Romans 6:20 Meaning and Explanation
“For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →When they served sin, they were not answerable to righteousness; the two allegiances are mutually exclusive.
What Does Romans 6:20 Mean?
Paul looks back at their former life to sharpen the contrast. While they were servants of sin, they were 'free from righteousness,' that is, untouched by its claim and uncommitted to it. He names this not as a true freedom to celebrate but as the grim liberty of those bound to the wrong master.
The point is that the old life had its own logic: serving sin meant having no part in righteousness at all. By stating it so starkly, Paul prepares the reader to weigh what that so-called freedom actually produced. A life loosed from righteousness is not free in any blessed sense, and the next verse will ask what such a life ever yielded.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 6:20
What does Romans 6:20 mean?
When they served sin, they were not answerable to righteousness; the two allegiances are mutually exclusive.