6:6a

The Greek here has no conjunction. Paul continued to support what he said in 6:4. Some languages would use “and” to indicate that kind of connection. Some languages would repeat “for” from 6:5. For example:

And (Good News Translation)
-or-
For (New International Version)

We know that our old self: The Greek is literally “knowing this that our old person.” The word “this” introduces the words that follow. The word that also introduces those words. For example:

We know this: that our old self…

In many languages it is more natural to translate only “this” or that. For example:

We know this: our old self…
-or-
We know that our old self…

We know: This introduces something that Paul knew, and perhaps others of his co-workers knew also. He wanted his readers to know it, so he included them in knowing this, whether they actually did or not. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

realizing (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
now it is clear to us

our old self was crucified with Him: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause here. It is hard to know what these words imply about who did the crucifying. Scholars mention that this occurred at our baptism but not who did it.

If you cannot use a passive clause, you may want to:

• Add a general reference that does not refer to anyone in particular. For example:

⌊they⌋ crucified our old self with him/Jesus

• Use the words “die on a cross,” or similar. For example:

our old self died on the cross with him/Jesus

our old self: This phrase refers to the kind of people that believers were before they started believing in Jesus. We all lived according to the ways of this world and lived a life of sin. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

our old being (Good News Translation)
-or-
the person we used to be (God’s Word)
-or-
our old humanity (Revised English Bible)
-or-
our former life
-or-
our former sinful nature/ways

crucified with Him: The word crucified refers to being nailed to a cross and hanging there until dead. Here it is a metaphor for the destruction of our old self. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

put to death with Christ on his cross (Good News Translation)
-or-
nailed to the cross with him
-or-
was included in his being nailed to the cross

Some languages must translate the metaphor as a simile to make the meaning clear. For example:

like nailed along with Cristo on the cross
-or-
as if it was nailed along with Christ on the cross so that it might die

6:6b

(New International Version🙂 so that the body of sin might be done away with: The phrase so that introduces a purpose for crucifying the old self. God has already done away with the body of sin. In some languages a purpose clause would indicate that this has not happened yet. If that is true in your language, use a result clause. For example:

and so the body of sin has been done away with

(New International Version🙂 the body of sin might be done away with: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. As with “was crucified” above, it is not clear who did this action (done away). For example:

⌊they⌋ might do away with the body of sin
-or-
the body of sin might become nothing

(New International Version🙂 the body of sin: The Greek word that the New International Version translates as body refers here to the whole person. It refers to all of what we are as human beings. The words of sin indicate that sin rules the lives of people.

In many languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the meaning. For example:

the self which belonged to sin (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
sin…in our lives (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
our always having to sin was removed

(New International Version🙂 might be done away with: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word here:

(1) It means destroy here. For example:

might be destroyed (Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, King James Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible)

(2) It means lose its power here. For example:

might lose its power (New Living Translation (2004))

(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible, New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the BDAG and other scholars support it.

6:6c

that we should no longer be slaves to sin: The word that introduces a second purpose for crucifying the old self. For example:

so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin (Revised Standard Version)

In some languages a purpose clause would indicate that this has not happened yet. If that is true in your language, use a result clause. For example:

and also so we are no longer enslaved to sin

we should no longer be slaves to sin: The words be slaves is a metaphor. It indicates that we would no longer be like a slave to sin, obeying every sinful thought. Some languages must translate the meaning another way. For example:

we would no longer be like slaves to sin
-or-
no longer does sin rule us as though it were our bosses

be slaves to sin: The phrase be slaves refers to being made a slave, someone owned by another person, to do his/her will all day long. They worked for their owner/master without receiving pay, but the owner gave them food, clothing, and shelter. They had very few rights of their own.

In some cultures, slaves may not be known. In other cultures, the word for slave may imply different customs than in biblical culture. If that is true in your language, here are some ways to translate this:

made a person who belonged to sin
-or-
caused to be an owned person of sin
-or-
made a person who serves sin
-or-
made a worker/servant of sin

The words be slaves is a metaphor for being completely under the rule of someone or something. Some languages may need to avoid the metaphor to make the meaning clear. For example:

made to be under the rule of sin
-or-
made a person lead by sin

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