Romans 6:20 (KJV)

Passage

For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

Nearby Context

Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Romans 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

Romans 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "servants", "free", and "righteousness". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "servants" and "free", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "I speak after the manner of men..." into verse 21's "What fruit had ye then in those...", so "servants" and "free" 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 "servants" and "free" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.