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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of inordinate desire: 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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