Romans 7

1 Or don’t you know, brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man 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 woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband.

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 if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to 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 also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might produce fruit to 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 which were through the law worked in our members to bring out fruit to 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 discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we 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 shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting unless the law had said, “You shall 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, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from 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 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

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

10 The commandment which was for life, this I found to be for death;

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

11 for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.

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

12 Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, righteous, and good.

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

13 Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, was producing death in me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful.

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 fleshly, sold under sin.

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

15 For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that 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 what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good.

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

17 So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells 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, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.

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 which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.

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

20 But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells 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 law that, while I desire to do good, evil is present.

I find, then, that it is a law to me, when desirous to do good, that evil is near me.

22 For I delight in God’s law after the inward person,

For I take pleasure in the law of God, as to the inner man:

23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.

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 What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?

Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?

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

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.