SEV Biblia, Chapter 6:20
Porque siendo antes siervos del pecado, ahora habis sido hechos siervos de la justicia.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 6:20
Verse 20. Ye were free from righteousness.] These two servitudes are incompatible; if we cannot serve God and Mammon, surely we cannot serve Christ and Satan. We must be either sinners or saints; God's servants or the devil's slaves. It cannot be as a good mistaken man has endeavoured to sing:- "To good and evil equal bent, I'm both a devil and a saint." I know not whether it be possible to paint the utter prevalence of sin in stronger colours than the apostle does here, by saying they were FREE from righteousness. It seems tantamount to that expression in Genesis, Gen. vi. 5, where, speaking of the total degeneracy of the human race, the writer says, Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. They were all corrupt; they were altogether abominable: there was none that did good; no, not one.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. For when ye were the servants of sin , etc..] This is an argument used, or a reason given, why regenerate persons should be diligent in the service of righteousness; because when they were employed in the drudgery of sin, they were free from righteousness ; they had no righteousness, nor were they desirous of any; yea, averse to it, threw off the yoke of the law of righteousness, and lived in a very unrighteous manner: hence may be observed what is the free will of man in an unregenerate state; not free to, but from righteousness; free enough to evil, but from all that is good; and also what obligation lies upon believers, who are delivered from the bondage of corruption, and the servitude of sin, to a life and service of righteousness; inasmuch as they were before free from it, and unconcerned about it, but are now made by the grace of God free to it, they ought therefore cheerfully to pursue it, and neglect no opportunity of performing it.
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
οτε 3753 ADV γαρ 1063 CONJ δουλοι 1401 N-NPM ητε 2258 5713 V-IXI-2P της 3588 T-GSF αμαρτιας 266 N-GSF ελευθεροι 1658 A-NPM ητε 2258 5713 V-IXI-2P τη 3588 T-DSF δικαιοσυνη 1343 N-DSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
20. Free from righteousness (eleuqeroi th dikaiosunh). An ambiguous translation. Better, Rev., free in regard of righteousness. Disengaged (Morison), practically independent of its demands, having offered their service to the opposing power. They could not serve two masters.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
6:20 {Free in regard of righteousness} (eleuqeroi tei dikaiosunei). Ye wore no collar of righteousness, but freely did as ye pleased. They were "free." Note dative case, personal relation, of dikaiosunei.
