< Romans 7 >
1 Or are ye ignorant, brethren, —for unto them that understand the law am I speaking, that, the law, hath lordship over a men as long as he liveth?
2 For, the married woman, unto her living husband is bound by law; but, if her husband have died, she hath received a full release from the law of her husband.
3 Hence then, her husband being alive, an adulteress, shall she be called—if she become another man’s, but, if the husband have died, she is free from the law; so that she is not an adulteress, though she become another man’s.
4 So, then, my brethren, ye also, were made dead unto the law through the body of the Christ, to the end ye might become another’s—his who from among the dead was raised, in order that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
5 For, when we were in the flesh, the susceptibilities of sins which were through the law, used to be energized in our members unto the bringing forth of fruit unto death;
6 But, now, we have received full release from the law, by dying [in that] wherein we used to be held fast, so that we should be doing service—in newness of spirit and not in obsoleteness of letter.
7 What, then, shall we say? Is the law sin? Far be it! On the contrary, I had not discovered, sin, save through law, for even, of coveting, I had not been aware if, the law, had not kept on saying—Thou shall not covet;
8 Howbeit sin taking, occasion—through the commandment, wrought out in me all manner of coveting; for, apart from law, sin is dead; —
9 And, I, was alive, apart from law, at one time, but, the commandment coming, sin sprang up to life,
10 Whereas, I, died, —and the commandment which was unto life was found by me to be, itself, unto death;
11 For, sin, —taking occasion—through the commandment, completely deceived me and, through it, slew me:
12 So that, the law, indeed, is holy, and the commandment, holy, and righteous and good.
13 Did, then, that which is good, unto me become death? Far be it! But [it was] sin, that it might appear sin, through that which was good unto me working out death, in order that, exceeding sinful, might sin become through the commandment.
14 For we know that, the law, is spiritual, —I, however, am a creature of flesh, sold under sin;
15 For, that which I am working out, I do not approve, —for not, what I wish, the same I practise, but, what I hate, the same I do:
16 Now, if what I wish not the same I do, I consent unto the law that [it is] right.
17 Now, however, no longer am, I, working it out, but the, sin, that dwelleth in me:
18 I know, in fact, that there dwelleth not in me, that is, in my flesh, anything good; for, the wishing, lieth near me, but, the working out of what is right, not!
19 For not, the good that I wish, I do, but, the evil that I do not wish, the same I practise.
20 Now, if what I wish not, the same, I do, no longer am, I, working it out, but the, sin, that dwelleth in me.
21 Hence, I find the law, to me who wish to be doing the right, that, unto me, the wrong lieth near:
22 I have, in fact, a sympathetic pleasure in the law of God; according to the inner man.
23 But I behold a diverse law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and taking me captive in the law of sin which existeth in my members: —
24 Wretched, man am, I! Who shall rescue me out of this body doomed to death?
25 [But] thanks be unto God!—Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Hence, then, —I myself, with the mind, indeed, am in servitude unto a law of God; but; with the flesh; unto a law of sin.