Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
— Romans 6:23 (KJV)
Download the Complete KJV Bible — Free PDF
All 66 books, 1,189 chapters — printable and ready to read offline.
What Does Romans 6:23 Mean?
Paul contrasts what we earn (death through sin) with what God freely gives (eternal life through Christ). Salvation cannot be earned; it must be received.
How to Apply This Verse
Sin pays a wage we don't want; God gives a gift we don't deserve. Eternal life isn't earned by good works but received through faith in Christ.
Historical Context
Paul wrote this around AD 57. In Roman society, 'wages' (opsōnia) was a military term for a soldier's pay or rations. Paul uses the economic metaphor: sin pays its employees with death, while God gives an unearned gift of life. The contrast between earning and receiving is the essence of the gospel.
Original Language
'Opsōnion' means wages, pay, or compensation—originally a soldier's rations. Sin is personified as an employer who pays its workers with death. This is contrasted with 'charisma' (free gift)—God gives what cannot be earned. The wordplay is devastatingly clear.
Go Deeper
Study Romans 6:23 Further
Related Teachings
Beatitudes, Commandments, and Parables connected to this verse:
Related Scriptures
More Verses About Salvation
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.