Romans7
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth?
2For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband.
3So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man.
4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet:
8but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin is dead.
9And I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died;
10and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death:
11for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.
12So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
13Did then that which is good become death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good;—that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.
14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15For that which I do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do.
16But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.
18For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not.
19For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise.
20But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.
21I find then the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present.
22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23but 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.
24Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?
25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Romans 7.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Believers are united to Christ, that they may bring forth fruit unto God. (1–6). The use and excellence of the law. (7–13). The spiritual conflicts between corruption and grace in a believer. (14–25).
vv1-6
So long as a man continues under the law as a covenant, and seeks justification by his own obedience, he continues the slave of sin in some form. Nothing but the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, can make any sinner free from the law of sin and death. Believers are delivered from that power of the law, which condemns for the sins committed by them. And they are delivered from that power of the law which stirs up and provokes the sin that dwells in them. Understand this not of the law as a rule, but as a covenant of works. In profession and privilege, we are under a covenant of grace, and not under a covenant of works; under the gospel of Christ, not under the law of Moses. The difference is spoken of under the similitude or figure of being married to a new husband. The second marriage is to Christ. By death we are freed from obligation to the law as a covenant, as the wife is from her vows to her husband. In our believing powerfully and effectually, we are dead to the law, and have no more to do with it than the dead servant, who is freed from his master, has to do with his master's yoke. The day of our believing, is the day of being united to the Lord Jesus. We enter upon a life of dependence on him, and duty to him. Good works are from union with Christ; as the fruitfulness of the vine is the product of its being united to its roots; there is no fruit to God, till we are united to Christ. The law, and the greatest efforts of one under the law, still in the flesh, under the power of corrupt principles, cannot set the heart right with regard to the love of God, overcome worldly lusts, or give truth and sincerity in the inward parts, or any thing that comes by the special sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit. Nothing more than a formal obedience to the outward letter of any precept, can be performed by us, without the renewing, new-creating grace of the new covenant.
vv7-13
There is no way of coming to that knowledge of sin, which is necessary to repentance, and therefore to peace and pardon, but by trying our hearts and lives by the law. In his own case the apostle would not have known the sinfulness of his thoughts, motives, and actions, but by the law. That perfect standard showed how wrong his heart and life were, proving his sins to be more numerous than he had before thought, but it did not contain any provision of mercy or grace for his relief. He is ignorant of human nature and the perverseness of his own heart, who does not perceive in himself a readiness to fancy there is something desirable in what is out of reach. We may perceive this in our children, though self-love makes us blind to it in ourselves. The more humble and spiritual any Christian is, the more clearly will he perceive that the apostle describes the true believer, from his first convictions of sin to his greatest progress in grace, during this present imperfect state. St. Paul was once a Pharisee, ignorant of the spirituality of the law, having some correctness of character, without knowing his inward depravity. When the commandment came to his conscience by the convictions of the Holy Spirit, and he saw what it demanded, he found his sinful mind rise against it. He felt at the same time the evil of sin, his own sinful state, that he was unable to fulfil the law, and was like a criminal when condemned. But though the evil principle in the human heart produces sinful motions, and the more by taking occasion of the commandment; yet the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good. It is not favourable to sin, which it pursues into the heart, and discovers and reproves in the inward motions thereof. Nothing is so good but a corrupt and vicious nature will pervert it. The same heat that softens wax, hardens clay. Food or medicine when taken wrong, may cause death, though its nature is to nourish or to heal. The law may cause death through man's depravity, but sin is the poison that brings death. Not the law, but sin discovered by the law, was made death to the apostle. The ruinous nature of sin, and the sinfulness of the human heart, are here clearly shown.
vv14-17
Compared with the holy rule of conduct in the law of God, the apostle found himself so very far short of perfection, that he seemed to be carnal; like a man who is sold against his will to a hated master, from whom he cannot set himself at liberty. A real Christian unwillingly serves this hated master, yet cannot shake off the galling chain, till his powerful and gracious Friend above, rescues him. The remaining evil of his heart is a real and humbling hinderance to his serving God as angels do and the spirits of just made perfect. This strong language was the result of St. Paul's great advance in holiness, and the depth of his self-abasement and hatred of sin. If we do not understand this language, it is because we are so far beneath him in holiness, knowledge of the spirituality of God's law, and the evil of our own hearts, and hatred of moral evil. And many believers have adopted the apostle's language, showing that it is suitable to their deep feelings of abhorrence of sin, and self-abasement. The apostle enlarges on the conflict he daily maintained with the remainder of his original depravity. He was frequently led into tempers, words, or actions, which he did not approve or allow in his renewed judgement and affections. By distinguishing his real self, his spiritual part, from the self, or flesh, in which sin dwelt, and by observing that the evil actions were done, not by him, but by sin dwelling in him, the apostle did not mean that men are not accountable for their sins, but he teaches the evil of their sins, by showing that they are all done against reason and conscience. Sin dwelling in a man, does not prove its ruling, or having dominion over him. If a man dwells in a city, or in a country, still he may not rule there.
Key Words
ἤ (ḗ): disjunctive, or; comparative, than
ἀγνοέω (agnoéō): not to know (through lack of information or intelligence); by implication, to ignore (through disinclination)
ἀδελφός (adelphós): a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like G1 (Α))
γάρ (gár): properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
λαλέω (laléō): to talk, i.e. utter words
γινώσκω (ginṓskō): to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed)
νόμος (nómos): law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case (regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle)
ὅτι (hóti): demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
κυριεύω (kyrieúō): to rule
ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos): from G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι)); man-faced, i.e. a human being
Cross References
Romans 7Directly quoted by Paul: 'Thou shalt not covet' to show how the law defines sin.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The thematic anchor of this entire exposition: believers are 'not under the law, but under grace.'
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Directly parallel teaching that a wife is bound by the law to her husband only while he lives.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels being 'dead to the law' through Christ to live unto God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Elucidates serving in the 'newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.'
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The original promise of life through the law, which Paul found resulted in death.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Verbal link to being 'sold' under sin, as Ahab sold himself to work evil.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Classic parallel describing the intense internal war between the flesh and the Spirit.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Identifies the 'fruit' of our unregenerate state as leading to death.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrasts the life-giving Spirit with the letter of the law that kills.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explicitly states that 'by the law is the knowledge of sin' as shown here.
Supported by John Calvin
Confirms the law is good if a man use it lawfully, defending its holiness.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explains why the law was weak through the flesh, matching the carnal state of verse 14.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Defines what it means to be 'in the flesh' prior to regeneration.
Supported by JFB
Asserts that 'the strength of sin is the law,' explaining sin taking occasion by the commandment.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illuminates what it means to truly 'delight' in the law of God in the inner man.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Corresponds to the concept of the 'inward man' who delights in God's law.
Supported by John Calvin
Identifies the 'body of death' with the 'old man' being crucified with Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Another key Pauline parallel for the strengthening of the 'inner man' by God's Spirit.
Supported by Matthew Poole