For as many as have sinned without the law shall perish without the law, and as many as have sinned with the law shall be judged by the law,??13 for not the hearers of the law are righteous with God, but the doers of the law shall be justified;

This is because no human being can be considered right with God by [obeying] the requirements of a law. [Note: It is difficult to determine the exact sense in which "law" is used in these verses. It may be law generally, or the law of Moses specifically. See Bruce, pages 52-58]. For the knowledge of what sin is comes from the law of Moses.

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

For when the Gentiles, who have not a law, do, by nature, the things of the law, these who have not a law, are a law to themselves,

but I discover within me a different Law at war with the Law of my understanding, and leading me captive to the Law which is everywhere at work in my body--the Law of sin.

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].

And shall not the heathen man who is physically uncircumcised, and yet observes the law, condemn you who have the letter of the law and are physically circumcised, and yet break the law?

What are we then to conclude? Is the law sin? Of course not! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have learned what sin was, for I should not have known what an evil desire was, if the law had not said, "You must not have an evil desire."

Then what becomes of boasting? It is shut out. What sort of law forbids it? A law of works? No, but a law of faith.

For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior].

For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of Law.

Now the practice of circumcision [i.e., the Jewish rite of identity, signifying the responsibility to observe the law of Moses] is worthwhile, providing you obey [the rest of] the law of Moses. But if you disobey the law, you might as well have never been circumcised.

Now we [all] know that everything the law says applies to those who are under [obligation to obey] that law, [Note: Here "the law" appears to refer to the Old Testament Scriptures generally, since Psalms and Isaiah are quoted. See verses 10-18]. This is so that the mouth of every objector may be stopped [i.e., from making excuses for his sin], and thereby bring the entire world under God's judgment [i.e., both Jews and Gentiles].

(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

But now God's way of giving men right standing with Himself has come to light; a way without connection with the law, and yet a way to which the law and the prophets testify.

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Certainly sin was in the world before the law was given, but it is not charged to men's account where there is no law.

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.

Thank God! It has been done through Jesus Christ our Lord! So in my higher nature I am a slave to the law of God, but in my lower nature, to the law of sin.

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

For Moses says of the law-way to right standing with God that whoever can perform the law will live by it.

Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so came upon all men because all sinned,??13 for till the law there was sin in the world, but sin is not accounted where there is no law

But sin, seizing the opportunity by the law, wrought in me all concupiscence. For without the law sin is dead.

But now we have been released from the law, [because we] have died [to that] by which we were bound, so that we may serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter [of the law].

And there was a time when I was living without the law: but when the law gave its orders, sin came to life and put me to death;

But, if I do that which I have no mind to do, I am in agreement with the law that the law is good.

For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law [the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is, being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God].

Accordingly, she will be designated as an adulteress if she unites herself to another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law [regarding marriage], so that she is not an adulteress if she marries another man.