periodically rather than in a lump sum. Death also comes to the sinner regularly and periodically during the sinner"s lifetime, not just when he or she dies. Furthermore wages are a right.
"Man has rights only in relation to sin, and these rights become his judgment. When he throws himself on God without claim, salvation comes to him." [1]
Romans 6:15-23 teach truth by way of contrasts. Obedience to sin yields unfruitfulness, shame, and death. Obedience to righteousness results in progressive sanctification and the fullness of eternal life.
In chapter6 Paul prescribed four steps designed to promote practical sanctification. First, we must "know" certain facts about our union with Christ, specifically that sin no longer possesses the dominating power over the believer that it has over the unbeliever ( Romans 6:3-10). Second, we must "reckon" (believe) these facts to be true of us personally ( Romans 6:11). Third, we must "present" ourselves to God in dedication as His slaves to perform righteousness ( Romans 6:12-14). Fourth, we must obey God ( Romans 6:15-23). If we do not, we will find ourselves falling back under the domination of sin in our lives and becoming its slaves once again. Each of these verbs has the force of an active command. Each represents something every believer should do. These are our basic responsibilities in our progressive sanctification regarding our relationship to sin. [2]

Context Summary

Romans 6:12-23 - "sin Shall Not Have Dominion"
Standing with Christ on the resurrection side of death, we must present our whole being to God for His use. We have left forever behind, nailed to the Cross, the body of sin, Colossians 2:14, and henceforth must see to it that every faculty shall become a weapon in God's great warfare against evil. Let your powers be monopolized by God, so that there shall be no room left for the devil, Ephesians 4:27.
All serve some higher power, but which? Our real owner and master, whatever we may say to the contrary, is indicated by our life. We belong to the one whom, in a crisis, we obey. Service to sin leads to uncleanness, iniquity, and death. Service to God leads to righteousness, and that to sanctification, and that to eternal life. Run your life into the mold of holy precept, as the obedient metal into the sand-cast, Romans 6:17, r.v. We have our reward in the present consciousness of the life which is life indeed. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 6

1  We may not live in sin;
2  for we are dead unto it;
3  as appears by our baptism
12  Let not sin reign anymore;
18  because we have yielded ourselves to the service of righteousness;
23  and because death is the wages of sin

Greek Commentary for Romans 6:23

Wages [οπσωνια]
Late Greek for wages of soldier, here of sin. See note on Luke 3:14; note on 1 Corinthians 9:7 and note on 2 Corinthians 11:8. Sin pays its wages in full with no cut. But eternal life is God‘s gift (χαρισμα — charisma), not wages. Both τανατος — thanatos and ζωην — zōēn are eternal (αιωνιον — aiōnion). [source]
Wages [ὀψώνια]
From ὄψον cookedmeat, and later, generally, provisions. At Athens especially fish. Hence ὀψώνιον is primarily provision-money, and is used of supplies for an army, see 1 Corinthians 9:7. The figure of Romans 6:13is carried out: Sin, as a Lord to whom they tender weapons and who pays wages. [source]
Death []
“Sin pays its serfs by punishing them. Its wages is death, and the death for which its counters are available is the destruction of the weal of the soul” (Morison). [source]
Gift [χάρισμα]
Rev., rightly, free gift (compare Romans 5:15). In sharp contrast with wages. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 6:23

Luke 3:14 Wages [ὀψωνίοις]
From ὄψον ,cooked meat, and later, generallyprovisions. At Athens, especially, fish. Compare ὀψάριον ,fish, John 21:9, John 21:10, John 21:13. Hence ὀψώνιον is primarily provision-money, and so used of supplies and pay for an army. With this understanding the use of the word at Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin,” becomes highly suggestive. [source]
Luke 3:14 Do violence to no man [μηδενα διασεισητε]
Here only in the N.T., but in the lxx and common in ancient Greek. It means to shake (seismic disturbance, earthquake) thoroughly The Latin employs concutere, so. It was a process of blackmail to which Socrates refers (Xenophon, Memorabilia, ii. 9, 1). This was a constant temptation to soldiers. Might does not make right with Jesus.Neither exact anything wrongfully (μηδε συκοπαντησητε — mēde sukophantēsēte). In Athens those whose business it was to inform against any one whom they might find exporting figs out of Attica were called fig-showers or sycophants (συκοπανται — sukophantai). From συκον — sukon fig, and παινω — phainō show. Some modern scholars reject this explanation since no actual examples of the word meaning merely a fig-shower have been found. But without this view it is all conjectural. From the time of Aristophanes on it was used for any malignant informer or calumniator. These soldiers were tempted to obtain money by informing against the rich, blackmail again. So the word comes to mean to accuse falsely. The sycophants came to be a regular class of informers or slanderers in Athens. Socrates is quoted by Xenophon as actually advising Crito to employ one in self-defence, like the modern way of using one gunman against another. Demosthenes pictures a sycophant as one who “glides about the market like a scorpion, with his venomous sting all ready, spying out whom he may surprise with misfortune and ruin and from whom he can most easily extort money, by threatening him with an action dangerous in its consequences” (quoted by Vincent). The word occurs only in Luke in the N.T., here and in Luke 19:8 in the confession of Zaccheus. It occurs in the lxx and often in the old Greek.Be content with your wages Discontent with wages was a complaint of mercenary soldiers. This word for wages was originally anything cooked Hence, “rations,” “pay,” wages. Οπσαριον — Opsarion diminutive of οπσον — opson was anything eaten with bread like broiled fish. So οπσωνιον — opsōnion comes to mean whatever is bought to be eaten with bread and then a soldier‘s pay or allowance (Polybius, and other late Greek writers) as in 1 Corinthians 9:7. Paul uses the singular of a preacher‘s pay (2 Corinthians 11:8) and the plural of the wages of sin (Romans 6:23) = death (death is the diet of sin). [source]
Luke 3:14 Be content with your wages [αρκειστε τοις οπσωνιοις υμων]
Discontent with wages was a complaint of mercenary soldiers. This word for wages was originally anything cooked Hence, “rations,” “pay,” wages. Οπσαριον — Opsarion diminutive of οπσον — opson was anything eaten with bread like broiled fish. So οπσωνιον — opsōnion comes to mean whatever is bought to be eaten with bread and then a soldier‘s pay or allowance (Polybius, and other late Greek writers) as in 1 Corinthians 9:7. Paul uses the singular of a preacher‘s pay (2 Corinthians 11:8) and the plural of the wages of sin (Romans 6:23) = death (death is the diet of sin). [source]
Romans 1:11 Some spiritual gift [τι χάρισμα]
Note the modesty in some. Χάρισμα is a gift of grace ( χάρις ) a favor received without merit on the recipient's part. Paul uses it both in this ordinary sense (Romans 5:15, Romans 5:16; Romans 6:23), and in a special, technical sense, denoting extraordinary powers bestowed upon individuals by the Holy Spirit, such as gifts of healing, speaking with tongues, prophecy, etc. See Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 12:4, 1 Corinthians 12:31; 1 Peter 4:10. In 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6, it is used of the sum of the powers requisite for the discharge of the office of an evangelist. [source]
1 Corinthians 9:7 Charges [ὀψωνίοις]
See on Luke 3:14, and compare Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 11:8. [source]
1 Corinthians 9:7 At his own charges [ιδιοις οπσωνιοις]
This late word οπσωνιον — opsōnion (from οπσον — opson cooked meat or relish with bread, and ωνεομαι — ōneomai to buy) found in Menander, Polybius, and very common in papyri and inscriptions in the sense of rations or food, then for the soldiers‘ wages (often provisions) or the pay of any workman. So of the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). Paul uses λαβων οπσωνιον — labōn opsōnion (receiving wages, the regular idiom) in 2 Corinthians 11:8. See Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary; Deissmann, Bible Studies, pp. 148, 266; Light from the Ancient East, p. 168. To give proof of his right to receive pay for preaching Paul uses the illustrations of the soldier (1 Corinthians 9:7), the husbandman (1 Corinthians 9:7), the shepherd (1 Corinthians 9:7), the ox treading out the grain (1 Corinthians 9:8), the ploughman (1 Corinthians 9:10), the priests in the temple (1 Corinthians 9:13), proof enough in all conscience, and yet not enough for some churches who even today starve their pastors in the name of piety. Who planteth a vineyard? (τις πυτευει αμπελωνα — tis phuteuei ampelōna̱). Αμπελων — Ampelōn no earlier than Diodorus, but in lxx and in papyri. Place of vines (αμπελος — ampelos), meaning of ending ων — ̇ōn Who feedeth a flock? Cognate accusative, both old words. Paul likens the pastor to a soldier, vinedresser, shepherd. He contends with the world, he plants churches, he exercises a shepherd‘s care over them (Vincent). [source]
2 Corinthians 11:8 Wages [ὀψώνιον]
See on Romans 6:23. [source]
2 Corinthians 11:8 Taking wages [λαβων οπσωνιον]
For οπσωνιον — opsōnion see note on 1 Corinthians 9:7; note on Romans 6:23. He got his “rations” from other churches, not from Corinth while there. [source]
2 Timothy 1:6 I put thee in remembrance [αναμιμνησκω]
Old compound to remind (1 Corinthians 4:17; 2 Corinthians 7:15). That thou stir up (σε αναζωπυρειν — se anazōpurein). Present active infinitive of αναζωπυρεω — anazōpureō old double compound (ανα — ana and ζωπυρον — zōpuron live coal, ζωος — zōos and πυρ — pur then the bellows for kindling), to rekindle, to stir into flame, to keep blazing (continuous action, present time), only here in N.T. See note on 1 Thessalonians 5:19 for the figure of fire concerning the Holy Spirit. See αναπτω — anaptō in Luke 12:49. The gift of God See note on 1 Timothy 4:14. Here Paul says μου — mou (my), there he mentions the presbytery. Paul felt a deep personal interest in Timothy. See note on 1 Corinthians 7:7; Romans 6:23; Romans 11:29 for the gift of God. [source]
2 Timothy 1:6 The gift of God [το χαρισμα του τεου]
See note on 1 Timothy 4:14. Here Paul says μου — mou (my), there he mentions the presbytery. Paul felt a deep personal interest in Timothy. See note on 1 Corinthians 7:7; Romans 6:23; Romans 11:29 for the gift of God. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 6:23 mean?

The for wages - of sin [is] death - but the gift - of God life eternal in Christ Jesus the Lord of us
τὰ γὰρ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος τὸ δὲ χάρισμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν

ὀψώνια  wages 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: ὀψώνιον  
Sense: a soldier’s pay, allowance.
τῆς  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἁμαρτίας  of  sin 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἁμαρτία  
Sense: equivalent to 264.
θάνατος  [is]  death 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θάνατος 
Sense: the death of the body.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
χάρισμα  the  gift 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: χάρισμα  
Sense: a favour with which one receives without any merit of his own.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ζωὴ  life 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ζωή  
Sense: life.
αἰώνιος  eternal 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: αἰώνιος  
Sense: without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be.
Χριστῷ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Ἰησοῦ  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Κυρίῳ  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.