⁷What shall we say then? Is the law sin? ^lGod forbid. Nay, ^mI had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known ^||lust, except the law had said, ⁿThou shalt not covet.

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Footnotes

lver. 13. See Luke 20:16.
mch. 3:20. See ch. 4:15.
||Or, concupiscence. ver. 8. Rather as in Acts 20:33.
nCited from Ex. 20:17. Deut. 5:21. Cited also ch. 13:9.

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In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! But, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.

NLTNew Living Translation

Well 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.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

What then shall we say? Is the law sin? May it never be! But I would not have known sin except through the law, for I would not have known covetousness if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”