Devine Scripture

Romans 6:3

What does Romans 6:3 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 6:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 6:3 means

Paul reminds the readers of what their baptism declares: being baptized into Christ Jesus means being joined to him, especially to his death. Baptism is the sign and seal of that union. It points to more than a change of religious affiliation; it proclaims participation in Christ’s decisive act on the cross. To be “baptized into his death” is to say that his death counts as ours. The guilt our sins deserved fell on him, and his victory over sin’s reign becomes the believer’s new status. This verse anchors Christian ethics in Christian identity: the Christian life grows out of being united with the crucified Christ, not out of self-improvement.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Or are you without the knowledge that all we who had baptism into Christ Jesus, had baptism into his death?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

are ye ignorant that we, as many as were baptized to Christ Jesus, to his death were baptized?

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Know you not that all we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in his death?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Are you ignorant that we, as many as have been baptised unto Christ Jesus, have been baptised unto his death?

Context

Having denied that grace licenses sin, Paul appeals to the readers’ own initiation into the faith—baptism—as the public testimony of union with Christ (verse 3). He will extend the metaphor in verse 4, linking burial and resurrection to a new way of life. Verses 5–7 will then explain the inner change this union effects, particularly the crucifixion of the “old man” and release from sin’s bondage. The sequence grounds the coming commands in what God has already done in Christ.

v.2God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?

v.3This passage

v.4We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Acts 8:16

    for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:19

    Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;

  • Romans 6:4

    We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.

  • 1 Peter 3:21

    which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

  • Romans 6:16

    Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

  • James 4:4

    Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.

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