< Romans 7 >

1 Are ye ignorant, brethren — for to those knowing law I speak — that the law hath lordship over the man as long as he liveth?
Are ye ignorant, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law) that the law hath power over a man, only so long as it liveth?
2 for the married woman to the living husband hath been bound by law, and if the husband may die, she hath been free from the law of the husband;
For a married woman is bound by the law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband die, she is discharged from the law of her husband.
3 so, then, the husband being alive, an adulteress she shall be called if she may become another man's; and if the husband may die, she is free from the law, so as not to be an adulteress, having become another man's.
Therefore while her husband is living, she shall be called an adulteress if she become another man's: but if her husband be dead, she is free from the law; so that she is not an adulteress, though she become another man's.
4 So that, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of the Christ, for your becoming another's, who out of the dead was raised up, that we might bear fruit to God;
And thus, my brethren, ye also are dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye might become another's, even his who is raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
5 for when we were in the flesh, the passions of the sins, that [are] through the law, were working in our members, to bear fruit to the death;
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions while we were under the law operated in our bodies so as to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 and now we have ceased from the law, that being dead in which we were held, so that we may serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead by which we were bound, that we might serve God in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7 What, then, shall we say? the law [is] sin? let it not be! but the sin I did not know except through law, for also the covetousness I had not known if the law had not said:
What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid! Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust to be sinful, if the law had not said, "Thou shalt not covet."
8 'Thou shalt not covet;' and the sin having received an opportunity, through the command, did work in me all covetousness — for apart from law sin is dead.
But sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence: for without the law sin was dead.
9 And I was alive apart from law once, and the command having come, the sin revived, and I died;
And I was heretofore alive without the law: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died:
10 and the command that [is] for life, this was found by me for death;
and the commandment which was intended to life, I found to be unto death.
11 for the sin, having received an opportunity, through the command, did deceive me, and through it did slay [me];
For sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me, and by it slew me.
12 so that the law, indeed, [is] holy, and the command holy, and righteous, and good.
So that the law is holy; and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
13 That which is good then, to me hath it become death? let it not be! but the sin, that it might appear sin, through the good, working death to me, that the sin might become exceeding sinful through the command,
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid! But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good: that sin might be shewn by the commandment to be exceeding sinful.
14 for we have known that the law is spiritual, and I am fleshly, sold by the sin;
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 for that which I work, I do not acknowledge; for not what I will, this I practise, but what I hate, this I do.
For that which I do, I allow not: for I do not that which I would; but what I hate, this I do.
16 And if what I do not will, this I do, I consent to the law that [it is] good,
And if I do that which I would not, I consent to the law that it is good:
17 and now it is no longer I that work it, but the sin dwelling in me,
but now I am no more the doer of it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 for I have known that there doth not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, good: for to will is present with me, and to work that which is right I do not find,
For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good: for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not.
19 for the good that I will, I do not; but the evil that I do not will, this I practise.
For I do not the good that I would; but the evil which I would not, this I do.
20 And if what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that work it, but the sin that is dwelling in me.
Now if I do that which I would not, I am no more the doer of it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find, then, the law, that when I desire to do what is right, with me the evil is present,
I find then a kind of law, that when I would do good, evil besets me.
22 for I delight in the law of God according to the inward man,
For I delight in the law of God, as to the inward man:
23 and I behold another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of the sin that [is] in my members.
but I perceive another law in my body warring against the law of my mind, and captivating me to the law of sin, which is in my body.
24 A wretched man I [am]! who shall 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, I myself indeed with the mind do serve the law of God, and with the flesh, the law of sin.
The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with my mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

< Romans 7 >