Romans 7

1 Or do you not know, brothers (for I am speaking to people who know about law), that the law controls a person for as long as he lives?

Are ye ignorant, brethren, (for I speak to those knowing law, ) that law rules over a man as long as he lives?

2 For the married woman is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.

For the married woman is bound by law to her husband so long as he is alive; but if the husband should die, she is clear from the law of the husband:

3 So then, while her husband is living, if she lives with another man, she will be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so she is not an adulteress if she lives with another man.

so then, the husband being alive, she shall be called an adulteress if she be to another man; but if the husband should die, she is free from the law, so as not to be an adulteress, though she be to another man.

4 Therefore, my brothers, you were also made dead to the law through the body of Christ. This is so that you could be joined to another, that is, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might produce fruit for God.

So that, my brethren, ye also have been made dead to the law by the body of the Christ, to be to another, who has been raised up from among [the] dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.

5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.

For when we were in the flesh the passions of sins, which [were] by the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit to death;

6 But now we have been released from the law. We have died to that by which we were held. This is so that we might serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

but now we are clear from the law, having died in that in which we were held, so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.

7 What will we say then? Is the law itself sin? May it never be. However, I would never have known sin, if it were not through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law said, “You must not covet.”

What shall we say then? [is] the law sin? Far be the thought. But I had not known sin, unless by law: for I had not had conscience also of lust unless the law had said, Thou shalt not lust;

8 But sin took the opportunity through the commandment and brought about every lust in me. For without the law, sin is dead.

but sin, getting a point of attack by the commandment, wrought in me every lust; for without law sin [was] dead.

9 At one time I was alive without the law, but when the commandment came, sin regained life, and I died.

But I was alive without law once; but the commandment having come, sin revived, but I died.

10 The commandment that was to bring life turned out to be death for me.

And the commandment, which [was] for life, was found, [as] to me, itself [to be] unto death:

11 For sin took the opportunity through the commandment and deceived me. Through the commandment it killed me.

for sin, getting a point of attack by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew [me].

12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.

So that the law indeed [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

13 So did what is good become death to me? May it never be. But sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin through what is good, brought about death in me. This was in order that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.

Did then that which is good become death to me? Far be the thought. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death to me by that which is good; in order that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh. I have been sold under slavery to sin.

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am fleshly, sold under sin.

15 For what I do, I do not really understand. For what I want to do, I do not do, and what I hate, I do.

For that which I do, I do not own: for not what I will, this I do; but what I hate, this I practise.

16 But if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law that the law is good.

But if what I do not will, this I practise, I consent to the law that [it is] right.

17 But now it is no longer I who do it, but the sin that lives in me.

Now then [it is] no longer I [that] do it, but the sin that dwells in me.

18 For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, lives no good thing. For the desire for good is with me, but I cannot do it.

For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, good does not dwell: for to will is there with me, but to do right [I find] not.

19 For the good that I want I do not do, but the evil that I do not want, that I do.

For I do not practise the good that I will; but the evil I do not will, that I do.

20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, then it is no longer I who am acting, but rather sin that lives in me.

But if what I do not will, this I practise, [it is] no longer I [that] do it, but the sin that dwells in me.

21 I find, then, the principle in me that I want to do what is good, but that evil is actually present in me.

I find then the law upon me who will to practise what is right, that with me evil is there.

22 For I rejoice in the law of God with the inner man.

For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man:

23 But I see a different principle in my body parts. It fights against that new principle in my mind. It takes me captive by the principle of sin that is in my body parts.

but I see another law in my members, warring in opposition to the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which exists in my members.

24 I am a miserable man! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

O wretched man that I [am]! who shall deliver me out of this body of death?

25 But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind. However, with the flesh I serve the principle of sin.

I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I myself with the mind serve God's law; but with the flesh sin's law.