“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. — The final verse pairs the economy of sin (ὀψώνια, opsōnia, "wages"—what is earned through service) with the χάρισμα (charisma, "gift") of God. Death is merited; eternal life is grace. The contrast crystallizes Paul's entire argument: under the old regime, death is the paycheck; under grace, eternal life is unmerited gift. Everything in Christ Jesus is the eschatological treasure.
Church Fathers on Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” After speaking of the wages of sin, in the case of the blessings, he has not kept to the same order (τάξιν, rank or relation): for he does not say, the wages of good deeds, “but the gift of God;” to show, that it was not of themselves that they were freed, nor was it a due they received, neither yet a return, nor a recompense of labors, but by grace all these things came…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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