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The authority of the law

7 My Christian friends, you know about laws. You know that we have to obey them. The laws have authority over someone while they are still alive. ² So think about this. A woman who has a husband must stay with him as long as he still lives. That is what the law says. But if her husband dies, she becomes free from that law about her marriage. ³ While her husband is alive, the law has authority over her. If she goes to live with another man, the law says that she has done something wrong. People will call her an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she becomes free from that law. If she then marries another man, she will not be doing anything wrong.

⁴ My friends, it is like that for you too. When Christ's body died on the cross, it is as if you also died with him. Because of that, you are no longer under the authority the law. Now you are free to belong to someone else. You belong to Christ, whom God raised up after his death. As a result, we can live in a good way that will please God. ⁵ In our old lives, we did the bad things that we wanted to do. God's laws brought bad thoughts into our minds. As a result, our bodies did many wrong things. In the end, those bad things lead to death. ^{[ a ]} ⁶ But now we have become free from the authority of the law. It is as if we have died. So those rules no longer control us. We do not still try to obey rules that someone has written down. That is the old way. Instead, we serve God in a new way. God's Spirit helps us to please him.

God's Law teaches us about sin

⁷ So someone might say, ‘God's Law must be bad.’ No! Certainly, it is not bad! Without that law, I would not have known what sin really is. One rule says, ‘You must not want to take things for yourself that belong to other people.’ ^{[ b ]} Without that command, I would not have known that it is wrong to want other people's things. ⁸ But the command gave sin a chance to come into my thoughts. As a result, I started to want all kinds of wrong things. If there is no law to tell us what is wrong, then sin has no power to make us guilty.

⁹ As for me, there was a time when I did not know God's laws. I was living without any law to obey. But when I learned about that command, sin now had power in my life. ¹⁰ As a result, I became separate from God, as if I had died. ^{[ c ]} So the command that should have brought life to me brought death instead. ¹¹ That command gave sin a chance to deceive me. It caused me to become separate from God.

¹² So we understand that God's Law and its commands are completely good. They are holy, fair and good.

¹³ But someone might say, ‘This means that something good brought death to you.’ No! God's Law did not do that! It was sin that brought death to me. Sin used God's good Law to show that I was guilty. Because of that, we can see that sin is really very bad. The commands in God's Law help to show that sin is completely bad.

The power of sin in our lives

¹⁴ We understand that God's Law is spiritual. But I am weak and human. I am like a slave that has sin as my master. ¹⁵ I do not understand the things that I do. I do not do the good things that I want to do. Instead, I do the things that I hate to do. ¹⁶ But I do not want to do those wrong things. So I am agreeing that God's Law is good. ¹⁷ So it is not really I myself who am doing those wrong things. Instead, sin has power in my life. It is sin that causes me to do wrong things.

¹⁸ I know that there is nothing good in me. I am weak and human. I want to do what is good. But I am unable to do it. ¹⁹ I do not do the good things that I want to do. Instead, I continue to do the bad things that I do not want to do. ²⁰ So, when I do bad things that I do not want to do, it is not really I myself who do them. It is sin that causes me to do wrong things, because it has power in my life.

²¹ So I understand what is happening in me. Whenever I want to do something good, I can only choose something bad. ²² Deep inside myself, I really love God's laws. ²³ So my mind tells me to obey God's laws. But my body wants to make me do something else. Every part of me fights against what my mind tells me to do. Sin has power over my body so that I am like a prisoner. ²⁴ This makes me very sad! My body is leading me to death. I need someone to make me free from the power of sin over my body. ²⁵ I thank God! He has made me free, because of what Jesus Christ has done.

So with my mind I want to obey God's laws. But, at the same time, I serve sin as my master, because I am weak and human.

Footnotes

7:5 When Paul talks about death here, he means that people die in their spirits. They have become separate from God and the true life which he gives to believers. See Romans 5:12-14
7:7 When Paul talks about ‘God's Law’, he means the laws and commands that God gave to Moses for the Israelites to obey. Here, he uses one command as an example. See Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21 .
7:10 Paul understood that he had not obeyed God's Law. He knew that he had become separate from God. He did not have the true life which God gives to believers. See Romans 5:12-14 .

An Example From Marriage

7 Brothers and sisters, you all understand the Law of Moses. So surely you know that the law rules over people only while they are alive. ² It’s like what the law says about marriage: A woman must stay married to her husband as long as he is alive. But if her husband dies, she is made free from the law of marriage. ³ But if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, the law says she is guilty of adultery. But if her husband dies, she is made free from the law of marriage. So if she marries another man after her husband dies, she is not guilty of adultery.

⁴ In the same way, my brothers and sisters, your old selves died and you became free from the law through the body of Christ. Now you belong to someone else. You belong to the one who was raised from death. We belong to Christ so that we can be used in service to God. ⁵ In the past we were ruled by our sinful selves. The law made us want to do sinful things. And those sinful desires controlled our bodies, so that what we did only brought us spiritual death. ⁶ In the past the law held us as prisoners, but our old selves died, and we were made free from the law. So now we serve God in a new way, not in the old way, with the written rules. Now we serve God in the new way, with the Spirit.

Our Fight Against Sin

⁷ You might think I am saying that sin and the law are the same. That is not true. But the law was the only way I could learn what sin means. I would never have known it is wrong to want something that is not mine. But the law said, “You must not want what belongs to someone else.” ^{[ a ]} ⁸ And sin found a way to use that command and make me want all kinds of things that weren’t mine. So sin came to me because of the command. But without the law, sin has no power. ⁹ Before I knew the law, I was alive. But when I heard the law’s command, sin began to live, ¹⁰ and I died spiritually. The command was meant to bring life, but for me it brought death. ¹¹ Sin found a way to fool me by using the command to make me die.

¹² Now the law is holy, and the command is holy and right and good. ¹³ Does this mean that something that is good brought death to me? No, it was sin that used the good command to bring me death. This shows how terrible sin really is. It can use a good command to produce a result that shows sin at its very worst.

The War Inside Us

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual, but I am not. I am so human. Sin rules me as if I were its slave. ¹⁵ I don’t understand why I act the way I do. I don’t do the good I want to do, and I do the evil I hate. ¹⁶ And if I don’t want to do what I do, that means I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ But I am not really the one doing the evil. It is sin living in me that does it. ¹⁸ Yes, I know that nothing good lives in me—I mean nothing good lives in the part of me that is not spiritual. I want to do what is good, but I don’t do it. ¹⁹ I don’t do the good that I want to do. I do the evil that I don’t want to do. ²⁰ So if I do what I don’t want to do, then I am not really the one doing it. It is the sin living in me that does it.

²¹ So I have learned this rule: When I want to do good, evil is there with me. ²² In my mind I am happy with God’s law. ²³ But I see another law working in my body. That law makes war against the law that my mind accepts. That other law working in my body is the law of sin, and that law makes me its prisoner. ²⁴ What a miserable person I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death? ²⁵ I thank God for his salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So in my mind I am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful self I am a slave to the law of sin.

Footnotes

Romans 7:7 Quote from Ex. 20:17 ; Deut. 5:21 .

7 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

² For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

³ So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

⁴ Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

⁵ For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

⁶ But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

⁷ 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, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

⁸ But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

⁹ For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

¹⁰ And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

¹¹ For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

¹² Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

¹³ 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 by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

¹⁵ For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

¹⁶ If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

¹⁷ Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

¹⁹ For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

²¹ I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

²² For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

²⁴ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Believers United to Christ

7 Or do you not know, ^{( A )} brothers and sisters (for I am speaking to those who know the ^{[ a ]} Law), that the ^{[ b ]} Law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? ² For ^{( B )} the married woman is bound by law to her ^{[ c ]} husband as long as he is alive; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law ^{[ d ]} concerning the husband. ³ So then, if while her husband is alive she ^{[ e ]} gives herself to another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress if she ^{[ f ]} gives herself to another man.

⁴ Therefore, my brothers and sisters , you also were ^{( C )} put to death ^{( D )} in regard to the Law ^{( E )} through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. ⁵ For while we were ^{( F )} in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were ^{( G )} brought to light by the Law, were at work ^{( H )} in ^{[ g ]} the parts of our body to bear fruit for death. ⁶ But now we have been ^{( I )} released from the Law, having ^{( J )} died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in ^{( K )} newness of ^{( L )} the ^{[ h ]} Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

⁷ ^{( M )} What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? ^{( N )} ^{[ i ]} Far from it! On the contrary, ^{( O )} I would not have come to know sin except ^{[ j ]} through the Law; for I would not have known about ^{[ k ]} coveting if the Law had not said, “ ^{( P )} You shall not ^{[ l ]} covet .” ⁸ But sin, ^{( Q )} taking an opportunity ^{( R )} through the commandment, produced in me ^{[ m ]} coveting of every kind; for ^{( S )} apart ^{[ n ]} from the Law sin is dead. ⁹ I was once alive apart ^{[ o ]} from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin came to life, and I died; ¹⁰ and this commandment, which was ^{[ p ]} ^{( T )} to result in life, proved ^{[ q ]} to result in death for me; ¹¹ for sin, ^{( U )} taking an opportunity ^{( V )} through the commandment, ^{( W )} deceived me, and through it, killed me . ¹² ^{( X )} So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

¹³ Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? ^{[ r ]} ^{( Y )} Far from it! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by bringing about my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

The Conflict of Serving Two Masters

¹⁴ For we know that the Law is ^{( Z )} spiritual, but I am ^{( AA )} fleshly, ^{( AB )} sold ^{[ s ]} ^{( AC )} into bondage to sin. ¹⁵ For ^{( AD )} I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing ^{( AE )} what I want to do , but I do the very thing I hate. ¹⁶ However, if I do the very thing I do not want to do , I agree with ^{( AF )} the Law, that the Law is good. ¹⁷ But now, ^{( AG )} no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my ^{( AH )} flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. ¹⁹ For ^{( AI )} the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. ²⁰ But if I do the very thing I do not want, ^{( AJ )} I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹ I find then ^{( AK )} the ^{[ t ]} principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. ²² For I joyfully agree with the law of God ^{[ u ]} in ^{( AL )} the inner person, ²³ but I see ^{( AM )} a different law in ^{[ v ]} the parts of my body waging war against the ^{( AN )} law of my mind, and making me a prisoner ^{[ w ]} of ^{( AO )} the law of sin, the law which is in ^{[ x ]} my body’s parts. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from ^{[ y ]} ^{( AP )} the body of this ^{( AQ )} death? ²⁵ ^{( AR )} Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh ^{( AS )} the law of sin.

Footnotes

Romans 7:1 Or law
Romans 7:1 Or law
Romans 7:2 Lit living husband; but if
Romans 7:2 Lit of
Romans 7:3 Lit becomes another man’s
Romans 7:3 I.e., in marriage; lit becomes another man’s
Romans 7:5 Lit our parts to bear
Romans 7:6 Or spirit
Romans 7:7 Lit May it never happen !
Romans 7:7 Or through law
Romans 7:7 Or lust
Romans 7:7 Or lust
Romans 7:8 Or lust
Romans 7:8 Or from law
Romans 7:9 Or from law
Romans 7:10 Lit to life
Romans 7:10 Lit to death
Romans 7:13 Lit May it never happen !
Romans 7:14 Lit under sin
Romans 7:21 Lit law
Romans 7:22 Or with respect to
Romans 7:23 Lit my parts waging
Romans 7:23 Lit in
Romans 7:23 Lit my parts
Romans 7:24 Or this body of death

Released From the Law, Bound to Christ

7 Do you not know, brothers and sisters ^{( A )} —for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? ² For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. ^{( B )} ³ So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. ^{( C )} But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.

⁴ So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law ^{( D )} through the body of Christ, ^{( E )} that you might belong to another, ^{( F )} to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. ⁵ For when we were in the realm of the flesh, ^{[ a ]} ^{( G )} the sinful passions aroused by the law ^{( H )} were at work in us, ^{( I )} so that we bore fruit for death. ^{( J )} ⁶ But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law ^{( K )} so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. ^{( L )}

The Law and Sin

⁷ What shall we say, then? ^{( M )} Is the law sinful? Certainly not! ^{( N )} Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. ^{( O )} For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” ^{[ b ]} ^{( P )} ⁸ But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, ^{( Q )} produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. ^{( R )} ⁹ Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰ I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life ^{( S )} actually brought death. ¹¹ For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, ^{( T )} deceived me, ^{( U )} and through the commandment put me to death. ¹² So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. ^{( V )}

¹³ Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good ^{( W )} to bring about my death, ^{( X )} so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, ^{( Y )} sold ^{( Z )} as a slave to sin. ^{( AA )} ¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ^{( AB )} ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ^{( AC )} ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ^{( AD )} ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. ^{[ c ]} ^{( AE )} For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ^{( AF )} ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. ^{( AG )}

²¹ So I find this law at work: ^{( AH )} Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being ^{( AI )} I delight in God’s law; ^{( AJ )} ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war ^{( AK )} against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin ^{( AL )} at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ^{( AM )} ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! ^{( AN )}

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, ^{( AO )} but in my sinful nature ^{[ d ]} a slave to the law of sin. ^{( AP )}

Footnotes

Romans 7:5 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh ( sarx ) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
Romans 7:7 Exodus 20:17; Deut. 5:21
Romans 7:18 Or my flesh
Romans 7:25 Or in the flesh

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Table of Contents

The authority of the law

God's Law teaches us about sin

The power of sin in our lives

Footnotes

An Example From Marriage

Our Fight Against Sin

The War Inside Us

Footnotes

Believers United to Christ

The Conflict of Serving Two Masters

Footnotes

Cross references

Released From the Law, Bound to Christ

The Law and Sin

Footnotes

Cross references

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The authority of the law

God's Law teaches us about sin

The power of sin in our lives

Footnotes

An Example From Marriage

Our Fight Against Sin

The War Inside Us

Footnotes

Believers United to Christ

The Conflict of Serving Two Masters

Footnotes

Cross references

Released From the Law, Bound to Christ

The Law and Sin

Footnotes

Cross references

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