Romans 6:17

But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were delivered.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

But thanks be to God that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were delivered.

BSB

But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.

KJV

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

ASV

But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered;

BBE

But praise be to God that though you were the servants of sin, you have now given yourselves freely to that form of teaching under which you were placed;

Original Greek

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χάρις charis Thanks [be] G5485 δὲ de however G1161 τῷ tō (the) G3588 θεῷ theō to God G2316 ὅτι hoti that G3754 ἦτε ēte you were G1510 δοῦλοι douloi slaves G1401 τῆς tēs (the) G3588 ἁμαρτίας hamartias of sin G266 ὑπηκούσατε hupēkousate you have become obedient G5219 δὲ de now G1161 ἐκ ek from [the] G1537 καρδίας kardias heart G2588 εἰς eis to G1519 ὃν hon which G3739 παρεδόθητε paredothēte you were handed over G3860 τύπον tupon to the form G5179 διδαχῆς.¶ didachēs of teaching G1322

The early church

After shaming them by the slavery, after alarming them by the rewards, and so exhorting them, he again rights them by calling the benefits to mind. For by these he shows that they were great evils from which they were freed, and that not by any labors of their own, and that things henceforth would be more manageable. Just as any one who has rescued a captive from a cruel tyrant, and advises him not to run away back to him, reminds him of his grievous thraldom; so does Paul set the evils passed away most emphatically before us, by giving thanks to God. For it was no human power that could set us free from all those evils, but, "thanks be to God," who was willing and able to do such great things. And he well says, "Ye have obeyed from the heart." Ye were neither forced nor pressed, but ye came over of your own accord, with willing mind. Now this is like one that praises and rebukes at once. For after having willingly come, and not having had any necessity to undergo, what allowance can you claim, or what excuse can you make, if you run away back to your former estate? Next that you may learn that it came not of your own willing temper only, but the whole of it of God's grace also, after saying, "Ye have obeyed from the heart," he adds, "that form of doctrine which was delivered you." For the obedience from the heart shows the free will. But the being delivered, hints the assistance from God. But what is the form of doctrine? It is living aright, and in conformity with the best conversation.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Romans

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 16–20

Every man is the servant of the master to whose commands he yields himself; whether it be the sinful dispositions of his heart, in actions which lead to death, or the new and spiritual obedience implanted by regeneration. The apostle rejoiced now they obeyed from the heart the gospel, into which they were delivered as into a mould. As the same metal becomes a new vessel, when melted and recast in another mould, so the believer has become a new creature. And there is great difference in the liberty of mind and spirit, so opposite to the state of slavery, which the true Christian has in the service of his rightful Lord, whom he is enabled to consider as his Father, and himself as his son and heir, by the adoption of grace. The dominion of sin consists in being willingly slaves thereto, not in being harassed by it as a hated power, struggling for victory. Those who now are the servants of God, once were the slaves of sin.

Read Matthew Henry on Romans 6 →

Cross-references

36

Topics

Word Of GodObedienceThankfulnessHeartDepravity Of Man

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.