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    In Context

    Romans 6:23 in Context

    Romans 6:23 read in its full chapter context. See the verses before and after, plus historical setting and flow of thought.

    "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

    — Romans 6:23 (KJV)

    Where This Verse Sits

    Romans 6:23 appears in Romans chapter 6, verse 23. 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.

    The Verse Itself

    "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

    — Romans 6:23 (KJV)

    Flow of the Passage

    To grasp Romans 6:23 fully, read it inside the surrounding paragraph. The verses before set up the argument, and the verses after show its outworking. Romans 6 as a whole carries forward the theme of salvation, and this single verse is one beat in that larger movement.

    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.

    Cross-References

    John 3:16
    Ephesians 2:8-9
    Romans 5:8

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