Tree of Life Version
Romans 7:18
18For I know that nothing good dwells in me—that is, in my flesh. For to will is present in me, but to do the good is not.
Romans 7:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
- New International Version (NIV)For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
Context of Romans 7:18
16But if I do what I do not want to do, then I agree with the Torah—that it is good. 17So now it is no longer I doing it, but sin dwelling in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me—that is, in my flesh. For to will is present in me, but to do the good is not. 19For the good that I want, I do not do; but the evil that I do not want, this I practice. 20But if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I doing it, but sin that dwells in me.
Read all of Romans 7Romans 7:18 word by word
οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ οἰκεῖ ἐν ἐμοί, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου, ἀγαθόν· τὸ γὰρ θέλειν παράκειταί μοι, τὸ δὲ κατεργάζεσθαι τὸ καλὸν οὐχRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- I knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- thatοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- dwellethοἰκέωoikeō · to dwellG3611
- noοὐou · noG3756
- good thingἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
- to willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- is presentπαράκειμαιparakeimai · be presentG3873
- butδέde · thenG1161
- to performκατεργάζομαιkatergazomai · to workout/produceG2716
- that which is goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
- I findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
Cross-references for Romans 7:18
- Genesis 6:5Then Adonai saw that the wickedness of humankind was great on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their heart was only evil all the time.
- Genesis 8:21When Adonai smelled the soothing aroma, Adonai said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, even though the inclination of the heart of humankind is evil from youth. Nor will I ever again smite all living creatures, as I have done.
- Job 14:4Who can make something pure out of the impure? No one!
- Job 15:14“What is man, that he could be pure, or one born of woman, that he could be righteous?
- Job 25:4How then can a man be righteous with God? How can one born of a woman be pure?
- Psalms 51:5For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.
- Isaiah 64:6No one calls on Your Name, or stirs himself up to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us, because of our iniquities.
- Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, and slander.
- Mark 7:21For from within, out of the heart of men, come evil intentions, sexual immorality, theft, murder,
- Luke 11:13If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Ruach ha-Kodesh to those who ask Him!”
- Ephesians 2:1You were dead in your trespasses and sins.
- 1 Peter 4:2As a result, he lives the rest of his time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will.
- Romans 7:5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions that came through the Torah were working in our body parts to bear fruit for death.
- Romans 8:3For what was impossible for the Torah—since it was weakened on account of the flesh—God has done. Sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as a sin offering, He condemned sin in the flesh—
- Romans 13:14Instead, put on the Lord Messiah Yeshua, and stop making provision for the flesh—for its cravings.
- John 3:6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Commentaries on Romans 7:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For I know that in me, etc. - I have learned by experience that in an unregenerate man there is no good. There is no principle by which the soul can be brought into the light; no principle by which it can be restored to purity: fleshly appetites alone prevail; and the brute runs away with the man. For to will is present with me - Though the whole soul has suffered indescribably by the Fall, yet there are some faculties that appear to have suffered less…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18For I know - This is designed as an illustration of what he had just said, that sin dwelt in him. That is, in my flesh - In my unrenewed nature; in my propensities and inclinations before conversion. Does not this qualifying expression show that in this discussion he was speaking of himself as a renewed man? Hence, he is careful to imply that there was at that time in him something that was right or acceptable with God, but that that did not pertain to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 The more pure and holy the heart is, it will have the more quick feeling as to the sin that remains in it. The believer sees more of the beauty of holiness and the excellence of the law. His earnest desires to obey, increase as he grows in grace. But the whole good on which his will is fully bent, he does not do; sin ever springing up in him, through remaining corruption, he often does evil, though against the fixed determination of his will…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18in my flesh: See study note on 6:19. This phrase may refer to Paul’s former life before God redeemed him. It may also refer to a part of Paul that is still connected to this world and resists God’s will.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. For, &c.--better, "For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is in my flesh, any good." for to will--"desire." is present with me; but how to perform that which is good--the supplement "how," in our version, weakens the statement. I find not--Here, again, we have the double self of the renewed man; "In me dwelleth no good; but this corrupt self is not my true self; it is but sin dwelling in my real self, as a renewed man."Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 7:18
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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