Romans 7 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

An Illustration from Marriage

7 Since I am speaking to those who know the law, brothers and sisters,(A) don’t you know that the law rules over someone as long as he lives? 2 For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives.(B) But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband. 3 So then, if she is married to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she is married to another man, she is not an adulteress.

4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death(C) in relation to the law(D) through the body of Christ(E) so that you may belong to another. You belong to him who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the flesh,(F) the sinful passions aroused through the law were working in us[a](G) to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the newness of the Spirit(H) and not in the old letter of the law.

Sin’s Use of the Law

7 What should we say then?(I) Is the law sin? Absolutely not!(J) But I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.(K) For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.[b](L) 8 And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,(M) produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.(N) 9 Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life again 10 and I died. The commandment that was meant for life(O) resulted in death for me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,(P) and through it killed me. 12 So then, the law is holy,(Q) and the commandment is holy and just and good. 13 Therefore, did what is good become death to me? Absolutely not!(R) But sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.

The Problem of Sin in Us

14 For we know that the law is spiritual,(S) but I am of the flesh,[c] sold(T) as a slave under sin.(U) 15 For I do not understand what I am doing,(V) because I do not practice what I want to do,(W) but I do what I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.(X) For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me. 21 So I discover this law:[d](Y) When I want to do what is good,[e] evil is present with me. 22 For in my inner self[f] I delight in God’s law,(Z) 23 but I see a different law in the parts of my body,[g](AA) waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?(AB) 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!(AC) So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.

Footnotes

  1. 7:5 Lit in our members
  2. 7:7 Ex 20:17
  3. 7:14 Or unspiritual
  4. 7:21 Or principle
  5. 7:21 Or I find with respect to the law that when I want to do good
  6. 7:22 Lit inner man
  7. 7:23 Lit my members

Cross references

  1. 7:1 : Rm 1:13
  2. 7:2 : 1Co 7:39
  3. 7:4 : Rm 6:2
  4. 7:4 : Rm 8:2; Gl 2:19; 5:18
  5. 7:4 : Col 1:22
  6. 7:5 : Rm 8:8–10; 2Co 10:3
  7. 7:5 : Rm 6:13,21,23
  8. 7:6 : Rm 2:29
  9. 7:7 : Rm 3:5
  10. 7:7 : Lk 20:16
  11. 7:7 : Rm 4:15; 5:20
  12. 7:7 : Ex 20:17
  13. 7:8 : Rm 3:20
  14. 7:8 : 1Co 15:56
  15. 7:10 : Lv 18:5; Lk 10:28; Rm 10:5; Gl 3:12
  16. 7:11 : Gn 3:13
  17. 7:12 : 1Tm 1:8
  18. 7:13 : Lk 20:16
  19. 7:14 : 1Co 3:1
  20. 7:14 : 1Kg 21:20,25; 2Kg 17:17; Rm 6:6; Gl 4:3
  21. 7:14 : Rm 3:9
  22. 7:15 : Jn 15:15
  23. 7:15 : Gl 5:17
  24. 7:18 : Jn 3:6; Rm 8:3
  25. 7:21 : Rm 8:2
  26. 7:22 : 2Co 4:16; Eph 3:16; 1Pt 3:4
  27. 7:23 : Rm 6:19; Gl 5:17; Jms 4:1; 1Pt 2:11
  28. 7:24 : Rm 6:6; 8:2; Col 2:11
  29. 7:25 : 1Co 15:57

You Might Also Like:

Romans 7 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

7 Are ye ignorant, brethren -- for to those knowing law I speak -- that the law hath lordship over the man as long as he 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; 3 so, then, the husband b...
Read More

Romans 7 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

7 Brethren, whether ye know not; for I speak to men that know the law; for the law hath lordship in a man, as long time as he liveth? 2 For that woman that is under an husband, is bound to the law, while the husband liveth; but if her husband is dead, she is delivered from the law of the husband [so...
Read More

Romans 7 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

7 My brothers, I am saying this to you people who know the law. Do you not know that the law is master over a person only while he lives? 2 A married woman belongs to her husband by law as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law that made her belong to her husband. 3 So i...
Read More

Romans 7 - World English Bible (WEB)

7 Or don’t you know, brothers[a] (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for 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. 3 So then ...
Read More

Romans 7 - The Voice (VOICE)

Grace is no license to sin. As creatures, we are made to serve our Creator. In the absence of truth, we will serve somebody or something. It’s an essential part of our nature. Our only choice is this: whom will we serve? At one time, we all served sin and grew weak under its deadly power over us. No...
Read More

Romans 7 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Two Laws at War7 Or do you not know, brothers and sisters (for I speak to those who know law), that the law is master over a person as long as he lives? 2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives; but if the husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husban...
Read More

Romans 7 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

An Analogy from Marriage7 Do you not know, brethren—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only during his life? 2 Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the ...
Read More

Romans 7 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

An Analogy from Marriage7 Do you not know, brethren—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only during his life? 2 Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the ...
Read More

Romans 7 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

7 Do you not know, brothers, (for I speak to those who know the Law) that the Law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who is in subjection to a man, is bound by the Law to the man, while he lives. But if the man is dead, she is released from the Law of the man. 3 So then...
Read More

Romans 7 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Dying to the Law7 Surely you know, my dear family – I am, after all, talking to people who know the law! – that the law rules a person as long as that person is alive? 2 The law binds a married woman to her husband during his lifetime; but if he dies, she is free from the law as regards her husband...
Read More

Romans 7 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

An Analogy from Marriage7 Do you not know, brothers and sisters[a]—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only during that person’s lifetime? 2 Thus a married woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies, she is disch...
Read More

Romans 7 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

An Analogy from Marriage7 Do you not know, brothers and sisters[a]—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only during that person’s lifetime? 2 Thus a married woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies, she is disch...
Read More

Romans 7 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

An Analogy from Marriage7 Or do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only during that person’s lifetime? 2 Thus a married woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives, but if her husband dies, she is discha...
Read More

Romans 7 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Christ has delivered us from the law and death. Paul shows what the flesh and natural man is, and calls it the law of the members. 7 Do you not consider, brethren (I speak to people who know the law), that the law has dominion over a person as long as it endures? 2 For the woman who is under a husb...
Read More

Romans 7 - New Living Translation (NLT)

No Longer Bound to the Law7 Now, dear brothers and sisters[a]—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living? 2 For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no lon...
Read More

Romans 7 - New Life Version (NLV)

7 Christian brothers, I am sure you understand what I am going to say. You know all about the Law. The Law has power over a man as long as he lives. 2 A married woman is joined by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if he dies, she is free from the law that joined her to him. 3 If she marr...
Read More

Romans 7 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Freed from the Law7 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law [a]has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For (A)the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law o...
Read More