Romans 6:21 (DBY)

Passage

What fruit therefore had ye *then* in the things of which ye are *now* ashamed? for the end of *them* [is] death.

Nearby Context

Romans 6:19 I speak humanly on account of the weakness of your flesh. For even as ye have yielded your members in bondage to uncleanness and to lawlessness unto lawlessness, so now yield your members in bondage to righteousness unto holiness.

Romans 6:20 For when ye were bondmen of sin ye were free from righteousness.

Romans 6:21 What fruit therefore had ye *then* in the things of which ye are *now* ashamed? for the end of *them* [is] death.

Romans 6:22 But *now*, having got your freedom from sin, and having become bondmen to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end eternal life.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the act of favour of God, eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "fruit", "therefore", "things", "ashamed", and "death". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "fruit" and "therefore", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "For when ye were bondmen of sin..." into verse 22's "But now having got your freedom from...", so "fruit" and "therefore" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "fruit" and "therefore" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.