6:17a

But: This word indicates contrast from being slaves of sin (6:16c–d, 17a) to being obedient to the teaching in the gospel (6:17b–c). But some languages will not see this connection as contrast. For example:

I thank God because…

thanks be to God: This clause indicates generally that God should be thanked. It implies that Paul thanked God. It also implies that the readers should thank God too.

In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, refer to Paul or to Paul and his readers. For example:

I thank God (God’s Word)
-or-
Let us (incl.) thank God

though you once were slaves to sin: The Greek is more literally “you were being slaves to sin but.” It implies that they were slaves to sin before the believers became obedient (6:17b) and were no longer slaves to sin after they became obedient. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

you were once slaves of sin but
-or-
though at one time you were slaves to sin (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 6:17a

As several scholars point out, Paul was not thankful that the believers in Rome were once slaves of sin, but he was thankful that they were now obedient to the gospel. It may be more clear to move this clause before Paul saying thanks. For example:

Once you were slaves of sin, but now, thank God (Revised English Bible)

6:17b

you wholeheartedly obeyed: The Greek verb here is past tense. But unlike the English simple past tense, the Greek aorist “tense” does not imply that they have stopped obeying. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

you obeyed (NET Bible)
-or-
you began obeying
-or-
you have been obeying

wholeheartedly: This word indicates that the believers were sincere. They felt it was right to be obedient. The word wholeheartedly refers here to doing something from the inner being of people. Some languages have a different way to translate that meaning. For example:

with all your heart (Good News Translation)
-or-
from your insides/liver/stomach
-or-
completely/truly

the form of teaching: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as form has several meanings:

(1) It means form or pattern here. It indicates that the teaching is good Christian teaching but may not be exactly what Paul taught. He did not know exactly what they were taught because he had not yet gone to Rome and talked to them about it. (Perhaps he had reports of some of the things they had been taught or were teaching.) For example:

the pattern of teaching (New American Bible, Revised Edition)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, King James Version, NET Bible, Revised English Bible)

(2) It means standard here. It indicates that the teaching met the criteria of good Christian teaching. For example:

the standard of teaching (Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because that is the meaning that the BDAG supports.

6:17c

to which you were committed: This clause indicates that someone put the believers under the teaching of the gospel of Jesus. This happened at the time they began believing in Jesus. It indicates that they were to learn the gospel and obey the commands in it. Paul may have been thinking of God committing them or perhaps the person who helped them to believe.

This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

to which ⌊God⌋ committed you

committed: The Greek word here is often translated “handed over.” God put the new believers under the rule of the gospel of Jesus. They were to obey it. Here are other ways to translate this word:

entrusted (New International Version)
-or-
handed over ⌊to obey it⌋

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