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Romans 7
New Living Translation
Romans 7
New Living Translation
No Longer Bound to the Law
7 Now, dear brothers and sisters[a]—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living? 2 For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. 3 So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.
4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature,[b] sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
God’s Law Reveals Our Sin
7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”[c] 8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, 10 and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. 11 Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. 12 But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
13 But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.
Struggling with Sin
14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[d] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power[e] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Romans 7
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Romans 7
Holman Christian Standard Bible
An Illustration from Marriage
7 Since I am speaking to those who understand law, brothers,(A) are you unaware that the law has authority over someone as long as he lives? 2 For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives.(B) But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband. 3 So then, if she gives herself to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she gives herself to another man, she is not an adulteress.
4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to death(C) in relation to the law(D) through the crucified body of the Messiah,(E) so that you may belong to another—to Him who was raised from the dead—that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the flesh,[a](F) the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us[b](G) and bore fruit for death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way[c] of the Spirit(H) and not in the old letter of the law.
Sin’s Use of the Law
7 What should we say then?(I) Is the law sin? Absolutely not!(J) On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.(K) For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.(L)[d] 8 And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,(M) produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.(N) 9 Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life 10 and I died. The commandment that was meant for life(O) resulted in death for me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,(P) and through it killed me. 12 So then, the law is holy,(Q) and the commandment is holy and just and good.
The Problem of Sin in Us
13 Therefore, did what is good cause my death?[e] Absolutely not!(R) On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual,(S) but I am made out of flesh,[f] sold(T) into sin’s power.(U) 15 For I do not understand what I am doing,(V) because I do not practice what I want to do,(W) but I do what I hate. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.(X) For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. 21 So I discover this principle:[g](Y) When I want to do what is good, evil is with me. 22 For in my inner self[h] I joyfully agree with God’s law.(Z) 23 But I see a different law in the parts of my body,[i](AA) waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.[j] 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this dying body?(AB) 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.
Footnotes
- Romans 7:5 = a person’s life before accepting Christ
- Romans 7:5 Lit of our members
- Romans 7:6 Lit in newness
- Romans 7:7 Ex 20:17
- Romans 7:13 Lit good become death to me?
- Romans 7:14 Other mss read I am carnal
- Romans 7:21 Or law
- Romans 7:22 Lit inner man
- Romans 7:23 Lit my members
- Romans 7:23 Lit my members
- Romans 7:25 Or Thanks be to God—(it is done) through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7
English Standard Version
Romans 7
English Standard Version
Released from the Law
7 Or do you not know, brothers[a]—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For (A)a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.[b] 3 Accordingly, (B)she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.
4 Likewise, my brothers, (C)you also have died (D)to the law (E)through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, (F)in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work (G)in our members (H)to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the (I)new way of (J)the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.[c]
The Law and Sin
7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, (K)I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if (L)the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, (M)seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. (N)For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment (O)that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, (P)seizing an opportunity through the commandment, (Q)deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So (R)the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, (S)sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For (T)I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with (U)the law, that it is good. 17 So now (V)it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells (W)in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 (X)For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, (Y)it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For (Z)I delight in the law of God, (AA)in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members (AB)another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from (AC)this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Footnotes
- Romans 7:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 4
- Romans 7:2 Greek law concerning the husband
- Romans 7:6 Greek of the letter
Romans 7
New International Version
Romans 7
New International Version
Released From the Law, Bound to Christ
7 Do you not know, brothers and sisters(A)—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him.(B) 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress.(C) But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law(D) through the body of Christ,(E) that you might belong to another,(F) to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[a](G) the sinful passions aroused by the law(H) were at work in us,(I) so that we bore fruit for death.(J) 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law(K) so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.(L)
The Law and Sin
7 What shall we say, then?(M) Is the law sinful? Certainly not!(N) Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.(O) For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”[b](P) 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,(Q) produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.(R) 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life(S) actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,(T) deceived me,(U) and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.(V)
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good(W) to bring about my death,(X) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual,(Y) sold(Z) as a slave to sin.(AA) 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.(AB) 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.(AC) 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.(AD) 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c](AE) For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.(AF) 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.(AG)
21 So I find this law at work:(AH) Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being(AI) I delight in God’s law;(AJ) 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war(AK) against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin(AL) at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?(AM) 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!(AN)
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law,(AO) but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.(AP)
Footnotes
- Romans 7:5 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
- Romans 7:7 Exodus 20:17; Deut. 5:21
- Romans 7:18 Or my flesh
- Romans 7:25 Or in the flesh
Romans 7
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
Romans 7
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
7 Or ē do you not know agnoeō, brethren adelphos ( for gar I am speaking laleō to those who know ginōskō the law nomos), that hoti the ho law nomos is binding kyrieuō on a ho person anthrōpos only epi so hosos long chronos as he lives zaō? 2 Thus gar a ho married hypandros woman gynē is bound deō by law nomos to ho her husband anēr while he is living zaō; but de if ean her ho husband anēr dies apothnēskō, she is released katargeō from apo the ho law nomos of ho marriage anēr. 3 Accordingly ara oun, if ean she is joined ginomai to anēr another heteros man anēr while her ho husband anēr is alive zaō, she will be called chrēmatizō an adulteress moichalis; but de if ean her ho husband anēr dies apothnēskō, she is eimi free eleutheros from apo that ho law nomos, so ho that she autos is eimi not mē an adulteress moichalis if she marries ginomai another heteros man anēr. 4 So then hōste, my egō brothers adelphos, you hymeis also kai have died thanatoō to the ho law nomos through dia the ho body sōma of ho Christ Christos that eis you hymeis might belong ginomai to another heteros, to the ho one who was raised egeirō from ek the dead nekros, so hina that we might bear karpophoreō fruit for ho God theos. 5 For gar while hote we were eimi living in en the ho flesh sarx, our ho sinful hamartia passions pathēma, · ho · ho aroused energeō by dia the ho law nomos, were at work in en · ho our hēmeis bodies melos to eis bear karpophoreō fruit for ho death thanatos. 6 But de now nyni we have been released katargeō from apo the ho law nomos, having died apothnēskō to en that which hos held katechō us captive , so hōste that we hēmeis serve douleuō in en newness kainotēs of the Spirit pneuma and kai not ou under the old palaiotēs written gramma code .
7 What tis then oun shall we say legō? Is the ho law nomos sin hamartia? By no means mē! On the contrary alla, I would ginōskō not ou have known ginōskō · ho sin hamartia except ei mē through dia the law nomos; · ho that gar is , I would oida not ou have known oida what it means to covet epithumia had not ei mē the ho law nomos said legō, “ You shall not ou covet epithumeō.” 8 But de sin hamartia, seizing lambanō the opportunity aphormē · ho through dia the ho commandment entolē, produced katergazomai in en me egō all pas kinds of covetousness epithumia. ( For gar apart chōris from the law nomos, sin hamartia is dead nekros.) 9 I egō · de was once pote alive zaō apart chōris from the law nomos, but de when the ho commandment entolē came erchomai, · ho sin hamartia came to anazaō life 10 and de I egō died apothnēskō. · kai I found heuriskō that the ho very houtos commandment entolē that ho promised eis life zōē brought eis death thanatos to me egō! 11 · ho For gar sin hamartia, seizing lambanō the opportunity aphormē through dia the ho commandment entolē, deceived exapataō me egō and kai through dia it autos killed apokteinō me. 12 So hōste then , the ho law nomos is holy hagios, and kai the ho commandment entolē is holy hagios and kai righteous dikaios and kai good agathos.
13 Did ginomai that ho which is good agathos, then oun, become ginomai death thanatos to me egō? By no means mē! But alla · ho sin hamartia, in order that hina it might be shown phainō to be sin hamartia, produced katergazomai death thanatos in me egō through dia that ho which is good agathos so that hina sin hamartia, through dia the ho commandment entolē, might be ginomai sinful hamartōlos beyond kata measure hyperbolē · ho 14 For gar we know oida that hoti the ho law nomos is eimi spiritual pneumatikos; but de I egō am eimi unspiritual sarkinos, sold pipraskō as a slave to hypo · ho sin hamartia. 15 For gar I do ginōskō not ou understand ginōskō my own hos actions katergazomai; for gar I am prassō not ou doing prassō what hos I want thelō to do, but alla I am doing poieō what hos I hate miseō. 16 But de if ei I am doing poieō what hos I do not ou want thelō to do, I agree symphēmi with the ho law nomos, that hoti it is good kalos. 17 So de now nyni it is no ouketi longer I myself egō doing katergazomai it autos, but alla · ho sin hamartia living oikeō in en me egō. 18 For gar I know oida that hoti nothing ou good agathos dwells oikeō in en me egō, that houtos is eimi, in en · ho my egō flesh sarx; for gar I egō have parakeimai the ho desire thelō to do what ho is right kalos, · ho but de I am unable ou to do katergazomai it. 19 For gar I do poieō not ou do the good agathos I want thelō, but alla the evil kakos I do not ou want thelō is what houtos I do prassō. 20 Now de if ei I egō do poieō what hos I do not ou want thelō, it is no ouketi longer I egō who do katergazomai it autos, but alla · ho sin hamartia that lives oikeō in en me egō. 21 So ara I find heuriskō it to be a ho law nomos that ho when I egō want thelō to do poieō · ho good kalos, evil kakos is present parakeimai in me egō. · ho 22 For gar I joyfully agree synēdomai with the ho law nomos of ho God theos in kata the ho inner esō man anthrōpos, 23 but de I see blepō a different heteros law nomos in en · ho my egō members melos; it wages antistrateuomai war against the ho law nomos of ho my egō mind nous and kai makes me egō captive aichmalōtizō to en the ho law nomos of ho sin hamartia · ho dwelling eimi in en · ho my egō members melos. 24 Wretched talaipōros man anthrōpos that I egō am! Who tis will deliver rhyomai me egō from ek · ho this houtos body sōma of ho death thanatos? 25 Thanks charis · de be to ho God theos through dia Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos · ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios! So ara then oun, I egō myself autos serve douleuō the law nomos of God theos with ho my mind nous, but de with my ho flesh sarx I serve the law nomos of sin hamartia.
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