Romans 7:1–12

¹Are ye ignorant, brethren, (for I speak to those knowing law,) that law rules over a man as long as he lives? ²For the married woman is bound by law to her husband so long as he is alive; but if the husband should die, she is clear from the law of the husband: ³so then, the husband being alive, she shall be called an adulteress if she be to another man; but if the husband should die, she is free from the law, so as not to be an adulteress, though she be to another man. ⁴So that, my brethren, ye also have been made dead to the law by the body of the Christ, to be to another, who has been raised up from among the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. ⁵For when we were in the flesh the passions of sins, which were by the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit to death; ⁶but now we are clear from the law, having died in that in which we were held, so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.

⁷What shall we say then? is the law sin? Far be the thought. But I had not known sin, unless by law: for I had not had conscience also of lust unless the law had said, Thou shalt not lust; ⁸but sin, getting a point of attack by the commandment, wrought in me every lust; for without law sin was dead. ⁹But I was alive without law once; but the commandment having come, sin revived, but I died. ¹⁰And the commandment, which was for life, was found, as to me, itself to be unto death: ¹¹for sin, getting a point of attack by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. ¹²So that the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.