Romans 7

1

(Galatians 3:15–25)

Do you not knowG50, brothersG80 (forG1063 I am speakingG2980 to those who knowG1097 the lawG3551), thatG3754 theG3588 lawG3551 has authority overG2961 a manG444 onlyG1909 as long asG3745G5550 he livesG2198? 2For instanceG3588G1063, a marriedG5220 womanG1135 is boundG1210 by lawG3551 toG3588 her husbandG435 as long as he livesG2198. ButG1161 ifG1437 her husbandG435 diesG599, she is releasedG2673 fromG575 theG3588 lawG3551 ofG3588 marriage. 3SoG3767 thenG686, ifG1437 she isG1096 joined to anotherG2087 manG435 while her husbandG435 is still aliveG2198, she is calledG5537 an adulteressG3428; butG1161 ifG1437 her husbandG435 diesG599, she isG1510 freeG1658 fromG575 thatG3588 lawG3551 and isG1510 notG3361 an adulteressG3428 if she marries anotherG2087 manG435.

4ThereforeG5620, myG1473 brothersG80, youG4771 alsoG2532 diedG2289 to theG3588 lawG3551 throughG1223 theG3588 bodyG4983 of ChristG5547, thatG1519 youG4771 might belongG1096 to anotherG2087, toG3588 Him who was raisedG1453 fromG1537 the deadG3498, in order thatG2443 we might bear fruitG2592 to GodG2316. 5ForG1063 whenG3753 weG1510 lived according toG1722 theG3588 fleshG4561, theG3588 sinfulG266 passionsG3804 aroused byG1223 theG3588 lawG3551 were at workG1754 inG1722 ourG1473 bodiesG3196, bearing fruitG1519G3588G2592 for deathG2288. 6ButG1161 nowG3570, having diedG599 toG1722 whatG3739 bound usG2722, we have been releasedG2673 fromG575 theG3588 lawG3551, so thatG5620 weG1473 serveG1398 inG1722 the new wayG2538 of the SpiritG4151, andG2532 notG3756 in the old wayG3821 of the written codeG1121.

God’s Law Is Holy

7WhatG5101 thenG3767 shall we sayG2046? Is theG3588 lawG3551 sinG266? Certainly notG3361G1096! IndeedG235, I would not have been mindful ofG3756G1097 sinG266 ifG1487 notG3361 forG1223 the lawG3551. ForG5037G1063 I would not have been aware ofG3756G1492 covetingG1939 ifG1487 theG3588 lawG3551 had notG3361 saidG2036, “Do not covetG3756G1937.”1 8ButG1161 sinG266, seizingG2983 its opportunityG874 throughG1223 theG3588 commandmentG1785, producedG2716 inG1722 meG1473 every kindG3956 of covetous desireG1939. ForG1063 apart fromG5565 the lawG3551, sinG266 is deadG3498.

9

OnceG4218 IG1473 was aliveG2198 apart fromG5565 the lawG3551; butG1161 when theG3588 commandmentG1785 cameG2064, sinG266 sprang to lifeG326 andG1161 IG1473 diedG599. 10SoG2532 IG1473 discovered thatG2147 theG3778 veryG3588 commandmentG1785 that wasG3588 meant to bringG1519 lifeG2222 actually brought deathG2288. 11ForG1063 sinG266, seizingG2983 its opportunityG874 throughG1223 theG3588 commandmentG1785, deceivedG1818 meG1473 andG2532 throughG1223 the commandment put me to deathG615.

12SoG5620 thenG3303, theG3588 lawG3551 is holyG40, andG2532 theG3588 commandmentG1785 is holyG40, righteousG1342, andG2532 goodG18.

Struggling with Sin

13Did that whichG3588 is goodG18, thenG3767, becomeG1096 deathG2288 to meG1473? Certainly notG3361G1096! ButG235 in order thatG2443 sinG266 might be exposed asG5316 sinG266, it producedG2716 deathG2288 in meG1473 throughG1223 whatG3588 was goodG18, so thatG2443 throughG1223 theG3588 commandmentG1785 sinG266 might becomeG1096 utterlyG2596G5236 sinfulG268.

14

We knowG1492 thatG3754 the lawG3551 isG1510 spiritualG4152; butG1161 IG1473 amG1510 unspiritualG4560, sold as a slaveG4097 toG5259 sinG266. 15I do not understandG3756G1097 whatG3739 I doG2716. ForG1063 whatG3739 I wantG2309 to do, I do not doG3756G4238. ButG235 whatG3739 I hateG3404, I doG4160. 16AndG1161 ifG1487 I doG4160 whatG3739 I do not wantG3756G2309 to do, I admitG4852 thatG3754 theG3588 lawG3551 is goodG2570. 17In that caseG3570, it is no longerG3765 IG1473 who doG2716 itG846, butG235 it is sinG266 livingG3611 inG1722 meG1473 that does it.

18

I knowG1492 thatG3754 nothingG3756 goodG18 livesG3611 inG1722 meG1473, thatG3778 isG1510, inG1722 myG1473 fleshG4561; forG1063 IG1473 haveG3873 theG3588 desireG2309 to doG2716 what isG3588 goodG2570, butG1161 I cannotG3756 carry it out. 19ForG1063 I do not doG3756G4160 the goodG18 I wantG2309 to do. InsteadG235, I keep on doingG4238 the evilG2556 I do not wantG3756G2309 to do. 20AndG1161 ifG1487 IG1473 doG4160 whatG3739 I do not wantG3756G2309, it is no longerG3765 IG1473 who doG2716 itG846, butG235 it is sinG266 livingG3611 inG1722 meG1473 that does it.

21SoG686 this is theG3588 principleG3551 I have discoveredG2147: When IG1473 wantG2309 to doG4160 goodG2570, evilG2556 is right there withG3873 meG1473. 22ForG1063 inG3588 my innerG2080 beingG444 I delightG4913 inG3588 God’sG2316 lawG3551. 23ButG1161 I seeG991 anotherG2087 lawG3551 at work inG1722 myG1473 bodyG3196, warring againstG497 theG3588 lawG3551 of myG1473 mindG3563 andG2532 holding me captiveG1473G163 toG1722 theG3588 lawG3551 of sinG266 that dwellsG1510 withinG1722 me.2

24What a wretchedG5005 manG444 I amG1473! WhoG5101 will rescueG4506 meG1473 fromG1537 thisG3778 bodyG4983 of deathG2288? 25ThanksG5485 be toG3588 GodG2316, throughG1223 JesusG2424 ChristG5547 ourG1473 LordG2962!

SoG3767 thenG686, withG3588 my mindG3563 IG1473 serveG1398 the lawG3551 of GodG2316, butG1161 with my fleshG4561 I serve the lawG3551 of sinG266.