ⲚⲒⲢⲰⳘⲈⲞⲤ 7
1 ⲁ̅ ⲏ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲟ ⲛⲁⲧⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲓϣⲁϫⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲟⲛϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲉⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉϥⲟⲛϩ
Surely, friends, you know (for I am speaking to people who know what Law means) that Law has power over a person only as long as they lives.
2 ⲃ̅ ⲧⲉⲥϩⲓⲙⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲧϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲙⲛϩⲁⲓ ⲥⲙⲏⲣ ⲉⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲟⲛϩ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲣϣⲁⲛ ⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲟⲩ ⲁⲥⲟⲩⲱⲥϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲓ
For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband while he is living; but, if her husband dies, she is set free from the law that bound her to him.
3 ⲅ̅ ⲁⲣⲁ ϭⲉ ⲉⲣⲉⲡϩⲁⲓ ⲟⲛϩ ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲟⲉⲓⲕ ⲉⲥϣⲁⲛϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲕⲉϩⲁⲓ ⲉⲣϣⲁⲛ ⲡϩⲁⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲟⲩ ⲟⲩⲣⲙϩⲏ ⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲙⲧⲣⲉⲩⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲟⲉⲓⲕ ⲉⲥϣⲁⲛϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲕⲉϩⲁⲓ
If, then, during her husband’s lifetime, she unites herself to another man, she will be called an adulteress; but, if her husband dies, the law has no further hold on her, nor, if she unites herself to another man, is she an adulteress.
4 ⲇ̅ ϩⲱⲥⲧⲉ ⲛⲁⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲟⲩ ϩⲱⲧ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲓⲏⲥ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲧⲛϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲕⲉⲟⲩⲁ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ ϫⲉ ⲉⲛⲉϯ ⲕⲁⲣⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
And so with you, my friends; as far as the Law was concerned, you underwent death in the crucified body of the Christ, so that you might be united to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that our lives might bear fruit for God.
5 ⲉ̅ ⲛⲛⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲛϩⲛ ⲧⲥⲁⲣⲝ ⲙⲡⲁⲑⲟⲥ ⲛⲛⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲛⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲩⲉⲛⲉⲣⲅⲉⲓ ⲡⲉ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲛⲙⲉⲗⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛϯ ⲕⲁⲣⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲙⲟⲩ
When we were living merely earthly lives, our sinful passions, aroused by the Law, were active in every part of our bodies, with the result that our lives bore fruit for death.
6 ⲋ̅ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲁⲛⲙⲟⲩ ⲁⲛⲟⲩⲱⲥϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲉⲩⲁⲙⲁϩⲧⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϩⲱⲥⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲣϩⲙϩⲁⲗ ⲛⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧⲃⲣⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲛⲁ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧⲁⲥ ⲁⲛ ⲙⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ
But now we are set free from the Law, because we are dead to that which once kept us under restraint; and so we serve under new, spiritual conditions, and not under old, written regulations.
7 ⲍ̅ ⲟⲩ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲛⲁϫⲟⲟϥ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲙⲡⲓⲥⲟⲩⲛ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲉⲓ ⲙⲏⲧⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲓⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲡⲓⲑⲩⲙⲓⲁ ⲛⲥⲁⲃⲏⲗ ϫⲉ ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲟⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲕⲉⲡⲓⲑⲩⲙⲓ
What are we to say, then? That Law and sin are the same thing? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, I should not have learned what sin is, had not it been for Law. If the Law did not say ‘You must not covet,’ I should not know what it is to covet.
8 ⲏ̅ ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲇⲉ ϫⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲁⲫⲟⲣⲙⲏ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲁϥⲣϩⲱⲃ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲉⲡⲓⲑⲩⲙⲓⲁ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲁϫⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ
But sin took advantage of the commandment to arouse in me every form of covetousness, for where there is no consciousness of Law sin shows no sign of life.
There was a time when I myself, unconscious of Law, was alive; but when the commandment was brought home to me, sin sprang into life, while I died!
The commandment that should have meant life I found to result in death!
Sin took advantage of the commandment to deceive me, and used it to bring about my death.
And so the Law is holy, and each commandment is also holy, and just, and good.
13 ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ ⲛⲧⲁ ⲡⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲛ ϭⲉ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲩⲙⲟⲩ ⲛⲛⲉⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲡⲉ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉϥⲉⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲡⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲛ ⲉϥⲣϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲙⲟⲩ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲣϩⲟⲩⲉⲣⲉϥⲣⲛⲟⲃⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ
Did, then, a thing, which in itself was good, involve death in my case? Heaven forbid! It was sin that involved death; so that, by its use of what I regarded as good to bring about my death, its true nature might appear; and in this way the commandment showed how intensely sinful sin is.
We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am earthly – sold into slavery to sin.
15 ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛϯⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲛ ⲙⲡⲉϯⲟⲩⲁϣϥ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲉϯⲙⲟⲥⲧⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ
I do not understand my own actions. For I am so far from habitually doing what I want to do, that I find myself doing the thing that I hate.
But when I do what I want not to do, I am admitting that the Law is right.
This being so, the action is no longer my own, but is done by the sin which is within me.
18 ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ ϯⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ϫⲉ ⲙⲛⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲛ ⲟⲩⲏϩ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ϩⲛ ⲧⲁⲥⲁⲣⲝ ⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲅⲁⲣ ϥⲕⲏ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲡⲉⲣϩⲱⲃ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲡⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ
I know that there is nothing good in me – I mean in my earthly nature. For, although it is easy for me to want to do right, to act rightly is not easy.
I fail to do the good thing that I want to do, but the bad thing that I want not to do – that I habitually do.
20 ⲕ̅ ⲉϣϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲉϯⲟⲩⲁϣϥ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲓⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲁⲛ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧ
But, when I do the thing that I want not to do, the action is no longer my own, but is done by the sin which is within me.
This, then, is the law that I find – when I want to do right, wrong presents itself!
At heart I delight in the Law of God;
23 ⲕ̅ⲅ̅ ϯⲛⲁⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲕⲉⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲛⲁⲙⲉⲗⲟⲥ ⲉϥϯ ⲟⲩⲃⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲁϩⲏⲧ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉϥⲁⲓⲭⲙⲁⲗⲱⲧⲓⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲡ ϩⲛ ⲛⲁⲙⲉⲗⲟⲥ
but throughout my body I see a different law, one which is in conflict with the law accepted by my reason, and which endeavors to make me a prisoner to that law of sin which exists throughout my body.
Miserable man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body that is bringing me to this death?
25 ⲕ̅ⲉ̅ ⲡⲉϩⲙⲟⲧ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϣⲏⲡ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲓⲏⲥ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲡⲉⲛϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲁⲣⲁ ϭⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲙⲉⲛ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁϩⲏⲧ ϯⲟ ⲛϩⲙϩⲁⲗ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲛ ⲧⲁⲥⲁⲣⲝ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ
Thank God, there is deliverance through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Well then, for myself, with my reason I serve the Law of God, but with my earthly nature the Law of sin.
