The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 7 -

(Galatians 3:15–25)

Knowe yee not, brethren, (for I speake to them that knowe the Lawe) that the Lawe hath dominion ouer a man as long as he liueth?

For the woman which is in subiection to a man, is bound by the Lawe to the man, while he liueth: but if the man bee dead, shee is deliuered from the lawe of the man.

So then, if while the man liueth, she taketh another man, she shalbe called an adulteresse: but if the man be dead, she is free from the Law, so that shee is not an adulteresse, though shee take another man.

So yee, my brethren, are dead also to the Law by ye body of Christ, that ye should be vnto an other, euen vnto him that is raised vp from the dead, that we should bring foorth fruite vnto God.

For when we were in ye flesh, the affections of sinnes, which were by the Law, had force in our members, to bring foorth fruit vnto death.

But now we are deliuered from the Lawe, he being dead in whom we were holden, that we should serue in newnesse of Spirite, and not in the oldnesse of the letter.

God’s Law Is Holy

What shall we say then? Is the Lawe sinne? God forbid. Nay, I knewe not sinne, but by the Lawe: for I had not knowen lust, except the Lawe had sayd, Thou shalt not lust.

But sinne tooke an occasion by ye commandement, and wrought in me all maner of concupiscence: for without the Lawe sinne is dead.

For I once was aliue, without the Law: but when the commandement came, sinne reuiued,

But I died: and the same commandement which was ordeined vnto life, was found to be vnto me vnto death.

For sinne tooke occasion by the commandement, and deceiued me, and thereby slewe me.

Wherefore the Lawe is holy, and that commandement is holy, and iust, and good.

Struggling with Sin

Was that then which is good, made death vnto me? God forbid: but sinne, that it might appeare sinne, wrought death in me by that which is good, that sinne might be out of measure sinfull by the commandement.

For we knowe that the Law is spirituall, but I am carnall, solde vnder sinne.

For I alow not that which I do: for what I would, that do I not: but what I hate, that do I.

If I doe then that which I woulde not, I consent to the Lawe, that it is good.

Nowe then, it is no more I, that doe it, but sinne that dwelleth in me.

For I know, that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to wil is preset with me: but I find no meanes to perform that which is good.

For I doe not the good thing, which I would, but the euil, which I would not, that do I.

Nowe if I do that I would not, it is no more I that doe it, but the sinne that dwelleth in me.

I finde then that when I would doe good, I am thus yoked, that euill is present with me.

For I delite in the Law of God, concerning the inner man:

But I see another Law in my members, rebelling against the Lawe of my minde, and leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sinne, which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the body of this death!

I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Then I my selfe in my minde serue the Lawe of God, but in my flesh the lawe of sinne.

(Galatians 3:15–25)

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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)

But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead.

I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

The commandment which was for life, this I found to be for death;

for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.

Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, righteous, and good.

Struggling with Sin

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.

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.

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.

But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good.

So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

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.

For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.

But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

I find then the law that, while I desire to do good, evil is present.

For I delight in God’s law after the inward person,

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.

What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?

I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s 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