Προς Ρωμαιους 7
1 η αγνοειτε αδελφοι γινωσκουσιν γαρ νομον λαλω οτι ο νομος κυριευει του ανθρωπου εφ οσον χρονον ζη
Surely, Brothers, you know (for I am speaking to men who know what Law means) that Law has power over a man only as long as he lives.
2 η γαρ υπανδρος γυνη τω ζωντι ανδρι δεδεται νομω εαν δε αποθανη ο ανηρ κατηργηται απο του νομου του ανδρος
For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband while he is living; but, if her husband dies, she is set free from the law that bound her to him.
3 αρα ουν ζωντος του ανδρος μοιχαλις χρηματισει εαν γενηται ανδρι ετερω εαν δε αποθανη ο ανηρ ελευθερα εστιν απο του νομου του μη ειναι αυτην μοιχαλιδα γενομενην ανδρι ετερω
If, then, during her husband’s lifetime, she unites herself to another man, she will be called an adulteress; but, if her husband dies, the law has no further hold on her, nor, if she unites herself to another man, is she an adulteress.
4 ωστε αδελφοι μου και υμεις εθανατωθητε τω νομω δια του σωματος του χριστου εις το γενεσθαι υμας ετερω τω εκ νεκρων εγερθεντι ινα καρποφορησωμεν τω θεω
And so with you, my Brothers; as far as the Law was concerned, you underwent death in the crucified body of the Christ, so that you might be united to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that our lives might bear fruit for God.
5 οτε γαρ ημεν εν τη σαρκι τα παθηματα των αμαρτιων τα δια του νομου ενηργειτο εν τοις μελεσιν ημων εις το καρποφορησαι τω θανατω
When we were living merely earthly lives, our sinful passions, aroused by the Law, were active in every part of our bodies, with the result that our lives bore fruit for Death.
6 νυνι δε κατηργηθημεν απο του νομου αποθανοντες εν ω κατειχομεθα ωστε δουλευειν {VAR1: [ημας] } {VAR2: ημας } εν καινοτητι πνευματος και ου παλαιοτητι γραμματος
But now we are set free from the Law, because we are dead to that which once kept us under restraint; and so we serve under new, spiritual conditions, and not under old, written regulations.
7 τι ουν ερουμεν ο νομος αμαρτια μη γενοιτο αλλα την αμαρτιαν ουκ εγνων ει μη δια νομου την τε γαρ επιθυμιαν ουκ ηδειν ει μη ο νομος ελεγεν ουκ επιθυμησεις
What are we to say, then? That Law and sin are the same thing? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, I should not have learned what sin is, had not it been for Law. If the Law did not say ‘Thou shalt not covet,’ I should not know what it is to covet.
8 αφορμην δε λαβουσα η αμαρτια δια της εντολης κατειργασατο εν εμοι πασαν επιθυμιαν χωρις γαρ νομου αμαρτια νεκρα
But sin took advantage of the Commandment to arouse in me every form of covetousness, for where there is no consciousness of Law sin shows no sign of life.
9 εγω δε εζων χωρις νομου ποτε ελθουσης δε της εντολης η αμαρτια ανεζησεν εγω δε απεθανον
There was a time when I myself, unconscious of Law, was alive; but when the Commandment was brought home to me, sin sprang into life, while I died!
10 και ευρεθη μοι η εντολη η εις ζωην αυτη εις θανατον
The very Commandment that should have meant Life I found to result in Death!
11 η γαρ αμαρτια αφορμην λαβουσα δια της εντολης εξηπατησεν με και δι αυτης απεκτεινεν
Sin took advantage of the Commandment to deceive me, and used it to bring about my Death.
12 ωστε ο μεν νομος αγιος και η εντολη αγια και δικαια και αγαθη
And so the Law is holy, and each Commandment is also holy, and just, and good.
13 το ουν αγαθον εμοι εγενετο θανατος μη γενοιτο αλλα η αμαρτια ινα φανη αμαρτια δια του αγαθου μοι κατεργαζομενη θανατον ινα γενηται καθ υπερβολην αμαρτωλος η αμαρτια δια της εντολης
Did, then, a thing, which in itself was good, involve Death in my case? Heaven forbid! It was sin that involved Death; so that, by its use of what I regarded as good to bring about my Death, its true nature might appear; and in this way the Commandment showed how intensely sinful sin is.
14 οιδαμεν γαρ οτι ο νομος πνευματικος εστιν εγω δε σαρκινος ειμι πεπραμενος υπο την αμαρτιαν
We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am earthly — sold into slavery to Sin.
15 ο γαρ κατεργαζομαι ου γινωσκω ου γαρ ο θελω τουτο πρασσω αλλ ο μισω τουτο ποιω
I do not understand my own actions. For I am so far from habitually doing what I want to do, that I find myself doing the very thing that I hate.
16 ει δε ο ου θελω τουτο ποιω συμφημι τω νομω οτι καλος
But when I do what I want not to do, I am admitting that the Law is right.
17 νυνι δε ουκετι εγω κατεργαζομαι αυτο αλλα η {VAR1: ενοικουσα } {VAR2: οικουσα } εν εμοι αμαρτια
This being so, the action is no longer my own, but that of Sin which is within me.
18 οιδα γαρ οτι ουκ οικει εν εμοι τουτ εστιν εν τη σαρκι μου αγαθον το γαρ θελειν παρακειται μοι το δε κατεργαζεσθαι το καλον ου
I know that there is nothing good in me — I mean in my earthly nature. For, although it is easy for me to want to do right, to act rightly is not easy.
19 ου γαρ ο θελω ποιω αγαθον αλλα ο ου θελω κακον τουτο πρασσω
I fail to do the good thing that I want to do, but the bad thing that I want not to do — that I habitually do.
20 ει δε ο ου θελω {VAR2: [εγω] } τουτο ποιω ουκετι εγω κατεργαζομαι αυτο αλλα η οικουσα εν εμοι αμαρτια
But, when I do the very thing that I want not to do, the action is no longer my own, but that of Sin which is within me.
21 ευρισκω αρα τον νομον τω θελοντι εμοι ποιειν το καλον οτι εμοι το κακον παρακειται
This, then, is the law that I find — when I want to do right, wrong presents itself!
22 συνηδομαι γαρ τω νομω του θεου κατα τον εσω ανθρωπον
At heart I delight in the Law of God;
23 βλεπω δε ετερον νομον εν τοις μελεσιν μου αντιστρατευομενον τω νομω του νοος μου και αιχμαλωτιζοντα με {VAR1: [εν] } {VAR2: εν } τω νομω της αμαρτιας τω οντι εν τοις μελεσιν μου
but throughout my body I see a different law, one which is in conflict with the law accepted by my reason, and which endeavours to make me a prisoner to that law of Sin which exists throughout my body.
24 ταλαιπωρος εγω ανθρωπος τις με ρυσεται εκ του σωματος του θανατου τουτου
Miserable man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body that is bringing me to this Death?
25 χαρις {VAR1: [δε] } {VAR2: δε } τω θεω δια ιησου χριστου του κυριου ημων αρα ουν αυτος εγω τω μεν νοι δουλευω νομω θεου τη δε σαρκι νομω αμαρτιας
Thank God, there is deliverance through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Well then, for myself, with my reason I serve the Law of God, but with my earthly nature the Law of Sin.
