What Does Romans 6:20 Mean?

For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness—hote gar douloi ēte tēs hamartias, eleutheroi ēte tē dikaiosynē (ὅτε γὰρ δοῦλοι ἦτε τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἐλεύθεροι ἦτε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ). The imperfect ēte (ἦτε, ye were) indicates past continuous state, now ended. Eleutheroi tē dikaiosynē (ἐλεύθεροι τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ, free from righteousness) is ironic: their 'freedom' from righteousness was actually slavery to sin. Dative tē dikaiosynē (τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ, with respect to righteousness) indicates righteousness had no claim on them—they owed it no allegiance.

Paul's point: total slavery to sin meant total freedom from righteousness's demands. But that 'freedom' was destructive (see v. 21). The implication: now, as slaves of righteousness, believers are 'free from sin'—sin no longer has legitimate claim. The language exposes the folly of sin's promised 'freedom': autonomy from God is slavery to death. True freedom comes through submission to righteousness. The verse sets up vv. 21-23: examining the 'fruit' of each slavery to prove which is genuinely beneficial. Past slavery to sin produced shame and death; present slavery to righteousness produces holiness and life.