New King James Version
Romans 7:5
5For 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.
Context of Romans 7:5
3So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 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. 6But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. 7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall 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 8:8So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
- John 3:6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
- Galatians 5:16I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
- Ephesians 2:3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
- Romans 1:26For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
- Romans 3:20Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
- Romans 4:15because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
- Romans 5:20Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
- 1 Corinthians 15:56The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
- 2 Corinthians 3:6who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
- Galatians 3:10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
- James 2:9but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
- 1 John 3:4Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
- Romans 7:8But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.
- Matthew 15:19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
- Galatians 5:19Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries