Romans 6:14 · Bible study
Romans 6:14 Commentary: Sin's Dominion Broken Under Grace
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul's promise that sin will not have dominion over believers because they are under grace, not law. Study the meaning and warning.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Believers are freed from sin's mastery because they are under grace, which pardons and empowers, not under law, which only demands and condemns.
- Key words: κυριεύσει (future indicative, will lord over), a promise; νόμος (law) as a system that cannot save; χάρις (grace) as God's empowering favor.
- Main debate: Is this an unconditional promise of victory or a truth that becomes effective through ongoing faith and struggle?
- Theological theme: Sanctification through grace, not law. Union with Christ breaks sin's reign.
- Best use: Assuring struggling believers that sin is not their master and motivating them to live out their freedom through the Spirit's power.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For sin will not have dominion over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.
KJV King James Version 1769
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for sin over you shall not have lordship, for ye are not under law, but under grace.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under law but under grace.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque el pecado no se enseñoreará de vosotros; pues no estáis bajo la ley, sino bajo la gracia.
Pois o pecado não vos dominará, porque não estais sob a Lei, mas sim, sob a graça.
Car le péché n’ aura point de pouvoir sur vous, puisque vous êtes, non sous la loi, mais sous la grâce.
Denn die Sünde wird nicht herrschen können über euch, sintemal ihr nicht unter dem Gesetz seid, sondern unter der Gnade.
Want de zonde zal over u niet heersen; want gij zijt niet onder de wet, maar onder de genade.
perché il peccato non vi signoreggerà, poiché non siete sotto la legge, ma sotto la grazia.
Albowiem grzech panować nad wami nie będzie; bo jesteście nie pod zakonem, ale pod łaską.
Грех не должен над вами господствовать, ибо вы не под законом, но под благодатью.
罪 必不能 作你們的 主；因 你們不 在律法 之下，乃 在恩典 之下。
For sin may not have rule over you: because you are not under law, but under grace.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Romans 6:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the core promise of this verse: sin will not rule over believers. The future indicative verb κυριεύσει ("will lord over") is taken as a statement of fact, not a command. Gill calls it "an absolute promise", while Calvin treats it as a "consolation" for faithful believers who struggle with sin. Barnes and Clarke both emphasize the contrast between law and grace. Being "under law" means being subject to a system that demands obedience but provides no power to obey, leaving sin undefeated. Being "under grace" means being placed in the merciful dispensation of the gospel, which pardons sin and gives strength to overcome it. The consensus is that this verse declares a decisive shift: believers are no longer in the realm where sin has a right to rule. They are in the kingdom of grace, where sin's mastery is broken.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Assurance of Victory (Gill, JFB): Gill says it is 'an absolute promise' that sin cannot have dominion. JFB argues the logic: under law sin reigns; under grace it cannot.
- Consolation in Struggle (Calvin): Calvin sees it as a consolation for believers who feel weak, so they do not despair. They are under grace, not the strict demands of law.
What is clear: All traditions agree that sin's dominion is broken for believers through union with Christ and being under grace, not by their own efforts under law.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Assurance vs. Presumption | The promise is for true believers who are in Christ. Sin will not have dominion over them. | Some (Gill, JFB) see this as an absolute, unconditional guarantee. Others (Calvin) see it as a consolation for those who fight sin but still stumble. Reformed traditions emphasize perseverance, while Arminian traditions warn that a believer can return to sin's rule if they abandon faith. |
| Meaning of 'Under Law' | It means being under the law as a covenant of works, subject to its demands and curse. | Some interpret it specifically as the Mosaic law, others as the law principle in general. There is debate whether Paul still sees the moral law as binding in any sense for believers. |
| Grace and Holiness | Being under grace leads to holiness and obedience, not to license. | Calvin emphasizes grace as kindness that accepts imperfect works; Wesleyans emphasize grace as power for entire sanctification. The timing and completeness of victory over sin in this life are debated across traditions. |
| Relationship to Verse 15 | Verse 15 is Paul's answer to a potential antinomian misunderstanding: grace does not permit sin. | Some tie verse 14 and 15 closely together: v.14 gives assurance, v.15 warns against abuse. Others see v.14 as closing the previous paragraph and v.15 starting a new thought. The debate affects how much emphasis is placed on warning versus comfort in preaching. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul writes to a Roman church that included both Jewish and Gentile believers. Some Jews believed that the law was the path to holiness, and some Gentiles saw grace as a license to sin. In chapter 6, Paul prevents this misunderstanding. He argues that believers died with Christ and are no longer slaves to sin. Verse 14 is the peak of this argument.
The key phrase "under law" (ὑπὸ νόμον) contrasts with "under grace" (ὑπὸ χάριν). The preposition ὑπό denotes being under the power or authority of something. In Jewish tradition, being under the law meant being bound to its demands and its curse for disobedience. Paul says the law cannot break sin's hold because it only shows sin (Romans 3:20) and even stirs it up (Romans 7:5). Grace, by contrast, is a reigning power that brings forgiveness and the Spirit's help. The surrounding verses (12-13) command believers not to let sin reign, but verse 14 gives the ground for that command: sin will not have dominion. The imperative is built on the indicative. Verse 15 immediately answers the objection: grace is not a permission to sin, but the power to say no.
This verse also echoes the Old Testament promise of redemption from sin (Psalm 130:7-8; Micah 7:19). Jesus came to "save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21), and John writes that "the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Paul roots the Christian's freedom from sin in the cross-resurrection victory of Christ, not in self-effort.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Romans 6:14. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts and editions.
Reception History
This verse has been central in Christian teaching on sanctification for centuries. During the Reformation, it was used to argue that justification by faith leads to freedom from sin, not license. Reformed confessions (Heidelberg Catechism, Westminster Standards) reference the law-grace dynamic here. In the Wesleyan holiness movement, it has been a key text for the promise of victory over sin. It also appears in hymns about grace and assurance. Throughout church history, it has comforted believers struggling with sin and challenged those tempted to abuse grace.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Promise, Sin will not have dominion over you. The future tense is a guarantee, not a suggestion.
- The Reason, You are not under law but under grace. Law only demands and condemns; grace pardons and empowers.
- The Warning, This does not mean we can sin freely (v.15). Grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness.
Five-point outline
- The foundation: union with Christ in death and resurrection (v.1-11).
- The command: do not let sin reign in your body (v.12-13).
- The assurance: sin will not have dominion because you are under grace (v.14).
- The objection: does this give freedom to sin? (v.15a).
- The answer: no, because you become slaves to the one you obey (v.15b-18).
Illustration hooks
- A person forgiven a massive debt. The debt is gone, so the creditor has no claim. But that freedom doesn't mean the person can recklessly borrow again; it means they live with gratitude and financial wisdom.
- A child who moves from a home of strict rules with no explanation to a home of loving guidance. The child obeys not out of fear but because they trust and love the parents. Sin's rule is like the first home; grace is the second.
- A freed prisoner who chooses to serve the king who set him free. He is no longer a slave to his former master (sin), but he now freely devotes himself to his rescuer.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If I still sin, does that mean sin still has dominion over me? How do I know?
- How can I experience the freedom from sin that this verse promises?
- What does it mean practically to live "under grace" day to day?
Leading a Discussion
This verse gives believers a strong assurance: sin is not your master because you are under grace, not law. But Paul immediately warns that grace is not permission to sin. Use these questions to explore how promise and warning work together.
Discussion questions
- Read Romans 6:12-15. What does Paul mean when he says sin will not have "dominion" over you? How is that different from never being tempted or never sinning?
- Why does the law not have power to break sin's rule? Look at Romans 3:20 and 7:5 for clues.
- What does it mean to be "under grace"? How does that change your relationship to sin compared to being "under law"?
- Paul writes verse 14 as a ground for the commands in verses 12-13. Why is it important to base our obedience on this promise?
- How does verse 15 show that Paul anticipated someone might misuse his teaching? Why is that warning still needed today?
- In your own life, how can knowing that sin will not have dominion help you when you feel defeated by a recurring habit?
- What is one practical way you can lean on God's grace this week to resist a specific temptation?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 130:7 | Israel, hope in Yahweh, for there is loving kindness with Yahweh. Abundant redemption is with him. |
| Psalms 130:8 | He will redeem Israel from all their sins. |
| Micah 7:19 | He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. |
| Matthew 1:21 | She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” |
| John 1:17 | For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. |
| John 8:36 | If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. |
| Romans 3:19 | Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God. |
| Romans 3:20 | Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that God delivers believers from sin, but if they fall back into it, that failure comes from their own choice or neglect. Under the law, obedience is demanded without power to perform it. Under grace, the gospel supplies both the strength to obey and full pardon for past sins through Christ.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that being "not under law" does not free Christians from moral obligation. It means they are not trying to be justified by the law, a system that only excites sin rather than subduing it. Under grace, believers follow a plan designed to actually destroy sin, so sin should no longer rule over them.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that Paul's point here is not about escaping moral law but about consolation for struggling believers. Because God no longer judges them by the law's strict demands, they need not despair over their imperfect obedience. Their impurity is graciously overlooked as they pursue holiness.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible School notes that the future tense "shall not have dominion" means God mercifully continues believers' freedom from condemnation even as they struggle. The statement reassures them that they now live under grace, not under a system of laws that must be fulfilled before acceptance.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note explains that the power of sin is broken not by human effort but by the believer's new standing. Being under grace, not law, means sin's rule is overthrown because grace supplies both pardon and strength to resist. The law could condemn but could not conquer.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists that "sin shall not have dominion over you" is an absolute promise, not a command or mere advice. Sin's ruling power is broken for believers; it cannot regain its tyranny because they are under grace, not under the law's condemnation and demands.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB argues that being under the law inevitably leaves one powerless and subject to sin, because the law
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that freedom from the law does not mean freedom to sin but a transition to a new, inner obedience. Sin remains a presence but a deposed ruler. The Christian's mortal body and its members become weapons, no longer for unrighteousness but for righteousness, requiring active, disciplined surrender to God.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley emphasizes that sin has no rightful claim or actual power over believers. This is because they are no longer under the law, which only exposes sin without enabling victory, but under grace, the gospel's merciful dispensation that brings complete conquest through the Spirit of Christ.