Romans 7

1 Or do you not know, brothers, (now I am speaking to those who know the law) that the law has dominion over a man only so long as he lives?

Whether are you ignorant, O brethren, for I speak to those knowing the law, for the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he may live?

2 For example, a woman who is subject to a husband is obligated by the law while her husband lives. But when her husband has died, she is released from the law of her husband.

For a woman who is under her husband has been given to her husband by the law so long as he lives; but if the husband may die, she is free from the law of the husband.

3 Therefore, while her husband lives, if she has been with another man, she should be called an adulteress. But when her husband has died, she is freed from the law of her husband, such that, if she has been with another man, she is not an adulteress.

Then if she may be married to another man, her husband still living, she will be designated an adulteress: but if her husband may die, she is free from the law; and is no adulteress, though she is married to another man.

4 And so, my brothers, you also have become dead to the law, through the body of Christ, so that you may be another one who has risen from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

So, my brethren, ye are dead to the law through the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, to him who is risen from the dead, in order that we may bring forth fruit unto God.

5 For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were under the law, operated within our bodies, so as to bear fruit unto death.

For when we were in carnality, the emotions of sins, which were through the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

6 But now we have been released from the law of death, by which we were being held, so that now we may serve with a renewed spirit, and not in the old way, by the letter.

But now we have been made free from the law, being dead in that in which we were held; so that we serve in the newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

7 What should we say next? Is the law sin? Let it not be so! But I do not know sin, except through the law. For example, I would not have known about coveting, unless the law said: “You shall not covet.”

Then what shall we say? is the law sin? It could not be so; but I did not know sin except through the law: for indeed I had not known lusts, unless the law said, Thou shalt not covet.

8 But sin, receiving an opportunity through the commandment, wrought in me all manner of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.

But sin, taking occasion through the commandment, did work in me all concupiscence; for without law sin was dead.

9 Now I lived for some time apart from the law. But when the commandment had arrived, sin was revived,

But I was alive at one time without law: but the commandment having come, sin revived,

10 and I died. And the commandment, which was unto life, was itself found to be unto death for me.

and I died; and the commandment, which was unto life, the same was unto death.

11 For sin, receiving an opportunity through the commandment, seduced me, and, through the law, sin killed me.

For sin, taking occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it slew me.

12 And so, the law itself is indeed holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.

So the law is indeed holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.

13 Then was what is good made into death for me? Let it not be so! But rather sin, in order that it might be known as sin by what is good, wrought death in me; so that sin, through the commandment, might become sinful beyond measure.

Then did that which is good become death to me? it could not be so: but sin, that it may appear sin, through the good was working out death to me, in order that sin may be exceedingly sinful through the commandment.

14 For we know that the law is spiritual. But I am carnal, having been sold under sin.

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, having been sold under sin.

15 For I do things that I do not understand. For I do not do the good that I want to do. But the evil that I hate is what I do.

For that which I do, I know not: for I do that which I do not will; but I do that which I hate.

16 So, when I do what I do not want to do, I am in agreement with the law, that the law is good.

But if I do that which I do not will, I consent to the law that it is beautiful;

17 But I am then acting not according to the law, but according to the sin which lives within me.

but now it is no more I that do it, but sin dwelling in me.

18 For I know that what is good does not live within me, that is, within my flesh. For the willingness to do good lies close to me, but the carrying out of that good, I cannot reach.

For I know that in me, that is, in my carnal mind, there dwells no good thing. For to will is present with me, but to do that which is beautiful is not:

19 For I do not do the good that I want to do. But instead, I do the evil that I do not want to do.

for the good which I will I do not; but the evil which I do not will, that I do.

20 Now if I do what I am not willing to do, it is no longer I who am doing it, but the sin which lives within me.

If I do that which I do not will, it is no longer I that do it, but sin dwelling in me.

21 And so, I discover the law, by wanting to do good within myself, though evil lies close beside me.

Then I find a law, that, to me wishing to do that which is beautiful, that the evil is present with me:

22 For I am delighted with the law of God, according to the inner man.

for I delight in the law of God according to the inward man;

23 But I perceive another law within my body, fighting against the law of my mind, and captivating me with the law of sin which is in my body.

but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 Unhappy man that I am, who will free me from this body of death?

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 The grace of God, by Jesus Christ our Lord! Therefore, I serve the law of God with my own mind; but with the flesh, the law of sin.

Thanks be unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord: then therefore with the mind I serve the law of God; but with carnality the law of sin.