ROM 7:13-25

Struggling with Sin

13Did then what is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin — that it might appear as sin — was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin might become exceedingly sinful through the commandment.

14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.

15For what I am producing, I do not understand. For not what I want, this I do, but what I hate, this I do.

16But if what I do not want, this I do, I agree with the law, that it is good.

17And now, no longer am I producing it, but the sin dwelling in me.

18For I know that there does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, anything good. For to want is present with me, but to produce what is good — I do not find.

19For not the good I want do I do; but the evil I do not want, this I do.

20But if what I do not want, this I do, no longer am I producing it, but the sin dwelling in me.

21I find then the law: that to me, wanting to do the good, evil is present with me.

22For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man,

23but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and taking me captive in the law of sin which is in my members.

24Wretched man am I! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?

25But thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Roman world, slavery was a pervasive institution, and the metaphor of being 'sold under sin' would have resonated deeply. Slavery implied total ownership and loss of autonomy, a condition Paul uses to describe the human struggle with sin. The term 'fleshly' evokes the inherent weakness and mortality of human nature, a concept familiar in both Stoic and Jewish thought. The 'inner man' reflects a holistic view of the person, common in Hellenistic philosophy, where the inner self often conflicts with external actions. The military imagery of 'warring against' would have been vivid in a society shaped by Roman military campaigns, suggesting an active, ongoing struggle. For Jewish listeners, the Law was understood as spiritual and good, yet Paul highlights its inability to liberate from sin’s dominion, a tension familiar to Second-Temple Jews grappling with the Law’s role in a fallen world.

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

ROM 7:13

KJV: 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.
BSB: Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Certainly not! But in order that sin might be exposed as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
Koinōnos: Did then what is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin — that it might appear as sin — was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin might become exceedingly sinful through the commandment.

ROM 7:14

KJV: For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
BSB: We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
Koinōnos: For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.

ROM 7:15

KJV: For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
BSB: I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do.
Koinōnos: For what I am producing, I do not understand. For not what I want, this I do, but what I hate, this I do.

ROM 7:16

KJV: If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
BSB: And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good.
Koinōnos: But if what I do not want, this I do, I agree with the law, that it is good.

ROM 7:17

KJV: Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
BSB: In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Koinōnos: And now, no longer am I producing it, but the sin dwelling in me.

ROM 7:18

KJV: 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.
BSB: I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Koinōnos: For I know that there does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, anything good. For to want is present with me, but to produce what is good — I do not find.

ROM 7:19

KJV: For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
BSB: For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.
Koinōnos: For not the good I want do I do; but the evil I do not want, this I do.

ROM 7:20

KJV: Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
BSB: And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Koinōnos: But if what I do not want, this I do, no longer am I producing it, but the sin dwelling in me.

ROM 7:21

KJV: I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
BSB: So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
Koinōnos: I find then the law: that to me, wanting to do the good, evil is present with me.

ROM 7:22

KJV: For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
BSB: For in my inner being I delight in Godʼs law.
Koinōnos: For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man,

ROM 7:23

KJV: 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.
BSB: But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.
Koinōnos: but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and taking me captive in the law of sin which is in my members.

ROM 7:24

KJV: O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
BSB: What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Koinōnos: Wretched man am I! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?

ROM 7:25

KJV: 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.
BSB: Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Koinōnos: But thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

ROM 7:14

fleshly:The word translated 'fleshly' here describes something made of flesh, emphasizing its material, mortal, and earthly nature, rather than just being associated with the body.
sold:The term translated 'sold' implies a state of being completely owned and controlled, like a slave who has been bought and is now property.

ROM 7:22

inward:The word translated 'inward' refers to the inner person or the inner being, often understood as the mind, conscience, or spiritual self.

ROM 7:23

warring against:The word translated 'warring against' vividly depicts an active military campaign or battle being waged, not just a passive opposition.