Romans 7:1–12

An Illustration from Marriage

7Since I am speaking to those who understand law, brothers, ^jare you unaware that the law has authority over someone as long as he lives? ²For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives. ^kBut if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband. ³So then, if she gives herself to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she gives herself to another man, she is not an adulteress.

⁴Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to death ^lin relation to the law ^mthrough the crucified body of the Messiah, ⁿso that you may belong to another—to Him who was raised from the dead—that we may bear fruit for God. ⁵For when we were in the flesh, ^opthe sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us ^qrand bore fruit for death. ⁶But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way ^sof the Spirit ^tand not in the old letter of the law.

Sin’s Use of the Law

⁷What should we say then? ^uIs the law sin? Absolutely not! ^vOn the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. ^wFor example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet. ^xy8And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, ^zproduced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead. ^a9Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life ¹⁰and I died. The commandment that was meant for life ^bresulted in death for me. ¹¹For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, ^cand through it killed me. ¹²So then, the law is holy, ^dand the commandment is holy and just and good.