Release from the Law
(Galatians 3:15–25)

1Remember ye not brethren (I speake to them yt know the lawe) how that the lawe hath power over a man as longe as it endureth? 2For the woman which is in subieccion to a man is bounde by the lawe to the man as longe as he liveth. Yf the man be deed she is lowsed from the lawe of the man. 3So then yf whill the man liveth she couple her selfe with another man she shalbe counted a wedlocke breaker. But yf the man be deed she is fre fro the lawe: so that she is no wedlocke breaker though she couple her selfe with another man.

4Even so ye my brethren are deed concerninge the lawe by the body of Christ yt ye shuld be coupled to another (I meane to him that is rysen agayne fro deeth) that we shuld bringe forth frute vnto God. 5For when we were in the flesshe the lustes of synne which were stered vppe by ye lawe raygned in oure membres to bringe forth frute vnto deeth. 6But now are we delivered fro the lawe and deed fro that whervnto we werein bondage that we shuld serve in a newe conversacion of ye sprete and not in ye olde conversacion of the letter.

God’s Law Is Holy

7What shall we saye the n? is ye lawe synne? God forbid: but I knewe not what synne meant but by the lawe. For I had not knowne what lust had meant excepte the lawe had sayde thou shalt not lust. 8But synne toke an occasion by the meanes of the commaundement and wrought in me all manner of concupiscece. For with out the lawe synne was deed. 9I once lived with out lawe. But when the commaundement came synne revyved and I was deed. 10And the very same comaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe was founde to be vnto me an occasion of deeth. 11For synne toke occasion by the meanes of the comaundement and so disceaved me and by the selfe commaundement slewe we. 12Wherfore the lawe is holy and the commaundement holy iust and good.

Struggling with Sin

13Was that then which is good made deeth vnto me? God forbyd. Naye synne was deeth vnto me that it myght appere how that synne by the meanes of that which is good had wrought deeth in me: that synne which is vnder the commandemet myght be out of measure synfull.

14For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall: but I am carnall solde vnder synne 15because I wote not what I doo. For what I wold that do I not: but what I hate that do I. 16Yf I do now that which I wolde not I graute to the lawe that it is good. 17So then nowe it is not I that do it but synne that dwelleth in me. 18For I knowe that in me (that is to saye in my flesshe) dwelleth no good thinge. To will is present with me: but I fynde no meanes to performe that which is good. 19For I doo not yt good thinge which I wold: but that evill do I which I wolde not. 20Finally yf I do that I wolde not then is it not I that doo it but synne that dwelleth in me doeth it.

21I fynde then by the lawe that when I wolde do good evyll is present with me. 22I delite in the lawe of God concerninge the inner man. 23But I se another lawe in my membres rebellinge agaynst the lawe of my mynde and subduynge me vnto the lawe of synne which is in my membres. 24O wretched man yt I am: who shall delyver me fro this body of deeth? 25I thanke God thorow Iesus Christ oure Lorde. So then I my silfe in my mynde serve the lawe of God and in my flesshe the lawe of synne.