Bible Strands
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Roman believers who have just been told they are dead to sin and alive to God (v.22), closing the argument with a summary of the two possible outcomes.
The words — opsōnia (ὀψώνια) is the military term for pay owed to a soldier for service rendered; it carries the sense of an exact, non-negotiable debt rather than a general consequence.
The thread — Death as the fruit of sin is traced from Adam in Romans 5:12 and from individual desire in James 1:15; the positive side—eternal life through the Son—is stated plainly in John 3:36.
Why it lands — The verse forces a choice of framework: death is not an accident but a wage you have already earned, and life is not a reward you can claim but a gift that must be received.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Cross-references
- John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
- Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.
- James 1:15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
- John 6:40 For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
- Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.
- Matthew 25:46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- John 5:24 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
- Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
- Romans 2:7 To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.
- Romans 5:21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.