Romans 6:1
in Romans 6What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
KJV
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
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This verse in Romans 6
Commentary
13 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
What shall we say then? - This is a mode of presenting an objection. The objection refers to what the apostle had said in Rom 5:20. What shall we say to such a sentiment as that where sin abounded grace did much more abound? Shall we continue in sin? ... - If sin has been the occasion of grace and favor, ought we not to continue in it, and commit as much as possible, in order that grace might abound? This objection the apostle proceeds to answer.
This site's exposition
Shall we continue in sin
on Romans 6:1-2
Grace increases where sin increases, and verse 1 asks whether a believer should continue in sin so that grace will increase. Paul refuses it flatly. Verse 2 answers with a fact, that those who died to sin no longer live in it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
The believer who returns to his former way of life rejects the kingdom of God's grace and returns to sin, i.e., to the pattern of his previous life. For we have received mercy for two reasons: first, that the kingdom of the devil might be …
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
"What then shall we say? Shall we remain in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. For we who are dead to sin, how shall we still live in it?" Since he had said above that "where sin abounded, grace did more abound," he now sets before himself the question arising from this: that if the abundance of sin gives birth to the superabundance of grace, then one ought to sin, so that grace may abound the more.
For in that He died to sin, He died once for all; but in that He liveth, to God He liveth. Thus, too, repute ye yourselves dead indeed to sin, but living to God through Christ Jesus." Therefore, Christ being once for all dead, none who, subsequently to Christ, has died, can live again to sin, and especially to so heinous a sin.
He is again turning off to exhortation, yet introducing it not directly, lest he should seem to many to be irksome and vexing, but as if it rose out of the doctrines. For if, even so diversifying his address, he was afraid of their being offended at what he said, and therefore said, "I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort," much more would he have seemed to them, had he not done so, to be too harsh. Since then he showed the greatness of the grace by the greatness of the sins it healed, and owing to this it seemed in the eyes of the unthinking to be an encouragement to sin (for if the reason, they would say, why greater grace was shown, was because we had done great sins, let us not give over sinning, that grace may be more displayed still), now that they might not say this or suspect it, see how he turns the objection back again. First he does it by his deprecation. "God forbid." And this he is in the habit of doing at things confessed on all hands to be absurd. And then he lays down an irrefragable argument.
The Medieval Church1 voice
The Apostle said that where sin abounded, grace appeared superabundantly. As a result, someone might reason: let us then not cease sinning, so that grace may appear more abundantly. The Apostle refutes such reasoning by expressing himself negatively: "God forbid," as he usually expresses himself …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
After showing that it is through Christ's grace that we are freed from the sin of our first parent and from that which abounded by reason of the law, the Apostle now shows that Christ's grace gives us the power to resist further sin. In …
The Reformation1 voice
Let us, however, go on in our course; nor let Christ be suppressed, because he is to many a stone of offense, and a rock of stumbling; for as he is for ruin to the ungodly, so he is to the godly for a resurrection. We ought, at the same time, ever to obviate unreasonable questions, lest the Christian faith should appear to contain anything absurd.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Shall we hence take encouragement to sin with so much the more boldness, because the more sin we commit the more will the grace of God be magnified in our pardon? Is this a use to be made of it?" No, it is an abuse, and the apostle startles at the thought of it (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
What shall we say then?....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
What, &c.--The subject of this third division of our Epistle announces itself at once in the opening question, "Shall we (or, as the true reading is, "May we," "Are we to") continue in sin, that grace may abound?" Had the apostle's doctrine been that salvation depends in any degree upon our good works, no such objection to it could have been made.
Shall we continue in sin - It is very likely that these were the words of a believing Gentile, who - having as yet received but little instruction, for he is but just brought out of his heathen state to believe in Christ Jesus - might imagine, from the manner in which God had magnified his mercy, in blotting out his sin on his simply believing on Christ, that, supposing he even gave way to the evil propensities of his own heart, his transgressions could do him no hurt now that he was in the favor of God. And we need not wonder that a Gentile, just emerging from the deepest darkness, might entertain such thoughts as these; when we find that eighteen centuries after this, persons have appeared in the most Christian countries of Europe, not merely asking such a question, but defending the doctrine with all their might; and asserting in the most unqualified manner, “that believers were under no obligation to keep the moral law of God; that Christ had kept it for them; that his keeping it was imputed to them; and that God, who had exacted it from Him, who was their surety and representative, would not exact it from them, forasmuch as it would be injustice to require two payments for one debt.” These are the Antinomians who once flourished in this land, and whose race is not yet utterly extinct.
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Τί | ti | What | G5101 → | 563 times |
| οὖν | oun | then | G3767 → | 497 times |
| ἐροῦμεν; | eroumen | will we say? | G4483 → | 46 times |
| ἐπιμένωμεν | epimenomen | Shall we continue | G1961 → | 15 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁμαρτίᾳ | hamartia | in sin | G266 → | 173 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἡ | he | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χάρις | charis | grace | G5485 → | 153 times |
| πλεονάσῃ; | pleonase | may abound? | G4121 → | 9 times |
ΤίWhat
tiG5101 →563 times
οὖνthen
ounG3767 →497 times
ἐροῦμεν;will we say?
eroumenG4483 →46 times
ἐπιμένωμενShall we continue
epimenomenG1961 →15 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
ἁμαρτίᾳin sin
hamartiaG266 →173 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
ἡ<the>
heG3588 →19766 times
χάριςgrace
charisG5485 →153 times
πλεονάσῃ;may abound?
pleonaseG4121 →9 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 5:13For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:16
Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
- 1 Corinthians 9:19
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
- 1 Corinthians 8:9
Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
- Romans 15:1–2
We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
- Galatians 5:14
The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- 1 Peter 2:16
Through
Romans 2:4Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
it leads to
- 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
- Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He rises to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God. Blessed are all who wait for Him.
- 2 Peter 3:9
Through
1 Peter 2:16Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:13
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
- Galatians 5:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this chapter
About Romans
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans X; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Robert Haldane, Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans; Tertullian, On Modesty; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.