The Word Am I

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version

- Chapter 7 -

(Galatians 3:15–25)
1
Or don’t you know, brothers(a) (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives?
2
For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband.
3
So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man.
4
Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might produce fruit to God.
5
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law worked in our members to bring out fruit to death.
6
But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

God’s Law Is Holy

7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”(b)
8
But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
9
I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
10
The commandment which was for life, this I found to be for death;
11
for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
12
Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, righteous, and good.

Struggling with Sin

13
Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, was producing death in me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful.
14
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.
15
For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.
16
But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good.
17
So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
18
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.
19
For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.
20
But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
21
I find then the law that, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
22
For I delight in God’s law after the inward person,
23
but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
24
What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?
25
I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve Gods law, but with the flesh, sin’s law.

Footnotes

(a)7:1 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”
(b)7:7 ℘ Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21
(Galatians 3:15–25)
1
Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

God’s Law Is Holy

7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8
But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9
For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Struggling with Sin

13
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
14
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.