Romans 7:8

Romans 7:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
• New International Version (NIV)But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.

Context of Romans 7:8

6But now we have died to those laws that bound us. God has broken their effect on us so that we are serving in a new spiritual way, not in an old way dictated by written words. 7What should we say, then? Are the laws in Moses’ Teachings sinful? That’s unthinkable! In fact, I wouldn’t have recognized sin if those laws hadn’t shown it to me. For example, I wouldn’t have known that some desires are sinful if Moses’ Teachings hadn’t said, “Never have wrong desires.” But sin took the opportunity provided by this commandment and made me have all kinds of wrong desires. Clearly, without laws sin is dead. 9At one time I was alive without any laws. But when this commandment came, sin became alive 10and I died. I found that the commandment which was intended to bring me life actually brought me death.

Romans 7:8 word by word

ἀφορμὴν δὲ λαβοῦσα ἡ ἁμαρτία διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς κατειργάσατο ἐν ἐμοὶ πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν· χωρὶς γὰρ νόμου ἁμαρτία νεκρά·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• sinὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• sinἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• takingλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• occasionἀφορμήaphormē · opportunityG874
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• wroughtκατεργάζομαιkatergazomai · to workout/produceG2716
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• all manner ofπᾶςpas · allG3956
• concupiscenceἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• withoutχωρίςchōris · withoutG5565
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498

Cross-references for Romans 7:8

• Romans 7:11Sin, taking the opportunity provided by this commandment, deceived me and then killed me.
• Romans 4:15The laws in Moses’ Teachings bring about anger. But where those laws don’t exist, they can’t be broken.
• Romans 5:20The laws in Moses’ Teachings were added to increase the failure. But where sin increased, God’s kindness increased even more.
• James 1:14Everyone is tempted by his own desires as they lure him away and trap him.
• John 15:22If I hadn’t come and spoken to them, they wouldn’t have any sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
• 1 Corinthians 15:56Sin gives death its sting, and God’s standards give sin its power.

Commentaries on Romans 7:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Sin, taking occasion by the commandment - I think the pointing, both in this and in the 11th verse, to be wrong: the comma should be after occasion, and not after commandment. But sin taking occasion, wrought in me by this commandment all manner of concupiscence. There are different opinions concerning the meaning of the word , which we here translate occasion. Dr. Waterland translates the clause, Sin, taking Advantage. Dr. Taylor contends that all…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8But sin - To illustrate the effect of the Law on the mind, the apostle in this verse depicts its influence in exciting to evil desires and purposes. Perhaps no where has he evinced more consummate knowledge of the human heart than here. He brings an illustration that might have escaped most persons, but which goes directly to establish his position that the Law is insufficient to promote the salvation of man. Sin here is personified. It means not a real…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 There is no way of coming to that knowledge of sin, which is necessary to repentance, and therefore to peace and pardon, but by trying our hearts and lives by the law. In his own case the apostle would not have known the sinfulness of his thoughts, motives, and actions, but by the law. That perfect standard showed how wrong his heart and life were, proving his sins to be more numerous than he had before thought, but it did not contain any…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment: The word opportunity is a military term for a position seized in enemy territory that becomes a base of operations (see 7:11). By expressing God’s demands, the commandments provoke rebellion within people controlled by sin. God's commandments become a chance for sin to achieve its harmful goals. apart from the law, sin is dead: The law, by plainly expressing God’s will, makes people more accountable…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-87-8. What ... then? Is the law sin? God forbid!--"I have said that when we were in the flesh the law stirred our inward corruption, and was thus the occasion of deadly fruit: Is then the law to blame for this? Far from us be such a thought." Nay--"On the contrary" (as in Ro 8:37; 1Co 12:22; Greek). I had not known sin but by the law--It is important to fix what is meant by "sin" here. It certainly is not "the general nature of sin" [Alford, &c.], though…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 7:8

• Death
• Justification
• Lasciviousness

In the dictionaries

• Appear
• Captivity
• Concupiscence
• Condescend
• Consent
• Decalogue
• Delight
• Member
• Mind
• Occasion

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