< 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?
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit for 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, 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 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 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."
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, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
But sin, taking occasion through the commandment, did work in me all concupiscence; for without law sin was dead.
9 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died.
But I was alive at one time without law: but the commandment having come, sin revived,
10 The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death;
and I died; and the commandment, which was unto life, the same was unto death.
11 for sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
For sin, taking occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it slew me.
12 Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
So the law is indeed holy, and the commandment 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.
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 fleshly, sold under sin.
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, having been sold under 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 that which I do, I know not: for I do that which I do not will; but I do that which I hate.
16 But if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
But if I do that which I do not will, I consent to the law that it is beautiful;
17 So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
but now it is no more I that do it, but sin dwelling 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 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 the good which I desire, I do not do; but the evil which I do not desire, that I practice.
for the good which I will I do not; but the evil which I do not will, that I do.
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.
If I do that which I do not will, it is no longer I that do it, but sin dwelling in me.
21 I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
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 delight in God's law in my inner being,
for I delight in the law of God according to the inward 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, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 What a wretched man I am. Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this 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.
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.