7What then shall we say? Is the law sin? May it never be! But I did not know sin except through law; for I did not know covetousness either, except that the law was saying, 'You shall not covet.' [7:8] Sin, however, having taken a base of operations through the commandment, produced in me every covetousness; for apart from law, sin is dead. [7:9] I myself, however, was alive apart from law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, [7:10] and I died — and the commandment, this one for life, proved to be for death to me. [7:11] For sin, having taken a base of operations through the commandment, deceived me completely and through it put me to death. [7:12] So the law indeed is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
ROM 7:7-12
Godʼs Law Is Holy
In the world it was spoken into
In the Roman world, law was understood as a stabilizing force, maintaining order in society. For Jewish listeners, the Mosaic Law was not merely a set of rules but a divine covenant that defined their identity and relationship with God. Paul’s audience would have recognized the tension he describes: the Law exposes sin by defining what is forbidden, yet it also awakens desire , which can lead to transgression. This dynamic reflects a broader Jewish and Greco-Roman understanding of law’s dual role: it reveals moral boundaries but also highlights human inability to fully adhere to them. The term (occasion) suggests a strategic opportunity, framing sin as an active force exploiting the Law’s prohibitions. Paul’s claim that the Law, intended for life, leads to death would have been jarring, challenging both Jewish reverence for the Torah and Roman ideals of legal order. His argument hinges on the Law’s holiness while exposing its inability to overcome sin’s power.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
ROM 7:7
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
- Koinōnos
- What then shall we say? Is the law sin? May it never be! But I did not know sin except through law; for I did not know covetousness either, except that the law was saying, 'You shall not covet.
ROM 7:8
- KJV
- But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
- BSB
- But sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
- Koinōnos
- Sin, however, having taken a base of operations through the commandment, produced in me every covetousness; for apart from law, sin is dead.
ROM 7:9
- KJV
- For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
- BSB
- Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.
- Koinōnos
- I myself, however, was alive apart from law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived,
ROM 7:10
- KJV
- And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
- BSB
- So I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death.
- Koinōnos
- and I died — and the commandment, this one for life, proved to be for death to me.
ROM 7:11
- KJV
- For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
- BSB
- For sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through the commandment put me to death.
- Koinōnos
- For sin, having taken a base of operations through the commandment, deceived me completely and through it put me to death.
ROM 7:12
- KJV
- Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
- BSB
- So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.
- Koinōnos
- So the law indeed is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
ROM 7:7
- law:The word translated 'law' here refers to an established custom or practice, something that is habitually followed, rather than exclusively a written legal code.
- covetousness:The term translated 'covetousness' broadly means a strong desire or yearning, which can be neutral or negative depending on the context, not exclusively an illicit desire.
ROM 7:8
- An occasion:The phrase 'An occasion' translates a word that literally means a 'starting-point' or 'base of operations,' often used in a military context for a strategic advantage or pretext.
ROM 7:11
- deceived:The word translated 'deceived' implies a thorough or complete deception, suggesting a more profound or effective misleading than a simple mistake.