Romans 7

1 Do you not know, brethren, (for I speak to them who know law, ) that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?

ARE you unacquainted, brethren, (for I am speaking to those who know the law, ) that the law exercises dominion over a person for as long time as he liveth?

2 For the married woman is bound, by law, to her husband as long as he lives; but if the husband be dead, she is released from the law of her husband.

For the woman who is subject to a husband, is bound by the law to that husband during his life; but if the husband be dead, she is discharged from that husband.

3 If, then, indeed, while her husband lives, she be married to another, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from the law; so that she is not an adulteress, though married to another husband.

She shall therefore certainly be counted an adulteress, if, her husband being alive, she be for another man: but if her husband is dead, she is free from the law; so that she shall be no adulteress, though married to another husband.

4 Thus, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law, by the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, who rose from the dead, that we may bring forth fruit to God.

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye might be for another, who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit for God.

5 For when we were in the flesh, our sinful passions which were through the law, wrought effectually in our members, to bring forth fruit to death.

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions excited by the law, wrought powerfully in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death.

6 But now, having died with Christ, we are released from the law, by which we were held in bondage; so that we may serve God in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

But now we have been discharged from the law, that being dead by which we were held fast; that we should serve in renovation of spirit, and not in the antiquity of the letter.

7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? By no means. Indeed, I had not known sin, except by the law. For I had not known even inordinate desire, unless the law had said, "You shall not lust."

What then shall we say? Is the law sin? God forbid. Yea, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not even known concupiscence, unless the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of inordinate desire: for without the law sin is dead.

But sin, seizing the opportunity by the law, wrought in me all concupiscence. For without the law sin is dead.

9 For I was alive, once, without the law: but when the commandment came, sin revived, but I died.

For though I lived without the law formerly; yet when the commandment came, sin revived, but I died.

10 Yes, the commandment which was for live, the very same was found to be death to me.

And the commandment, which was for life, the same was found by me for death.

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

For sin, seizing the occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and thereby slew me.

12 Wherefore, the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good.

So then the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

13 Has, then, that which is good become death to me? By no means. But sin becomes death, in order that it might manifest itself, causing death to me by that which is good: so that sin, (through the commandment, ) might be an exceedingly great sinner.

Did then that which is good become fatal to me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin by that which was good in itself, was the cause of death to me; that sin through the commandment might become transcendantly sinful.

14 Besides, we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am fleshly, sold under sin.

15 For that which I do, I do not approve; since it is not what I desire that I do: but I do that which I hate.

For that which I am doing I approve not: for not the thing which I wish, that do I practise; but the very thing I hate, that I do.

16 If, now, I do that which I do not desire, I consent to the law that it is good.

But if what I would not, that I do, I concur with the law that it is excellent.

17 But now it is no longer I myself who do this; but sin which dwells in me.

Now then no more I do this, but sin dwelling in me.

18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwells no good thing: for to desire what is good, is easy for me; but to do it, I find difficult.

For I know that there dwelleth not in me (that is, in my flesh) any good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19 For the good which I desire, that I do not: but the evil which I desire not, that I do.

For I do not the good which I wish: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20 Now, if I do that which I do not desire, it is no longer I who do it; but sin, which dwells in me.

If then I do that which I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21 I find, then, that it is a law to me, when desirous to do good, that evil is near me.

I find then a law, that, when I wish to do good, evil is presented to me.

22 For I take pleasure in the law of God, as to the inner man:

For I am delighted with the law of God, as respecting the inward man:

23 but I perceive another law, in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and making me a captive to the law of sin, which is in my members.

but I see another law in my members, militating against the law in my mind, and making me captive to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?

O wretched man, I! who shall pluck me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Wherefore, then, indeed, I myself serve, with my mind, the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin.

I give thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Well then, I myself with my mind am servant to the law of God; but in my flesh to the law of sin.