Romans 6:2 Meaning and Explanation
“God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul rejects the idea outright: those who have died to sin cannot go on living in it. A decisive break has already taken place.
What Does Romans 6:2 Mean?
With his strongest expression of denial, Paul dismisses the suggestion that believers should continue in sin. He answers not with a rule but with a reality already true of them: they have died to sin. The argument rests on something that has happened, not merely on a duty to be performed.
To be dead to sin means the old relationship is severed; sin no longer holds rightful claim. Paul asks how a person who has died to one master could keep living under his rule, as though nothing had changed. The Christian life flows from this finished work of God in Christ, calling us to live out what we already are rather than to earn what we lack.
Romans 6:2 in the Original Language
me genoito (μὴ γένοιτο), 'God forbid' -- an emphatic 'may it never be,' Paul's strongest way of rejecting a false idea.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 6:2
What does Romans 6:2 mean?
Paul rejects the idea outright: those who have died to sin cannot go on living in it. A decisive break has already taken place.