SEV Biblia, Chapter 6:19
Humana cosa digo, por la flaqueza de vuestra carne; que como para iniquidad presentasteis vuestros miembros para servir a la inmundicia y a la iniquidad, así ahora para santidad, presentis vuestros miembros para servir a la justicia.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 6:19
Verse 19. I speak after the manner of men] This phrase is often used by the Greek writers to signify what was easy to be comprehended; what was ad captum vulgi, level with common understandings, delivered in a popular style; what was different from the high flights of the poets, and the studied sublime obscurity of the philosophers. Because of the infirmity of your flesh] As if he had said: I make use of metaphors and figures connected with well-known natural things; with your trades and situation in life; because of your inexperience in heavenly things, of which ye are only just beginning to know the nature and the names.
Servants to uncleanness, &c.] These different expressions show how deeply immersed in and enslaved by sin these Gentiles were before their conversion to Christianity. Several of the particulars are given in the first chapter of this epistle.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. I speak after the manner of men , etc..] This refers either to what the apostle had said already concerning service and liberty, things which were known among men, and easy to be understood; or to the following exhortation: what he was about to say, he delivered in a manner suited to their understandings, and was anyrwpinon , that which was human; not angelic, or what required the power, purity, and perfection of angels; or what was unreasonable or impossible, but what was their reasonable service, as men; and might be done through the grace of God, in the strength of Christ, and by the assistance of the Spirit: and though he might have insisted upon it with good reason, that they ought to be more diligent and industrious in the service of God than they had been in the service of sin; yet because of the infirmity of their flesh , considering that they had flesh, or corrupt nature, and were attended with weakness in knowledge, faith, and obedience; he only pressed this upon them, that in like manner as they had been servants to sin, they would be servants to righteousness: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity ; what they yielded to the service of sin were their members; by which, as before, may be meant, either the powers and faculties of their souls, or the parts and members of their bodies, or both; and particularly the latter, as the eyes and ears, the tongue, the mouth, the hands, and feet, which are all employed by a natural man in the drudgery of sin: these are yielded to sin under the form and character of servants; and as such are governed, directed, and ordered to fulfil this and the other lust, which is done willingly and readily: these members are yielded, presented, and given up cheerfully to this slavery; which is both scandalous and unrighteous: it is to uncleanness; which designs all sorts of pollution and filthiness, both of flesh and spirit: and to iniquity; everything that is contrary to the law, all unrighteousness and ungodliness; and it is added, unto iniquity; which may design all sorts of sin, a progress in it, adding continually to it; which shows them to have been thorough hearty servants of sin. Now what the apostle exhorts to, and requires of them, is, that even so now they would yield their members servants to righteousness unto holiness ; that is, let the same members that have been employed in the service of sin, be made use of in the service of righteousness: let your eyes be employed in looking and diligently searching into the Scriptures of truth; your ears in hearing the Gospel preached; your lips, mouth, and tongue, in expressing the praises of God, for what he has done for you; your hands in distributing to the interest of religion, and the necessities of the saints; and your feet in hastening to attend on public worship, and observe the testimonies of the Lord: let them be employed under the same form and character as servants, waiting upon the Lord, ready to fulfil his will; and in the same manner, freely, willingly, and cheerfully, and that constantly and universally, in all acts of righteousness and holiness.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-20 - Every man is the servant of the master to whose commands he yield himself; whether it be the sinful dispositions of his heart, in action 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 sam metal becomes a new vessel, when melted and recast in another mould, s the believer has become a new creature. And there is great differenc 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, who he is enabled to consider as his Father, and himself as his son an 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, onc were the slaves of sin.
Greek Textus Receptus
ανθρωπινον 442 A-ASN λεγω 3004 5719 V-PAI-1S δια 1223 PREP την 3588 T-ASF ασθενειαν 769 N-ASF της 3588 T-GSF σαρκος 4561 N-GSF υμων 5216 P-2GP ωσπερ 5618 ADV γαρ 1063 CONJ παρεστησατε 3936 5656 V-AAI-2P τα 3588 T-APN μελη 3196 N-APN υμων 5216 P-2GP δουλα 1401 A-APN τη 3588 T-DSF ακαθαρσια 167 N-DSF και 2532 CONJ τη 3588 T-DSF ανομια 458 N-DSF εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF ανομιαν 458 N-ASF ουτως 3779 ADV νυν 3568 ADV παραστησατε 3936 5657 V-AAM-2P τα 3588 T-APN μελη 3196 N-APN υμων 5216 P-2GP δουλα 1401 A-APN τη 3588 T-DSF δικαιοσυνη 1343 N-DSF εις 1519 PREP αγιασμον 38 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
19. After the manner of men (anqrwpinon). Lit., what is human, popularly. He seems to have felt that the figures of service, bondage, etc., were unworthy of the subject, and apologizes for his use of the image of the slave mart to enforce such a high spiritual truth, on the ground of their imperfect spiritual comprehension. Compare 2 Cor. ii. 6; 1 Corinthians iii. 1, 2.To iniquity unto iniquity (th anomia eiv thn anomian). Iniquity issuing in an abiding iniquitous state. Lit., lawlessness. It is used by John as the definition of sin, 1 John iii. 4.
Holiness (agiasmon). Rev., sanctification. For the kindred adjective agiov holy, see on saints, Acts xxvi. 10. Agiasmov is used in the New Testament both of a process - the inauguration and maintenance of the life of fellowship with God, and of the resultant state of sanctification. See 1 Thess. iv. 3, 7; 2 Thess. ii. 13; 1 Tim. ii. 15; 1 Pet. i. 2; Heb. xii. 14. It is difficult to determine which is meant here. The passages in Thessalonians, Timothy, and Hebrews, are cited by interpreters on both sides. As in ver. 22 it appears that sanctification contemplates a further result (everlasting life), it is perhaps better to understand it as the process. Yield your members to righteousness in order to carry on the progressive work of sanctification, perfecting holiness (1 Corinthians vii. 1).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
6:19 {I speak after the manner of men} (anthr"pinon legw). "I speak a human word." He begs pardon for using "slaving" in connection with righteousness. But it is a good word, especially for our times when self-assertiveness and personal liberty bulk so large in modern speech. See #3:5; Ga 3:15 where he uses kata anqrwpon. {Because of the infirmity of your flesh} (dia ten asqeneian tes sarkos humwn). Because of defective spiritual insight largely due to moral defects also. {Servants to uncleanness} (doula ti akatharsiai). Neuter plural form of doulos to agree with mel (members). Patently true in sexual sins, in drunkenness, and all fleshly sins, absolutely slaves like narcotic fiends. {So now} (houtws nun). Now that you are born again in Christ. Paul uses twice again the same verb paristemi, to present (parestsate, parastsate). {Servants to righteousness} (doula ti dikaiosunei). Repeats the idea of verse #18. {Unto sanctification} (eis hagiasmon). this the goal, the blessed consummation that demands and deserves the new slavery without occasional lapses or sprees (verse #15). this late word appears only in LXX, N.T., and ecclesiastical writers so far. See on #1Th 4:3; 1Co 1:30. Paul includes sanctification in his conception of the God-kind (#1:17) of righteousness (both justification, #1:18-5:21 and sanctification, chapters #6-8). It is a life process of consecration, not an instantaneous act. Paul shows that we ought to be sanctified (#6:1-7:6) and illustrates the obligation by death (#6:1-14), by slavery (#6:15-23), and by marriage (#7:1-6).
