1 O r don’t you know, brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives?

Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?

2 F or the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband.

For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.

3 S o then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man.

So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.

4 T herefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might produce fruit to God.

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

5 F or when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring out fruit to death.

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.

6 B ut now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Sin’s Advantage in the Law

7 W hat shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

8 B ut sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead.

But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.

9 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

10 T he commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death;

And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.

11 f or sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.

12 T herefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.

Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Law Cannot Save from Sin

13 D id then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! 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 exceedingly sinful.

Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

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

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

15 F or I don’t know what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.

For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

16 B ut if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good.

If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.

17 S o now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

18 F or I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

19 F or the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.

For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

20 B ut if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

21 I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.

I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.

22 F or I delight in God’s law after the inward man,

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

23 b ut 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.

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.

24 W hat a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, the sin’s law.

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.