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?

Do you not know, brethren, (for I speak to them who know law, ) that the law has dominion 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 as long as he lives; but if the husband be dead, she is released from the law of her 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.

If, then, indeed, while her husband lives, she be married to another, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from the law; so that she is not an adulteress, though married to another husband.

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.

Thus, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law, by the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, who rose from the dead, that we may bring forth 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, our sinful passions which were through the law, wrought effectually 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, having died with Christ, we are released from the law, by which we were held in bondage; so that we may serve God in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the 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? By no means. Indeed, I had not known sin, except by the law. For I had not known even inordinate desire, unless the law had said, "You shall 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, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of inordinate desire: for without the law sin is dead.

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

For I was alive, once, without the law: but when the commandment came, sin revived, but I died.

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

Yes, the commandment which was for live, the very same was found to be death to me.

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

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

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

Wherefore, the law is holy, and the commandment holy, 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.

Has, then, that which is good become death to me? By no means. But sin becomes death, in order that it might manifest itself, causing death to me by that which is good: so that sin, (through the commandment, ) might be an exceedingly great sinner.

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

Besides, we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, 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 approve; since it is not what I desire that I do: but I do that which I hate.

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

If, now, I do that which I do not desire, I consent to the law that it is good.

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

But now it is no longer I myself who do this; but sin which 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, there dwells no good thing: for to desire what is good, is easy for me; but to do it, I find difficult.

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

For the good which I desire, that I do not: but the evil which I desire not, 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.

Now, if I do that which I do not desire, it is no longer I who do it; but sin, which 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, that it is a law to me, when desirous to do good, that evil is near me.

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

For I take pleasure in the law of God, as to the inner 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 perceive another law, in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and making me a captive to the law of sin, which is in my members.

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

Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from 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! Wherefore, then, indeed, I myself serve, with my mind, the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin.