Romans 7:12-21

12But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.

13But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.

14So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.

15I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.

16But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.

17So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

18And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.

19I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

20But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

21I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.