< Romans 7 >
1 Or do you not know, brothers (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a person for as long as he lives?
Or do ye not know, my Brethren.-(for I am speaking to them that know the law, )- that the law hath dominion over a man, as long as he is alive?
2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.
Just as a woman, by the law, is bound to her husband, as long as he is alive: but if her husband should die, she is freed from the law of her husband.
3 So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she is called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man.
And if, while her husband is alive, she should adhere to another man, she would become an adulteress: but if her husband should die, she is freed from the law; and would not be an adulteress though joined to another man.
4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we may bear fruit to God.
And now, my brethren, ye also have become dead to the law, by the body of Messiah; that ye might be joined to another, even to him who arose from the dead; and might yield fruits unto God.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit for death.
For while we were in the flesh, the emotions of sin which are by the law, were active in our members, that we should bear fruits unto death.
6 But now we have been released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
But now we are absolved from the law, and are dead to that which held us in its grasp: that we might henceforth serve in the newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7 What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not. However, I would not have known sin, except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness, unless the law had said, "Do not covet."
What shall we say then? Is the law sin?, Far be it. For I had not learned sin, except by means of the law: for I had not known concupiscence, had not the law said, Thou shalt not covet:
8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
and by this commandment, sin found occasion, and perfected in me all concupiscence: for without the law, sin was dead.
9 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died.
And I, without the law, was alive formerly; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died;
10 The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death;
and the commandment of life was found by me to be unto death.
11 for sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
For sin, by the occasion which it found by means of the commandment, seduced me; and thereby slew me.
12 Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
Wherefore, the law is holy; and the commandment is holy, and righteous, and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Absolutely not. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.
Did that which is good, therefore, become death to me? Far be it. But sin, that it might be seen to be sin, perfected death in me by means of that good law; that sin might the more be condemned, by means of the commandment.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.
For we know, that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, and sold to sin.
15 For I do not know what I am doing. For I do not practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.
For what I am doing, I know not: and what I would, I do not perform; but what I hate, that I do.
16 But if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
And if I do what I would not, I testify of the law, that it is right.
17 So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
And then, it is no more I who do that thing; but sin, which dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For the desire is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
For I know, that in me, (that is, in my flesh, ) good dwelleth not: because, to approve the good, is easy for me; but to do it, I am unable.
19 For the good which I desire, I do not do; but the evil which I do not desire, that I practice.
For I do not perform the good, which I would perform; but the bad, which I would not perform, that I do perform.
20 But if what I do not desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
And if I do what I would not, it is not I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.
21 I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
I find therefore a law coinciding with my conscience, which assenteth to my doing good, whereas evil is near to me.
22 For I delight in God's law in my inner being,
For I rejoice in the law of God, in the interior man.
23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
But I see another law in my members, which warreth against the law of my conscience, and maketh me a captive to the law of sin which existeth in my members
24 What a wretched man I am. Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?
O, a miserable man, am I! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve God's law, but with the flesh, the sin's law.
I thank God; by means of our Lord Jesus Messiah I shall be rescued. [ (Romans 7:26) Now, therefore, in my conscience, I am a servant of the law of God; but in my flesh, I am a servant of the law of sin. ]