1 Or, do you not know, brothers, (I am talking to people who know how law works) that the law has authority over a person only as long as he lives? [Note: It is not clear whether this refers to Roman law or the law of Moses].
1 Or do you not know, (A)brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives?
1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
1 Since I am speaking to those who understand law, brothers,(A) are you unaware that the law has authority over someone as long as he lives?
1 Don't you realize, brothers for I am speaking to people who know the Law that the Law can press its claims over a person only as long as he is alive?
2 For a married woman is legally bound to her husband for as long as he lives. But, when he dies, she is released from the marriage contract.
2 For (B)the married woman is bound by law to her (a)husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law (b)concerning the husband.
2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
2 For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives.(B) But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband.
2 For a married woman is bound by the Law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the Law concerning her husband.
3 So, if she lives with another man while her husband is still alive, she will be called an adulteress [i.e., a person who is sexually unfaithful to their mate]. But if her husband dies, she is legally free to marry another man without committing adultery.
3 So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
3 So then, if she gives herself to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she gives herself to another man, she is not an adulteress.
3 So while her husband is living, she will be called an adulterer if she lives with another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from this Law, so that she is not an adulterer if she marries another man.
4 Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law [i.e., were released from its binding requirements] through the body of Christ [Note: This seems to refer to Christ's death on the cross, but some think it refers to becoming a part of the church], so that you could belong to someone else, [namely] to Christ, who was raised from the dead in order that we might live spiritually productive lives for God.
4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were (C)made to die (D)to the Law (E)through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to death(C) in relation to the law(D) through the crucified body of the Messiah,(E) so that you may belong to another—to Him who was raised from the dead—that we may bear fruit for God.
4 In the same way, my brothers, through the Messiah's body you also died as far as the Law is concerned, so that you may belong to another person, the one who was raised from the dead, and may bear fruit for God.
5 For when we were in the flesh [i.e., before conversion], our sinful desires, aroused by [the restrictions of] the law of Moses, worked in our bodies to produce activity that led to [spiritual] death.
5 For while we were (F)in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were (G)aroused by the Law, were at work (H)in (c)the members of our body to bear fruit for death.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
5 For when we were in the flesh,(a)(F) the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us(b)(G) and bore fruit for death.
5 For while we were living according to our human nature, sinful passions were at work in our bodies by means of the Law, to bear fruit resulting in death.
6 But now that we have died to what controlled us and have been released from [the requirements of] the law of Moses [i.e., under the Gospel age], we serve [God] in a new way [directed] by the Holy Spirit [Note: Some take "Spirit" here to be "spirit" and see it as describing the inner person], and not in the old way [directed] by the written law of Moses.
6 But now we have been (I)released from the Law, having (J)died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in (K)newness of (L)the (d)Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
6 But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way(c) of the Spirit(H) and not in the old letter of the law.
6 But now we have been released from the Law by dying to what enslaved us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit, not under the old writings.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law of Moses sinful? Certainly not! For I would not have known what sin was if it had not been for the law. For [example]; I would not have known [what it meant] to covet [i.e., have a strong desire for what belongs to someone else] except that the law said [Ex. 20:17], "You must not covet."
7 (M)What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? (N)May it never be! On the contrary, (O)I would not have come to know sin except (e)through the Law; for I would not have known about (f)coveting if the Law had not said, “(P)You shall not (g)covet.”
7 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.
7 What should we say then?(I) Is the law sin? Absolutely not!(J) On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.(K) For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.(L)(d)
7 What should we say, then? Is the Law sinful? Of course not! In fact, I wouldn't have become aware of sin if it had not been for the Law. I wouldn't have known what it means to covet if the Law had not said, "You must not covet."
8 So, through that commandment, sin found an opportunity to produce in my heart all kinds of improper desires for what belonged to others. For until there was the law, sin was dead [i.e., it did not stimulate excitement and activity as much].
8 But sin, (Q)taking opportunity (R)through the commandment, produced in me (h)coveting of every kind; for (S)apart (i)from the Law sin is dead.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
8 And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,(M) produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.(N)
8 But sin seized the opportunity provided by this commandment and produced in me all kinds of sinful desires, since apart from the Law, sin is dead.
9 And I was [once] alive before being aware of the law [i.e., complacent and without a sense of guilt]; but when [awareness of] the commandment [not to sin] came, sin sprang to life,
9 I was once alive apart (j)from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died;
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
9 Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life
9 At one time I was alive without any connection to the Law. But when the rule was revealed, sin sprang to life,
10 and I died [i.e., came under its power]. And [so] the commandment, which was [intended] to bring [spiritual] life, actually brought [spiritual] death.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
10 and I died. I found that the very rule that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
11 For by means of God's commandment [against sinning], sin found an opportunity to deceive me and [even] kill me [spiritually].
11 for sin, (U)taking an opportunity (V)through the commandment, (W)deceived me and through it killed me.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,(P) and through it killed me.
11 For sin, seizing the opportunity provided by the rule, deceived me and used it to kill me.
13 Was this [commandment] then, which was intended for my good, [actually] responsible for my [spiritual] death? Certainly not! But so that sin could be seen as [truly] sinful, it produced [spiritual] death in me through something that was good [i.e., the commandment against sinning]. This was so that, by means of the commandment [against sinning], sin could be seen as extremely sinful.
13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? (Y)May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.
13 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.
13 Therefore, did what is good cause my death?(e) Absolutely not!(R) On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.
13 Now, did something good bring me death? Of course not! But in order that sin might be recognized as being sin, it used something good to cause my death, so that through the rule, sin might become more exposed as being sinful than ever before.
14 For we know that the law of Moses is spiritual [i.e., from the Holy Spirit in origin and character], but I am fleshly, sold as a slave to sin. [Note: "Flesh" throughout this section refers to a person's natural inclinations to sin].
14 For we know that the Law is (Z)spiritual, but I am (AA)of flesh, (AB)sold (m)(AC)into bondage to sin.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual,(S) but I am made out of flesh,(f) sold(T) into sin’s power.(U)
14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am merely human, sold as a slave to sin.
15 For I do not [really] understand what I am doing; I practice what I do not want to and I hate what I do. [Note: This highly controversial section (verses 14b-25) is here viewed as the struggles of the apostle Paul after his conversion, and by extension, of all Christians. See Bruce, pages 150ff; Murray, pages 255ff; Lard, pages 236ff].
15 For what I am doing, (AD)I do not understand; for I am not practicing (AE)what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
15 For I do not understand what I am doing,(V) because I do not practice what I want to do,(W) but I do what I hate.
15 I don't understand what I am doing. For I don't practice what I want to do, but instead do what I hate.
16 But if I do what I do not want to, I agree with the law [which condemns such conduct] that it is good.
16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with (AF)the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
16 Now if I practice what I don't want to do, I am admitting that the Law is good.
17 So, now I am not [really] the one doing this, but [it is] sin which is living in me.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me.
17 As it is, I am no longer the one who is doing it, but it is the sin that is living in me.
18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh, for the desire to do good is present in my heart, but the ability to carry it out [consistently] is not.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my (AH)flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
18 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.
18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.(X) For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.
18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but I cannot carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good [things] I want to, but I practice the evil [things] I do not want to.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.
19 For I don't do the good I want to do, but instead do the evil that I don't want to do.
20 But if I do what I do not want to, [then] I am no longer the one doing it, but [instead], it is sin which lives in me [i.e., that motivates such conduct].
20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, (AJ)I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me.
20 But if I do what I don't want to do, I am no longer the one who is doing it, but it is the sin that is living in me.
23 but I see a different law [at work] in my body, waging [spiritual] warfare against the law in my mind. It brings me into captivity to the law of sin in my body.
23 but I see (AM)a different law in (p)the members of my body, waging war against the (AN)law of my mind and making me a prisoner (q)of (AO)the law of sin which is in my members.
23 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.
23 But I see a different law in the parts of my body,(i)(AA) waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.(j)
23 but I see in my body a different principle waging war with the Law in my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin that exists in my body.
25 Thank God [that I can be rescued] through [the power of] Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, I personally [try to] serve God's law with my mind, but [all too often] I serve the law of sin with my flesh [i.e., submitting in weakness to my human desires].
25 (AR)Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh (AS)the law of sin.
25 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.
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!(k)(AC) So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.
25 Thank God through Jesus the Messiah, our Lord, because with my mind I myself can serve the Law of God, even while with my human nature I serve the law of sin.
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