Romans 6:16

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

Cross-reference

Romans 6:3 Parallel

Romans 6:3 grounds the slavery/obedience theme in baptism into Christ's death, the basis for dying to sin.

Romans 6:12 Parallel

Romans 6:12 applies the slavery principle by commanding not to let sin reign in your body.

Romans 6:13 Parallel

Romans 6:13 commands presenting yourselves to God as instruments of righteousness, which Romans 6:16 explains as slavery to obedience.

Romans 6:17 Parallel

Romans 6:17 gives thanks that believers were once slaves to sin but now have obeyed from the heart.

Romans 6:19-23 expands the slavery metaphor, contrasting yielding to sin vs. righteousness and concluding that sin's wages are death.

Romans 6:20 Parallel

Romans 6:20 describes the former state as slaves of sin, free from righteousness — directly reinforcing the contrast in this verse.

Romans 5:21 Parallel

Romans 5:21 contrasts sin's reign leading to death with grace reigning through righteousness, mirroring the two slaveries here.

Joshua 24:15 presents the choice of whom to serve, illustrating the necessity of choosing the Lord, as in Romans 6:16's obedience.

2 Peter 2:19 states that one is enslaved to whatever overcomes them, paralleling the principle of slavery to sin.

Matthew 6:24 states you cannot serve two masters, reinforcing the exclusive allegiance implied in Romans 6:16.

John 8:34 Parallel

John 8:34 declares that everyone who sins is a slave to sin, directly teaching the same principle as Romans 6:16.

Luke 16:13 Parallel

Luke 16:13 parallels this choice of masters — serving God cannot be mixed with serving money, just as here serving sin or obedience.

1 Peter 2:24 states Christ died so we might die to sin and live to righteousness — the goal of the obedience mentioned here.

1 John 3:7 Parallel

1 John 3:7 says practicing righteousness shows one is righteous — echoing the idea that obedience leads to righteousness here.

1 Peter 1:22 ties obedience to the truth with purification and love — a similar outcome of obedience leading to righteousness here.

Psalm 19:13 Related theme

Psalm 19:13 prays to be kept from presumptuous sins having dominion—a plea that acknowledges slavery to sin.

1 Kings 18:21 presents a similar choice between serving God or Baal, mirroring the two-master decision.