Romans 7

1 Britheren, whethir ye knowun not; for Y speke to men `that knowen the lawe; for the lawe hath lordschip in a man, as long tyme as it lyueth?

Or do you not know, brothers (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a person for as long as he lives?

2 For that womman that is vndur an hosebonde, is boundun to the lawe, while the hosebonde lyueth; but if hir hosebonde is deed, sche is delyuered fro the lawe of the hosebonde.

For the married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.

3 Therfor sche schal be clepid auoutresse, if sche be with another man, while the hosebonde lyueth; but if hir hosebonde is deed, sche is delyuered fro the lawe of the hosebonde, that sche be not auoutresse, if sche be with another man.

So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she is called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man.

4 And so, my britheren, ye ben maad deed to the lawe bi the bodi of Crist, that ye ben of another, that roos ayen fro deth, that ye bere fruyt to God.

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 may bear fruit to God.

5 For whanne we weren in fleisch, passiouns of synnes, that weren bi the lawe, wrouyten in oure membris, to bere fruyt to deth.

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit for death.

6 But now we ben vnboundun fro the lawe of deth, in which we weren holdun, so that we seruen in newnesse of spirit, and not in eldnesse of lettre.

But now we have been released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

7 What therfor schulen we seie? The lawe is synne? God forbede. But Y knew not synne, but bi lawe; for Y wiste not that coueitynge was synne, but for the lawe seide, Thou schalt not coueyte.

What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not. However, I would not have known sin, except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness, unless the law had said, "Do not covet."

8 And thoruy occasioun takun, synne bi the maundement hath wrouyt in me al coueytise; for withouten the lawe, synne was deed.

But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin is dead.

9 And Y lyuede withouten the lawe sumtyme; but whanne the comaundement was comun, synne lyuede ayen.

I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died.

10 But Y was deed, and this comaundement that was to lijf, was foundun to me, to be to deth.

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

11 For synne, thorouy occasioun takun bi the comaundement, disceyuede me, and bi that it slow me.

for sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.

12 Therfor the lawe is hooli, and the comaundement is hooli, and iust, and good.

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

13 Is thanne that thing that is good, maad deth to me? God forbede. But synne, that it seme synne, thorouy good thing wrouyte deth to me, that me synne ouer maner thorouy the comaundement.

Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Absolutely not. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.

14 And we witen, that the lawe is spiritual; but Y am fleischli, seld vndur synne.

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

15 For Y vndurstonde not that that Y worche; for Y do not the good thing that Y wole, but Y do thilke yuel thing that Y hate.

For I do not know what I am doing. For I do not practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.

16 And if Y do that thing that Y wole not, Y consente to the lawe, that it is good.

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

17 But now Y worche not it now, but the synne that dwellith in me.

So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

18 But and Y woot, that in me, that is, in my fleisch, dwellith no good; for wille lieth to me, but Y fynde not to performe good thing.

For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For the desire is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

19 For Y do not thilke good thing that Y wole, but Y do thilke yuel thing that Y wole not.

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

20 And if Y do that yuel thing that Y wole not, Y worche not it, but the synne that dwellith in me.

But if what I do not desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

21 Therfor Y fynde the lawe to me willynge to do good thing, for yuel thing lieth to me.

I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.

22 For Y delite togidere to the lawe of God, aftir the ynnere man. But Y se another lawe in my membris,

For I delight in God's law in my inner being,

23 ayenfiytynge the lawe of my soule, and makynge me caitif in the lawe of synne, that is in my membris.

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.

24 Y am an vnceli man; who schal delyuer me fro the bodi of this synne?

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

25 The grace of God, bi Jhesu Crist oure Lord. Therfor Y my silf bi the soule serue to the lawe of God; but bi fleisch to the lawe of synne.

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