Romans 6:21 (LSB)

Passage

Therefore what benefit were you then having from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

Nearby Context

Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, leading to further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification.

Romans 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

Romans 6:21 Therefore what benefit were you then having from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

Romans 6:22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit, leading to sanctification, and the end, eternal life.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "For when you were slaves of sin..." into verse 22's "But now having been freed from sin...", so "therefore" and "benefit" 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 "therefore" and "benefit" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.