Romans 7

1 Do you not know [be ignorant, lacking understanding], brothers [fellow believers, brethren] (for I am speaking to those who know [are familiar with, have knowledge of] the law [Moses’ law, God’s commandments]), that the law [a set of rules, divine regulations] has authority [dominion, lordship] over a man [a human being, a person] only as long as he lives [is alive, has physical existence]? word study 2 For instance, a married [under a man’s authority, as a wife] woman is bound [tied, fastened] by law [a set of rules, regulations] to her husband [man, male spouse] as long as he lives [has physical or spiritual life]. But if her husband [man, male spouse] dies [stops living, passes away], she is released [freed, discharged] from the law [regulations, rules] of marriage [the institution of matrimony, a covenant between two people]. word study 3 So then, if she is joined [united, married] to another man [a different husband] while her husband [the first man she was married to] is still alive [living, not deceased], she is called [considered, labeled as] an adulteress [one who commits adultery, unfaithful]; but if her husband [the man she was first married to] dies [passes away, is deceased], she is free [released, liberated] from that law [the law of marriage, the commandment] and is not [no longer] an adulteress [unfaithful, guilty of adultery], even if she marries [becomes the wife of] another man [a different husband]. word study 4 Therefore, my brothers [fellow believers], you also died [were made dead, became deceased] to the law [Mosaic law, God’s instructions] through the body [physical form] of Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], that you might belong [be married, united] to another [a different master, Jesus], to Him who was raised [resurrected, brought back to life] from the dead [the state of being lifeless], in order that [so that, with the purpose] we might bear fruit [produce good results, live productively] to God [the Supreme Being, Creator]. word study 5 For when [at a specific point in time] we lived according to the flesh [our sinful human nature], the sinful passions [evil desires, motions of sins] aroused by the law [God’s commandments, regulations] were at work [active, working] in our bodies [physical members], bearing fruit [producing results, bringing forth] for death [separation from God, spiritual death]. word study 6 But now [at this present time, in the current era], having died [passed away, ceased to exist] to what bound us [the law that held us captive], we have been released [set free, delivered] from the law [the Mosaic law, the written code], so that we serve [are slaves to, obey] in the new way [newness, renewal] of the Spirit [the Holy Spirit, the divine breath], and not in the old way [oldness, outdated] of the written code [the letter, the law]. word study 7 What then shall we say? Is the law [a set of rules or regulations] sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin [missing the mark or falling short of God’s standards] if not for the law [Moses’ law or the law of Christ]. For I would not have been aware of coveting [a strong desire or longing for something forbidden] if the law had not said, “Do not covet [set your heart on something that belongs to another].” word study 8 But sin [the principle of missing God’s standards], seizing its opportunity [a chance or starting point] through the commandment [a divine instruction], produced [worked out or accomplished] in me every kind of covetous [excessive or selfish] desire [a strong longing]. For apart from [separately or without] the law [a set of rules or regulations], sin [falling short of God’s standards] is dead [lifeless or without spiritual vitality]. word study 9 Once I [was spiritually alive, apart from God’s law] was alive apart from the law [without realizing its true meaning]; but when the commandment [divine instruction, God’s order] came, sin [missing the mark, rebellion against God] sprang to life [revived, became active] and I died [spiritually, to my old self]. word study 10 So I discovered [came to realize, found to be true] that the very commandment [divine instruction, ordinance] that was meant [intended, ordained] to bring [produce, give] life [eternal existence, spiritual vitality] actually [in reality, as it turned out] brought [resulted in, led to] death [separation from God, spiritual demise]. word study 11 For sin [the principle of missing God’s standards], seizing its opportunity [finding a chance, taking advantage] through the commandment [a divine instruction, God’s order], deceived me [completely beguiled, led astray] and through the commandment [God’s law] put me to death [killed, spiritually separated from God]. word study 12 So then [therefore, as a result], the law [divine instruction, God’s standard] is holy [set apart, sacred], and the commandment [divine order, instruction] is holy [dedicated to God], righteous [just, morally upright], and good [beneficial, morally excellent]. word study 13 Did that which is [morally excellent, beneficial] good, then, become [result in, lead to] death to me? Certainly [by no means, God forbid] not! But in order that [so that, with the purpose that] sin [missing the mark, rebellion against God] might be exposed [revealed, shown] as sin, it produced [brought about, caused] death in me through [by means of, because of] what was [is considered] good, so that through [by means of, in accordance with] the commandment [divine instruction, law] sin might become [be revealed as, appear] utterly [exceedingly, surpassingly] sinful [guilty, wicked]. word study 14 We know [are conscious, have spiritual awareness] that the law [set of rules, divine regulations] is spiritual [non-carnal, supernatural]; but I am [exist as] unspiritual [fleshly, carnal], sold [disposed of as merchandise] as a slave [under the authority of] to sin [missing the mark, rebellion against God]. word study 15 I do not understand [have no clear knowledge of] what I do [am doing, practise]. For what I want to do [desire, will], I do not do [practise, accomplish]. But what I hate [detest, love less], I do [make, produce]. word study 16 And if [under these circumstances, in this case] I do [carry out, perform] what I do not [absolutely refuse, will not] want to do [desire, intentionally choose], I admit [confess, acknowledge] that the law [set of rules, divine standard] is [truly, inherently] good [morally excellent, beneficial]. word study 17 In that case [now, at this present time], it is no longer [not anymore, no more] I [myself, the speaker] who do [work out, produce] it, but it is sin [missing the mark, rebellion against God] living [dwelling, residing] in me [within my being, as part of my nature] that does [accomplishes, brings about] it. word study 18 I know [am conscious, have spiritual awareness] that nothing good [beneficial, righteous] lives in me, that is, in my flesh [physical body, sinful nature]; for I have the desire [will, intention] to do what is good [right, virtuous], but I cannot [am unable, lack the power] carry it out [accomplish, produce]. word study 19 For I do not do the good [beneficial, righteous] I want to do [desire, intentionally choose]. Instead, I keep on doing the evil [harmful, wicked] I do not want to do [refuse, reject]. word study 20 And if I do what I do not want [what I hate, wish not to do], it is no longer I [my true self, spirit] who do it, but it is sin [missing the mark, rebellion against God] living in me [dwelling, residing within] that does it [produces, brings about]. word study 21 So this is the principle [a law, a guiding rule] I have discovered: When I want [desire, have a will to] to do [make, perform] good [what is fair, beautiful, and right], evil [what is bad, depraved, and harmful] is right [always, continually] there with me [present, nearby, and readily available]. word study 22 For [as a reason, explaining why] in my inner being [inward man, deep within] I delight [take pleasure, rejoice] in God’s [of the one true deity] law [set of rules, divine regulations, according to the inward man]. word study 23 But I see [perceive, discern] another [different, distinct] law [principle, rule] at work [operating, functioning] in my body [physical flesh, mortal frame], warring [fighting, struggling] against the law [standard, principle] of my mind [intellect, understanding] and holding me captive [making me a prisoner, enslaving me] to the law [power, influence] of sin [rebellion, disobedience] that dwells [resides, remains] within me [in my inner being, in my heart]. word study 24 What a wretched [miserable, unhappy] man I am [a human]! Who [which one] will rescue [deliver] me from this body [physical person] of death [physical or spiritual, leading to separation from God]? word study 25 Thanks be to God [the one true deity, our Heavenly Father], through Jesus Christ [the Messiah, our Lord and Savior] our Lord! So then, with my mind [my intellect, understanding, and will] I serve the law [the set of rules and regulations] of God [the supreme Creator and Ruler], but with my flesh [my physical body, human nature] I serve the law [the principle and power] of sin [missing the mark, rebellion against God]. word study