The Meaning of Romans 6:10 Explained

Romans 6:10

KJV: For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

YLT: for in that he died, to the sin he died once, and in that he liveth, he liveth to God;

Darby: For in that he has died, he has died to sin once for all; but in that he lives, he lives to God.

ASV: For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  in that he died,  he died  unto sin  once:  but  in that  he liveth,  he liveth  unto God. 

What does Romans 6:10 Mean?

Study Notes

sin Sin. (See Scofield " Romans 3:23 ") .
once Lit. once for all. Hebrews 10:10-12 ; Hebrews 10:14 .

Verse Meaning

Jesus Christ will never have to die again because when He died for sin He died to sin. This means that when He died His relationship to sin changed. It was never the same again. Sin now has no power over Him. After He paid for our sins, He was free to resume His intimate relationship with God forever.
"This stands in opposition to the doctrine and practice of the Song of Solomon -called perpetual sacrifice of Christ in the Roman Catholic Mass." [1]

Context Summary

Romans 6:1-11 - "dead Unto Sin, But Alive Unto God"
It is not sufficient merely to apprehend, however clearly, our standing in Christ; we must see to it that the doctrine issues in a holy life. Nothing is more hurtful than to hold a truth intellectually, without giving it expression in character. Many who fight for the minute points of doctrinal accuracy are careless of the great demands of Christ for a life of godlike love. Therefore, after the Apostle's massive statements of doctrine, he now turns to discuss the way of a holy life. The work of Christ for us must lead to His work in us and deliverance from the power of sin.
All who believe in Christ are reckoned as having been included in His death. They did not make atonement for sin; but they died to the life of self-will, of self-pleasing, of subjection to the world-spirit, of citizenship in the earth-sphere, and passed with Him into the life of resurrection glory. This is the significance of the rite of baptism. "Mark that seal!" cries the Apostle. "You belong to the resurrection side of death. Live in union with the risen Redeemer." [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 6

1  We may not live in sin;
2  for we are dead unto it;
3  as appears by our baptism
12  Let not sin reign anymore;
18  because we have yielded ourselves to the service of righteousness;
23  and because death is the wages of sin

Greek Commentary for Romans 6:10

The death that he died [ο απετανεν]
Neuter relative, cognative accusative with απετανεν — apethanen [source]
Once [επαπαχ]
Once and once only (Hebrews 9:26.), not ποτε — pote (once upon a time). The life that he liveth (ο ζηι — ho zēi). Cognate accusative of the relative. [source]
The life that he liveth [ο ζηι]
Cognate accusative of the relative. [source]
In that He died [ὃ γὰρ ἀπέθανεν]
Lit.. what he died; the death which he died. Compare sin a sin, 1 John 5:16; the life which I live, literally, what I live, Galatians 2:20. [source]
Once [ἐφάπαξ]
More literally, as Rev., in margin, once for all. Compare Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:10. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 6:10

Galatians 2:19 Might live unto God [θεῷ ζήσω]
With death to the law a new principle of life entered. For the phrase, see Romans 6:10, Romans 6:11. [source]
Galatians 2:17 Are found [εὑρέθημεν]
More correctly, were found: were discovered and shown to be. See Romans 6:10; 1 Corinthians 15:15; 2 Corinthians 5:3; Philemon 2:8; Philemon 3:9. [source]
1 Timothy 3:16 Lit. confessedly . N.T.o The mystery of godliness [τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον]
(a) The connection of thought is with the truth (1 Timothy 3:15), and the words mystery of godliness are a paraphrase of that word. The church is the pillar and stay of the truth, and the truth constitutes the mystery of godliness. (b) The contents of this truth or mystery is Christ, revealed in the gospel as the Savior from ungodliness, the norm and inspiration of godliness, the divine life in man, causing him to live unto God as Christ did and does (Romans 6:10). See 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 2:5; Colossians 1:26, Colossians 1:27. According to the Fourth Gospel, Christ is himself the truth (John 14:6). The mystery of godliness is the substance of piety = mystery of the faith (1 Timothy 3:9). (c) The truth is called a mystery because it was, historically, hidden, until revealed in the person and work of Christ; also because it is concealed from human wisdom, and apprehended only by faith in the revelation of God through Christ. (d) The genitive, of godliness, is possessive. The mystery of godliness is the truth which pertains or belongs to godliness. It is not the property of worldly wisdom. Great ( μέγα ) means important, weighty, as Ephesians 5:32. [source]
1 Timothy 3:16 Without controversy [ὁμολογουμένως]
Lit. confessedly. N.T.oThe mystery of godliness ( τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον )(a) The connection of thought is with the truth (1 Timothy 3:15), and the words mystery of godliness are a paraphrase of that word. The church is the pillar and stay of the truth, and the truth constitutes the mystery of godliness. (b) The contents of this truth or mystery is Christ, revealed in the gospel as the Savior from ungodliness, the norm and inspiration of godliness, the divine life in man, causing him to live unto God as Christ did and does (Romans 6:10). See 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 2:5; Colossians 1:26, Colossians 1:27. According to the Fourth Gospel, Christ is himself the truth (John 14:6). The mystery of godliness is the substance of piety = mystery of the faith (1 Timothy 3:9). (c) The truth is called a mystery because it was, historically, hidden, until revealed in the person and work of Christ; also because it is concealed from human wisdom, and apprehended only by faith in the revelation of God through Christ. (d) The genitive, of godliness, is possessive. The mystery of godliness is the truth which pertains or belongs to godliness. It is not the property of worldly wisdom. Great ( μέγα ) means important, weighty, as Ephesians 5:32. [source]
Hebrews 7:26 Separate [κεχωρισμένος]
Rend. separated: denoting a condition realized in Christ's exaltation. Comp. Romans 6:10. [source]
1 Peter 2:24 Bare our sins [ανηνεγκεν τας αμαρτιας ημων]
Second aorist active indicative of αναπερω — anapherō common verb of bringing sacrifice to the altar. Combination here of Isaiah 53:12; Deuteronomy 21:23. Jesus is the perfect sin offering (Hebrews 9:28). For Christ‘s body Not tree here as in Luke 23:31, originally just wood (1 Corinthians 3:12), then something made of wood, as a gibbet or cross. So used by Peter for the Cross in Acts 5:30; Acts 10:39; and by Paul in Galatians 3:13 (quoting Deuteronomy 21:23).Having died unto sins Second aorist middle participle of απογινομαι — apoginomai old compound to get away from, with dative (as here) to die to anything, here only in N.T.That we might live unto righteousness (ινα τηι δικαιοσυνηι ζησωμεν — hina tēi dikaiosunēi zēsōmen). Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of ζαω — zaō with the dative (cf. Romans 6:20). Peter‘s idea here is like that of Paul in Rom 6:1-23, especially Romans 6:2 and Romans 6:10.).By whose stripes ye were healed From Isaiah 53:5. First aorist passive indicative of ιαομαι — iaomai common verb to heal (James 5:16) and the instrumental case of μωλωπς — mōlōps rare word (Aristotle, Plutarch) for bruise or bloody wound, here only in N.T. Cf. 1 Peter 1:18. Writing to slaves who may have received such stripes, Peter‘s word is effective. [source]
1 Peter 2:24 Having died unto sins [ταις αμαρτιαις απογενομενοι]
Second aorist middle participle of απογινομαι — apoginomai old compound to get away from, with dative (as here) to die to anything, here only in N.T.That we might live unto righteousness (ινα τηι δικαιοσυνηι ζησωμεν — hina tēi dikaiosunēi zēsōmen). Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of ζαω — zaō with the dative (cf. Romans 6:20). Peter‘s idea here is like that of Paul in Rom 6:1-23, especially Romans 6:2 and Romans 6:10.).By whose stripes ye were healed From Isaiah 53:5. First aorist passive indicative of ιαομαι — iaomai common verb to heal (James 5:16) and the instrumental case of μωλωπς — mōlōps rare word (Aristotle, Plutarch) for bruise or bloody wound, here only in N.T. Cf. 1 Peter 1:18. Writing to slaves who may have received such stripes, Peter‘s word is effective. [source]
1 Peter 2:24 That we might live unto righteousness [ινα τηι δικαιοσυνηι ζησωμεν]
Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of ζαω — zaō with the dative (cf. Romans 6:20). Peter‘s idea here is like that of Paul in Rom 6:1-23, especially Romans 6:2 and Romans 6:10.). [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 6:10 mean?

That which for He died - to sin once for all however He lives - to God
γὰρ ἀπέθανεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἐφάπαξ δὲ ζῇ τῷ Θεῷ

  That  which 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἀπέθανεν  He  died 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀποθνῄσκω  
Sense: to die.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἁμαρτίᾳ  to  sin 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἁμαρτία  
Sense: equivalent to 264.
ἐφάπαξ  once  for  all 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἐφάπαξ  
Sense: once, at once.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ζῇ  He  lives 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ζάω  
Sense: to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead).
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεῷ  to  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.