ὅτε γὰρ δοῦλοι ἦτε τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐλεύθεροι ἦτε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ. (Romans 6:20)
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to righteousness.
The Paradox Framed by Declension
In Romans 6:20, Paul constructs a stark paradox using precise noun cases: being a slave of one power means being free from another. This theological contrast—sin versus righteousness—is not merely stated; it’s declined. The article-noun pairings and dative constructions expose a mutual exclusivity that can only be communicated through inflection.
Verse Breakdown: Form, Case, and Theological Function
| Greek Word | Morphology | Case & Syntactic Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| δοῦλοι | 2nd declension masculine nominative plural noun | Subject of ἦτε | “Slaves” — the foundational metaphor for human condition under sin |
| ἦτε (1st instance) | 2nd person plural imperfect indicative of εἰμί | Linking verb | “You were” — establishes past state of being |
| τῆς ἁμαρτίας | 1st declension feminine genitive singular noun with article | Genitive of possession | “Of sin” — what owned them as slaves |
| ἐλεύθεροι | 1st/2nd declension adjective, nominative plural masculine | Predicate nominative with 2nd ἦτε | “Free” — ironic, because it means they were not righteous |
| τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ | 1st declension feminine dative singular noun with article | Dative of respect (“with regard to”) | “In relation to righteousness” — not in service of it |
Grammatical Mirror: Two Spheres, Two Cases
Paul’s point is symmetrical:
– Nominative δοῦλοι – what you were in relation to sin.
– Genitive τῆς ἁμαρτίας – whose slaves you were.
– Nominative ἐλεύθεροι – what you also were (ironically).
– Dative τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ – in respect to righteousness.
This structure paints a legal metaphor: slavery to sin excludes legal obligation to righteousness. These grammatical categories divide the moral cosmos. You’re owned by one power, and so legally “free” from the other.
Article-Noun Pairs That Define Allegiance
– τῆς ἁμαρτίας: The article marks sin not as abstract but personified—the sin as a slave-master.
– τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ: The article again makes righteousness concrete—an authority one could hypothetically serve.
The symmetry underscores incompatibility: you cannot serve both.
When Declensions Dictate Allegiance
Paul doesn’t need a conjunction to say, “but not righteous”—the dative case does it. By using τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ with ἐλεύθεροι, he communicates non-allegiance through case structure. You were “free” not in a positive, liberating sense—but unrelated, unsubmitted, and unshaped by righteousness.
Declensions That Preach
Romans 6:20 is a case study—literally. Declensions reveal Paul’s moral logic: being “enslaved to sin” comes with the tragic freedom of not being bound to righteousness. The genitive denotes ownership, the dative implies exclusion, and the nominative reflects identity. In Paul’s grammar, your case alignment reveals your allegiance. To be truly righteous, your declension must change.
