Romans 7

1 My fellow believers, you know about laws. So you certainly know (OR, I want you to remember) that people have to obey laws [PRS] [only] while [they are] alive. [RHQ]

Remember ye not brethren (I speake to them yt know the lawe) how that the lawe hath power over a man as longe as it endureth?

2 For example, a woman is required by the law {the law requires a woman} [to obey and be faithful to her husband] as long as he is alive. But if her husband dies, she is freed [from having to] {[no longer has to]} [obey] the law about [remaining married to] her husband.

For the woman which is in subieccion to a man is bounde by the lawe to the man as longe as he liveth. Yf the man be deed she is lowsed from the lawe of the man.

3 Therefore, a woman will be called {people will call a woman} an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she no longer [has to obey] that law. Then she will not be an adulteress if she marries another man.

So then yf whill the man liveth she couple her selfe with another man she shalbe counted a wedlocke breaker. But yf the man be deed she is fre fro the lawe: so that she is no wedlocke breaker though she couple her selfe with another man.

4 Likewise, my fellow believers, [just like people are free from having to obey any law after they die] [MET], you [and I] have been freed {[God] has freed you [and me]} from having [to obey] all the Jewish rituals and laws [MET]. [That is because it is as though] we died with Christ [when he was crucified]. Now you [and I] belong to someone else [MET], [like a woman who marries again after her husband dies belongs to another man]. Specifically, you [and I] belong to [Christ], who has come back to life {whom [God] has caused to live again after he died}, in order that we may live righteously [IDM] to [honor] God.

Even so ye my brethren are deed concerninge the lawe by the body of Christ yt ye shuld be coupled to another (I meane to him that is rysen agayne fro deeth) that we shuld bringe forth frute vnto God.

5 When our self-directed nature [controlled] us, desires [that led us to] sin were acting in our bodies. [Those desires were increased because of our knowing God’s] laws [PRS]. As a result [we did evil things] [IDM] [that] caused us to be separated from God.

For when we were in the flesshe the lustes of synne which were stered vppe by ye lawe raygned in oure membres to bringe forth frute vnto deeth.

6 But now we are freed {free} from [having to obey all the Jewish] rituals— [it is as though] we have died. The result is that now we are not controlled by those rituals {those rituals do not control us now}. So we serve God, not by [having to obey] those rituals, which is the old way, but in the new way, as [God’s] Spirit [helps us to serve him].

But now are we delivered fro the lawe and deed fro that whervnto we werein bondage that we shuld serve in a newe conversacion of ye sprete and not in ye olde conversacion of the letter.

7 [Someone might object], saying, “(The laws [that God gave Moses] must be evil [if our sinful desires] are increased because of our knowing those laws. [MTY]/Are not the laws [that God gave Moses] evil [if they stir up our sinful desires]?)” [MTY, RHQ] [I would reply] that they certainly are not [evil, even though our sinful desires are increased]. What I would reply is that I, [for example], realized that [what I was doing] was sinful only because [of what is written] {[Moses wrote]} [in] those laws. For example, I realized that coveting [is sinful] only because he wrote in those laws [PRS], “You must not covet.”

What shall we saye then? is ye lawe synne? God forbid: but I knewe not what synne meant but by the lawe. For I had not knowne what lust had meant excepte the lawe had sayde thou shalt not lust.

8 And because of what that commandment [stated], my sinful [desire to have things that belong to others] [PRS] caused me to covet in many ways. [Our desire to] sin is not stimulated [MET] when there is no law [that prohibits our doing sinful things].

But synne toke an occasion by the meanes of the commaundement and wrought in me all manner of concupiscece. For with out the lawe synne was deed.

9 Formerly, when I did not [know] what God’s laws [required], I used to live [without worrying about what I was doing]. But when I [became aware that God] commanded, [“You must not covet],” I suddenly realized [PRS] that I was sinning,

I once lived with out lawe. But when the commaundement came synne revyved and I was deed.

10 and [I realized that] I was separated from God. The laws that [I thought would enable me to] live [eternally as a result of my obeying them] caused me [to realize that] I was separated from God!

And the very same comaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe was founde to be vnto me an occasion of deeth.

11 [My desire to] sin found a way [PRS] to deceive me [by making me think wrongly that] I could keep [on sinning and at the same time obey] those laws [enough so that I would live eternally], and [thus it] caused me to be separated from God [PRS].

For synne toke occasion by the meanes of the comaundement and so disceaved me and by the selfe commaundement slewe we.

12 So [we conclude that] the laws [that God gave to Moses] are holy. What God commanded [about not coveting, along with all the other things that he commanded], is also holy, and it is just and good.

Wherfore the lawe is holy and the commaundement holy iust and good.

13 So, [if someone were to object] saying, “[The laws that God gave Moses], which are good, (resulted in my being separated from God!/did they result in my being separated from God?) [RHQ]” [I would reply], “Certainly they did not [do that]!” But instead, those [laws], which are good, stimulated [my desire to] sin. I knew that the result was that I was separated from God. And also, because I [learned what God had] commanded, [I knew that] what I was doing was [truly] sinful.

Was that then which is good made deeth vnto me? God forbyd. Naye synne was deeth vnto me that it myght appere how that synne by the meanes of that which is good had wrought deeth in me: that synne which is vnder the commandemet myght be out of measure synfull.

14 We know that the laws [that God gave Moses came from God’s] Spirit. But as for me, I am [influenced by my] self-directed nature. [It is as though] I have been forced to become a slave of [my desire to] sin [MET].

For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall: but I am carnall solde vnder synne

15 The things that I do, I [often] [HYP] do not understand. That is, [sometimes] [HYP] it is [the good things] that I want [to do] that I do not do. [And sometimes] [HYP] it is the [evil] things that I detest that I do.

because I wote not what I doo. For what I wold that do I not: but what I hate that do I.

16 Since I [do] the [evil] things that I do not want [to] do, I agree that the laws [of God] are good.

Yf I do now that which I wolde not I graute to the lawe that it is good.

17 So, it is not that I do [evil things because I wish to do them]. Instead, [what happens is that] I do sinful things because the desire to sin [causes me to do them]. The [desire to] sin (is within/permeates) me [PRS].

So then nowe it is not I that do it but synne that dwelleth in me.

18 I know that my self-directed nature will not [let me] [PRS] [do] anything that is good. I know this because I want [to do what is good], but I do not do what is good.

For I knowe that in me (that is to saye in my flesshe) dwelleth no good thinge. To will is present with me: but I fynde no meanes to performe that which is good.

19 I do not do the good things that I want to do. Instead, it is evil things that I do not want to do that I do.

For I doo not yt good thinge which I wold: but that evill do I which I wolde not.

20 Because I do [evil things] that I do not want to do, it is not that I do [evil things because I want to]. Instead, [I do them because] my self-directed nature, which permeates me [PRS], [causes me to do them].

Finally yf I do that I wolde not then is it not I that doo it but synne that dwelleth in me doeth it.

21 I find, then, that what always happens is that when I want to do what is good, there is an evil [desire] present within me that [PRS] [prevents me from doing good].

I fynde then by the lawe that when I wolde do good evyll is present with me.

22 With my new inner nature I like the laws of God very much.

I delite in the lawe of God concerninge the inner man.

23 Nevertheless, I sense that there is a different force that is in (my body/me) [PRS, SYN]. It is opposed to what with my mind [I desire to do] [MET], and it puts me inescapably under the control of [MET] the sinful [desires] that I have [SYN].

But I se another lawe in my membres rebellinge agaynst the lawe of my mynde and subduynge me vnto the lawe of synne which is in my membres.

24 [When I consider this], I [feel that I] am a very wretched person. I want someone to set me free from the control of what my body [desires], in order that I might not be separated from God. [RHQ] [I also think that what I have experienced is the same as what all believers experience].

O wretched man yt I am: who shall delyver me fro this body of deeth?

25 I thank God that it is by Jesus Christ our Lord [that we can be free from the control of what our bodies desire]. So, [with our minds, you and] I on the one hand want to obey God’s laws. [But also], [you and] I [often let] our sinful [desires control us] because of our self-directed nature.

I thanke God thorow Iesus Christ oure Lorde. So then I my silfe in my mynde serve the lawe of God and in my flesshe the lawe of synne.