Romans 7:1-11 ▼

1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to Jews acquainted with the law) that the law hath authority over a man, till it be abrogated?

2 now a married woman is bound by the law to her living husband: but if her husband dieth, she is released from the marriage-contract.

3 wherefore she will be reputed an adulteress if she become another man's during her husband's life: but if her husband dies, she is clear from that law, from the imputation of being an adulteress, though she become another man's.

4 thus, my brethren, the law is become dead with respect to you by the body of Christ; that you might be subject 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 carnal state of the law, the sinful passions of that state set our animal faculties to work in the service of death.

6 but now we are delivered by the death of the law, which held us in bondage: that we might serve according to the living spirit, and not in the dead letter of the law.

7 Do we then conclude, that the law is the cause of sin? by no means; but I should not have had such a notion of sin, had it not been for the law: for I should not have known concupiscence was a sin, unless the law had said, "thou shalt not covet."

8 but sin receiving strength by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, for before the law sin appear'd dead.

9 then it was I once liv'd secure; but when the prohibition came, sin exerted it self, and I was in a dying condition:

10 and the commandment which leads to life was instrumental to my ruin.

11 for sin getting power by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.