Romans 7:7–16

The Law and Sin

What shall we say, then?^a Is the law sinful? Certainly not!^b Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.^c For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”^d But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,^e produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.^f Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life^g actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,^h deceived me,ⁱ and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.^j

Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good^k to bring about my death,^l so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual,^m soldⁿ as a slave to sin.^o I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.^p And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.^q