Romans 6:10

New Testament Epistle (Pauline) ASV (1901)

What does Romans 6:10 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Romans 6:10 — American Standard Version

Context — Romans 6

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
10For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“For in that he died, etc..] The death of Christ was settled and agreed to in the covenant and council of peace; it was spoken of by the prophets, and typified by sacrifices; Christ came into the world in order to die, and actually did die the death of the cross; in which the great love of God and Christ is expressed to us; and which is a fundamental article of the Christian faith: and when he died, he died unto sin once: he died to that, which we by nature are dead in, and could never make atonement for; which he himself never lived in, and which men naturally love to in; and which had he not died for, we must have died for to all eternity; and he died not for any sin of his own, or of…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“For in that he died, he died unto--that is, in obedience to the claims of sin once--for all. but in that he liveth, he liveth unto--in obedience to the claims of God. God--There never, indeed, was a time when Christ did not "live unto God." But in the days of His flesh He did so under the continual burden of sin "laid on Him" (Isa 53:6; Co2 5:21); whereas, now that He has "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself," He "liveth unto God," the acquitted and accepted Surety, unchallenged and unclouded by the claims of sin.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“This passage is a confirmation and illustration of what the apostle had said before, Romans 6:5-7. The argument is, that as Christ was once dead but now lives to God, and will no more die, so we, being dead to sin, but living unto God, should not obey sin, but should live only to God. Romans 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ - If we be dead in a manner similar to what he was; if we are made dead to sin by his work, as he was dead in the grave; see the note at Romans 6:4. We believe - All Christians. It is an article of our faith. This does not refer to the future world so much as to the present. It becomes an article of our belief that we are to live with Christ. That we shall also live with…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“He died to sin - To atone for and abolish it. He liveth unto God - A glorious eternal life, such as we shall live also. Romans 6:12”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“6:10 he died once to break the power of sin: Because we died with Jesus (6:4-5), we have also died to sin (6:2). Jesus was never under sin’s power in the way that we are, because he had no sin nature from Adam and he never succumbed to temptation (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15). However, when he became human, he entered the arena where sin holds sway, and he was truly vulnerable to sin.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“he died unto: Rom 8:3; Co2 5:21; Heb 9:26-28; Pe1 3:18 he liveth unto: Rom 6:11, Rom 14:7-9; Luk 20:38; Co2 5:15; Pe1 4:6 Romans 6:11”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification