< Romans 7 >

1 Brethren, do you not know--for I am writing to people acquainted with the Law--that it is during our lifetime that we are subject to the Law?
ⲁ̅ⲏ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲟ ⲛⲁⲧⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲓϣⲁϫⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲟⲛϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲉⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉϥⲟⲛϩ
2 A wife, for instance, whose husband is living is bound to him by the Law; but if her husband dies the law that bound her to him has now no hold over her.
ⲃ̅ⲧⲉⲥϩⲓⲙⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲧϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲙⲛϩⲁⲓ ⲥⲙⲏⲣ ⲉⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲟⲛϩ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲣϣⲁⲛ ⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲟⲩ ⲁⲥⲟⲩⲱⲥϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲓ
3 This accounts for the fact that if during her husband's life she lives with another man, she will be stigmatized as an adulteress; but that if her husband is dead she is no longer under the old prohibition, and even though she marries again, she is not an adulteress.
ⲅ̅ⲁⲣⲁ ϭⲉ ⲉⲣⲉⲡϩⲁⲓ ⲟⲛϩ ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲟⲉⲓⲕ ⲉⲥϣⲁⲛϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲕⲉϩⲁⲓ ⲉⲣϣⲁⲛ ⲡϩⲁⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲟⲩ ⲟⲩⲣⲙϩⲏ ⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲙⲧⲣⲉⲩⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲟⲉⲓⲕ ⲉⲥϣⲁⲛϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲕⲉϩⲁⲓ
4 So, my brethren, to you also the Law died through the incarnation of Christ, that you might be wedded to Another, namely to Him who rose from the dead in order that we might yield fruit to God.
ⲇ̅ϩⲱⲥⲧⲉ ⲛⲁⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲟⲩ ϩⲱⲧ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲓⲏⲥ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲧⲛϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲕⲉⲟⲩⲁ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ ϫⲉ ⲉⲛⲉϯ ⲕⲁⲣⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
5 For whilst we were under the thraldom of our earthly natures, sinful passions-- made sinful by the Law--were always being aroused to action in our bodily faculties that they might yield fruit to death.
ⲉ̅ⲛⲛⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲛϩⲛ ⲧⲥⲁⲣⲝ ⲙⲡⲁⲑⲟⲥ ⲛⲛⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲛⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲩⲉⲛⲉⲣⲅⲉⲓ ⲡⲉ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲛⲙⲉⲗⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛϯ ⲕⲁⲣⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲙⲟⲩ
6 But seeing that we have died to that which once held us in bondage, the Law has now no hold over us, so that we render a service which, instead of being old and formal, is new and spiritual.
ⲋ̅ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲁⲛⲙⲟⲩ ⲁⲛⲟⲩⲱⲥϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲉⲩⲁⲙⲁϩⲧⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϩⲱⲥⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲣϩⲙϩⲁⲗ ⲛⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧⲃⲣⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲛⲁ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧⲁⲥ ⲁⲛ ⲙⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ
7 What follows? Is the Law itself a sinful thing? No, indeed; on the contrary, unless I had been taught by the Law, I should have known nothing of sin as sin. For instance, I should not have known what covetousness is, if the Law had not repeatedly said, "Thou shalt not covet."
ⲍ̅ⲟⲩ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲛⲁϫⲟⲟϥ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲙⲡⲓⲥⲟⲩⲛ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲉⲓ ⲙⲏⲧⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲓⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲡⲓⲑⲩⲙⲓⲁ ⲛⲥⲁⲃⲏⲗ ϫⲉ ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲟⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲕⲉⲡⲓⲑⲩⲙⲓ
8 Sin took advantage of this, and by means of the Commandment stirred up within me every kind of coveting; for apart from Law sin would be dead.
ⲏ̅ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲇⲉ ϫⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲁⲫⲟⲣⲙⲏ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲁϥⲣϩⲱⲃ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲉⲡⲓⲑⲩⲙⲓⲁ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲁϫⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ
9 Once, apart from Law, I was alive, but when the Commandment came, sin sprang into life, and I died;
ⲑ̅ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲉⲉⲓⲟⲛϩ ⲁϫⲛ ⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲡⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉⲥⲉⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲧⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲱⲛϩ
10 and, as it turned out, the very Commandment which was to bring me life, brought me death.
ⲓ̅ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲓⲙⲟⲩ ⲁⲩϩⲉ ⲉϯⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲉⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲩⲙⲟⲩ ⲛⲁⲓ
11 For sin seized the advantage, and by means of the Commandment it completely deceived me, and also put me to death.
ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ⲉⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ϫⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲁⲫⲟⲣⲙⲏ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲁϥⲉⲝⲁⲡⲁⲧⲁ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧⲥ ⲁϥⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ
12 So that the Law itself is holy, and the Commandment is holy, just and good.
ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ϩⲱⲥⲧⲉ ϭⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲟⲩⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲛ ⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲩⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲛ ⲧⲉ
13 Did then a thing which is good become death to me? No, indeed, but sin did; so that through its bringing about death by means of what was good, it might be seen in its true light as sin, in order that by means of the Commandment the unspeakable sinfulness of sin might be plainly shown.
ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ⲛⲧⲁ ⲡⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲛ ϭⲉ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲩⲙⲟⲩ ⲛⲛⲉⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲡⲉ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉϥⲉⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲡⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲛ ⲉϥⲣϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲙⲟⲩ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲣϩⲟⲩⲉⲣⲉϥⲣⲛⲟⲃⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ
14 For we know that the Law is a spiritual thing; but I am unspiritual--the slave, bought and sold, of sin.
ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ⲧⲛⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ϫⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲟⲩⲡⲛⲁⲧⲓⲕⲟⲥ ⲡⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲛⲅ ⲟⲩⲥⲁⲣⲕⲓⲕⲟⲥ ⲉⲓⲧⲟ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ
15 For what I do, I do not recognize as my own action. What I desire to do is not what I do, but what I am averse to is what I do.
ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛϯⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲛ ⲙⲡⲉϯⲟⲩⲁϣϥ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲉϯⲙⲟⲥⲧⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ
16 But if I do that which I do not desire to do, I admit the excellence of the Law,
ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ⲉϣϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲉϯⲟⲩⲁϣϥ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ϯϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ
17 and now it is no longer I that do these things, but the sin which has its home within me does them.
ⲓ̅ⲍ̅ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲁⲛ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲣϩⲱⲃ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲏϩ ⲛϩⲏⲧ
18 For I know that in me, that is, in my lower self, nothing good has its home; for while the will to do right is present with me, the power to carry it out is not.
ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ϯⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ϫⲉ ⲙⲛⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲛ ⲟⲩⲏϩ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ϩⲛ ⲧⲁⲥⲁⲣⲝ ⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲅⲁⲣ ϥⲕⲏ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲡⲉⲣϩⲱⲃ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲡⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ
19 For what I do is not the good thing that I desire to do; but the evil thing that I desire not to do, is what I constantly do.
ⲓ̅ⲑ̅ⲙⲡⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲉϯⲟⲩⲁϣϥ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲡⲉⲑⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲛϯⲟⲩⲁϣϥ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ
20 But if I do that which I desire not to do, it can no longer be said that it is I who do it, but the sin which has its home within me does it.
ⲕ̅ⲉϣϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲉϯⲟⲩⲁϣϥ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲓⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲁⲛ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧ
21 I find therefore the law of my nature to be that when I desire to do what is right, evil is lying in ambush for me.
ⲕ̅ⲁ̅ϯϩⲏⲩ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲛϥϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉⲧⲟⲩⲉϣⲣ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲡⲉⲑⲟⲟⲩ ⲕⲏ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ
22 For in my inmost self all my sympathy is with the Law of God;
ⲕ̅ⲃ̅ϯϩⲏⲇⲁⲛⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧϩⲓ ϩⲟⲩⲛ
23 but I discover within me a different Law at war with the Law of my understanding, and leading me captive to the Law which is everywhere at work in my body--the Law of sin.
ⲕ̅ⲅ̅ϯⲛⲁⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲕⲉⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲛⲁⲙⲉⲗⲟⲥ ⲉϥϯ ⲟⲩⲃⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲁϩⲏⲧ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉϥⲁⲓⲭⲙⲁⲗⲱⲧⲓⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲡ ϩⲛ ⲛⲁⲙⲉⲗⲟⲥ
24 (Unhappy man that I am! who will rescue me from this death-burdened body?
ⲕ̅ⲇ̅ⲡⲧⲁⲗⲁⲓⲡⲱⲣⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲁϩⲙⲉⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲙⲟⲩ
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!) To sum up then, with my understanding, I--my true self--am in servitude to the Law of God, but with my lower nature I am in servitude to the Law of sin.
ⲕ̅ⲉ̅ⲡⲉϩⲙⲟⲧ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϣⲏⲡ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲓⲏⲥ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲡⲉⲛϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲁⲣⲁ ϭⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲙⲉⲛ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁϩⲏⲧ ϯⲟ ⲛϩⲙϩⲁⲗ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲛ ⲧⲁⲥⲁⲣⲝ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ

< Romans 7 >