Romans 7:7–16

SIN’S USE OF THE LAW

⁷What should we say then?^p Is the law sin? Absolutely not!^q But, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.^r For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.^{As 8}And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,^t produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.^{u 9}Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life again ¹⁰and I died. The commandment that was meant for life^v resulted in death for me. ¹¹For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,^w and through it killed me. ¹²So then, the law is holy,^x and the commandment is holy and just and good. ¹³Therefore, did what is good become death to me? Absolutely not!^y But, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.

THE PROBLEM OF SIN IN US

¹⁴For we know that the law is spiritual,^z but I am of the flesh,^B sold^aa as a slave under sin.^{ab 15}For I do not understand what I am doing,^ac because I do not practice what I want to do,^ad but I do what I hate. ¹⁶Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.