18. You were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness.
19. (I use everyday language because of the weakness of your natural selves.) At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes.
20. When you were the slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.
21. What did you gain from doing the things that you are now ashamed of? The result of those things is death!
22. But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life.
23. For sin pays its wage — death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.