Romans 6:21-23
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Paul doesn't just ask if there was any benefit from past sin, but what kind of "fruit" it bore. The original Greek highlights that the "fruit" of sin isn't truly fruit at all, but rather things that lead to shame, because their ultimate "end" is death, not life or true satisfaction.
But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is reminding believers of their past life enslaved to sin, contrasting it with their new life in Christ. He challenges them to recall the emptiness and shame that characterized their former ways, emphasizing that the ultimate destination of those sinful actions was death. This sets up the contrast with the "fruit" of righteousness that leads to holiness and eternal life.
We all have past actions we'd rather forget. But what if those feelings of shame are actually a sign that God is doing something new in you?
Paul asks a pointed question: "What fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed?"
Think about that for a second. The fact that you are ashamed is significant. This shame isn't just regret; it's a sign that your perspective has shifted.
We often focus on the immediate 'benefits' of sin, but Paul wants us to look at the ultimate destination. What's the final stop on the road of sin?
Paul doesn't pull any punches when he states, 'For the end of those things is death.' This isn't just a suggestion; it's a stark declaration of the unavoidable outcome of a life surrendered to sin.
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Understand the original words
karpos · Greek Noun
In a biblical context, this refers to the outcome, result, or moral harvest produced by a person’s way of life and spiritual state. It reflects the evidence of one's inner character and relationship with God or sin.
thanatos · Greek Noun
A state of spiritual separation from God, originating in the fall of man. It encompasses physical demise, spiritual alienation, and ultimate eternal separation from God's presence as a result of transgression.
eleutheroō · Greek Verb
To be released from bondage, penalty, or power. Biblically, it refers to the liberation of the believer from the enslaving authority of sin through the work of Christ.
hamartia · Greek Noun
In the New Testament, this refers to a rebellious power or principle that alienates humanity from God. It is both an act of disobedience and a hostile master that exerts control over the unredeemed.
doulos · Greek Noun
Refers to the state of being a servant or bond-slave. Theologically, it describes the total devotion, obedience, and belonging of a believer to God as their rightful Master.
hagiasmos · Greek Noun
The process of being set apart for God’s purposes and being made holy. It involves the ongoing transformation of the believer into the likeness of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
zoē aiōnios · Greek Noun phrase
The life of the age to come, which is the quality of divine life possessed by believers. It is an unending relationship of fellowship with God, made possible through faith in Jesus Christ.
opsōnion · Greek Noun
A term signifying what is earned or deserved. In a theological context, it is the just recompense for human transgression against the holiness of God.
charisma · Greek Noun
Refers to a favor or benefit bestowed out of grace without expectation of return. It emphasizes that salvation is entirely a gracious act of God, unearned by human works.
Christos Iesous · Greek Proper Noun phrase
The historical person and divine Savior, Jesus, the Anointed One (Messiah). He is the mediator through whom God’s grace is accessed and the foundation of the believer's new identity.
This passage echoes the core idea of Romans 6:21 by reminding us that our actions have consequences, and the 'fruit' we sow ultimately determines our harvest, contrasting spiritual fruit with the destructive outcome of sin.
Jeremiah 2:8This verse highlights how the spiritual leaders of Israel, like the believers in Romans 6, pursued worthless idols instead of God, showing a historical parallel to the futility and eventual shame associated with straying from the true source of life.
Hebrews 12:1This passage speaks of 'throwing off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us' and 'running with perseverance the race marked out for us,' which directly relates to shedding the 'fruit' of past sins that lead to shame and death, and instead embracing the 'fruit' of holiness.
1 Peter 4:3Similar to Romans 6:21, this verse describes the past life of believers as a time of 'senseless indulgence, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties and their lawless idolatry,' for which they are now rightly ashamed, emphasizing the destructive nature of such pursuits and the new life in Christ.
barnesRomans 6:21: "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death."
What fruit, then ... - What reward, or what advantage. This is an argument drawn from the experience of Christians respecting the indulgence of sinful passions. The question discussed throughout this chapter is, whether the gospel plan of justification by faith leads to indulgence in sin? The argument here is drawn from the past experience which Christians have had in the ways…
bengelRomans 6:21: "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death."
Romans 6:21 . Τίνα οὖν καρπὸν εἴχετε τότε , ἐφʼ οἷς νῦν ἐπαισχύνεσθε ) This whole period has the force of a negative interrogation. He says, that the righteous have their fruit unto holiness; but he does not consider those things which are ‘unfruitful’ [ ἄκαρπα ] worthy of the name of fruit .— Ephesians 5:11 . He says, therefore, those things which now cause you to feel ashame…
Paul doesn't just ask if there was any benefit from past sin, but what kind of "fruit" it bore. The original Greek highlights that the "fruit" of sin isn't truly fruit at all, but rather things that lead to shame, because their ultimate "end" is death, not life or true satisfaction.
Paul is reminding believers of their past life enslaved to sin, contrasting it with their new life in Christ. He challenges them to recall the emptiness and shame that characterized their former ways, emphasizing that the ultimate destination of those sinful actions was death. This sets up the contrast with the "fruit" of righteousness that leads to holiness and eternal life.
Paul is reminding believers of their past life enslaved to sin, contrasting it with their new life in Christ. He challenges them to recall the emptiness and shame that characterized their former ways, emphasizing that the ultimate destination of those sinful actions was death. This sets up the contrast with the "fruit" of righteousness that leads to holiness and eternal life.
"But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctif…" — Paul doesn't just ask if there was any benefit from past sin, but what kind of "fruit" it bore. The original Greek highlights that the "fruit" of sin isn't truly fruit at all, but rather things t…
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Last reviewed October 2026
