Christian Standard Bible
Romans 7:5
5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions aroused through the law were working in us to bear fruit for death.
Romans 7:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
Context of Romans 7:5
3So 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. 4Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death in relation to the law through the body of Christ 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. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions aroused through the law were working in us to bear fruit for death. 6But 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 and not in the old letter of the law. 7What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! But I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.
Read all of Romans 7Romans 7:5 word by word
ὅτε γὰρ ἦμεν ἐν τῇ σαρκί, τὰ παθήματα τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τὰ διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐνηργεῖτο ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ καρποφορῆσαι τῷ θανάτῳ·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- we wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- the motionsπάθημαpathēma · sufferingG3804
- of sinsἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
- byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- did workἐνεργέωenergeō · be activeG1754
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- membersμέλοςmelos · memberG3196
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- bring forth fruitκαρποφορέωkarpophoreō · to bear fruitG2592
- unto deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
Cross-references for Romans 7:5
- Romans 8:8Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
- John 3:6Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
- Galatians 5:16I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.
- Ephesians 2:3We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.
- Romans 1:26For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.
- Romans 3:20For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.
- Romans 4:15because the law produces wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
- Romans 5:20The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more
- 1 Corinthians 15:56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
- 2 Corinthians 3:6He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
- Galatians 3:10For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, Everyone who does not do everything written in the book of the law is cursed.
- James 2:9If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
- 1 John 3:4Everyone who commits sin practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
- Romans 7:8And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.
- Matthew 15:19For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.
- Galatians 5:19Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity,
Commentaries on Romans 7:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5For, when we were in the flesh - When we were without the Gospel, in our carnal and unregenerated state, though believing in the law of Moses, and performing the rites and offices of our religion. The motions of sins, which were by the law - ̔, the passions of sins, the evil propensities to sins; to every particular sin there is a propensity: one propensity does not excite to all kinds of sinful acts; hence the apostle uses the plural number, the Passions…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5For when - The illustration in this verse and the following is designed to show more at length the effect of the Law, whenever and whereever applied; whether in a state of nature or of grace. It was always the same. It was the occasion of agitation and conflict in a man‘s own mind. This was true when a sinner was under conviction; and it was true when a man was a Christian. In all circumstances where the Law was applied to the corrupt mind of man, it…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5the flesh: The word flesh can sometimes refer to the human body in a neutral way. For example, Paul speaks of Christ coming “in the flesh” (see 8:3). More often, however, Paul uses flesh in a negative sense. It describes human life lived apart from God. To live according to the flesh means to be ruled by sin and opposed to God. the sinful passions aroused by the law: God’s law is good in itself (see 7:12). However, because people have sinful hearts (inner…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. For when we were in the flesh--in our unregenerate state, as we came into the world. See on Joh 3:6 and Ro 8:5-9. the motions--"passions" (Margin), "affections" (as in Ga 5:24), or "stirrings." of sins--that is, "prompting to the commission of sins." which were by the law--by occasion of the law, which fretted, irritated our inward corruption by its prohibitions. See on Ro 7:7-9. did work in our members--the members of the body, as the instruments by…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 7:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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