New Living Translation
Romans 7:6
6But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
Romans 7:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
- New International Version (NIV)But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But 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.
Context of Romans 7:6
4So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5When 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. But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. 7Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” 8But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.
Read all of Romans 7Romans 7:6 word by word
νυνὶ δὲ κατηργήθημεν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου ἀποθανόντες ἐν ᾧ κατειχόμεθα, ὥστε δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος καὶ οὐ παλαιότητι γράμματος.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- nowνυνίnuni · nowG3570
- we are deliveredκαταργέωkatargeō · to abateG2673
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- that being deadἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
- whereinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- whereinὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- we were heldκατέχωkatechō · to hold back/fastG2722
- thatὥστεhōste · soG5620
- weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- should serveδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
- newnessκαινότηςkainotēs · newnessG2538
- of spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- notοὐou · noG3756
- the oldnessπαλαιότηςpalaiotēs · oldnessG3821
- of the letterγράμμαgramma · something writtenG1121
Cross-references for Romans 7:6
- Romans 7:4So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.
- Romans 6:14Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
- Galatians 3:13But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
- Galatians 4:4But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.
- Romans 7:1Now, dear brothers and sisters—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living?
- Romans 6:2Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
- Romans 1:9God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.
- Romans 2:27In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.
- Romans 6:4For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
- Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
- Ezekiel 11:19And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart,
- Ezekiel 36:26And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.
- 2 Corinthians 3:6He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
- Galatians 2:19For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God.
- Galatians 6:15It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.
Commentaries on Romans 7:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6But now we are delivered from the law - We, who have believed in Christ Jesus, are delivered from that yoke by which we were bound, which sentenced every transgressor to perdition, but provided no pardon even for the penitent, and no sanctification for those who are weary of their inbred corruptions. That being dead wherein we were held - To us believers in Christ this commandment is abrogated; we are transferred to another constitution; that law which…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6But now - Under the gospel. This verse states the consequences of the gospel, in distinction from the effects of the Law. The way in which this is accomplished, the apostle illustrates more at length in Romans 7:5, of the effects of the Law; and after having shown that its effects always were to increase crime and distress, he is prepared in Romans 7:4. Wherein we were held - That is, as captives, or as slaves. We were held in bondage to it; Romans 7:1…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6the written code (literally the letter): Paul uses this phrase to refer to the law of Moses. God carved this law on stone tablets consisting of individual letters (see 2:29; 2 Corinthians 3:5–7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. But now--On the same expression, see on Ro 6:22, and compare Jas 1:15. we are delivered from the law--The word is the same which, in Ro 6:6 and elsewhere, is rendered "destroyed," and is but another way of saying (as in Ro 7:4) that "we were slain to the law by the body of Christ"; language which, though harsh to the ear, is designed and fitted to impress upon the reader the violence of that death of the Cross, by which, as by a deadly wrench, we are…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 7:6
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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
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