Romanos 7
1 An ignoratis fratres (scientibus enim legem loquor) quia lex in homine dominatur quanto tempore vivit?
Or do you not know, brothers (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a person for as long as he lives?
2 Nam quæ sub viro est mulier, vivente viro, alligata est legi: si autem mortuus fuerit vir eius, soluta est a lege viri.
For the married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.
3 Igitur, vivente viro, vocabitur adultera si fuerit cum alio viro: si autem mortuus fuerit vir eius, liberata est a lege viri: ut non sit adultera si fuerit cum alio viro.
So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she is called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man.
4 Itaque fratres mei et vos mortificati estis legi per corpus Christi: ut sitis alterius, qui ex mortuis resurrexit, ut fructificemus Deo.
Therefore, 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 may bear fruit to God.
5 Cum enim essemus in carne, passiones peccatorum, quæ per legem erant, operabantur in membris nostris, ut fructificarent morti.
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit for death.
6 Nunc autem soluti sumus a lege mortis, in qua detinebamur, ita ut serviamus in novitate spiritus, et non in vetustate litteræ.
But now we have been released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
7 Quid ergo dicemus? Lex peccatum est? Absit. Sed peccatum non cognovi, nisi per legem: nam concupiscentiam nesciebam, nisi lex diceret: Non concupisces.
What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not. However, I would not have known sin, except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness, unless the law had said, "Do not covet."
8 Occasione autem accepta, peccatum per mandatum operatum est in me omnem concupiscentiam. Sine lege enim peccatum mortuum erat.
But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
9 Ego autem vivebam sine lege aliquando. Sed cum venisset mandatum, peccatum revixit.
I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died.
10 Ego autem mortuus sum: et inventum est mihi mandatum, quod erat ad vitam, hoc esse ad mortem.
The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death;
11 Nam peccatum occasione accepta per mandatum, seduxit me, et per illud occidit.
for sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
12 Itaque lex quidem sancta, et mandatum sanctum, et iustum, et bonum.
Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
13 Quod ergo bonum est, mihi factum est mors? Absit. Sed peccatum, ut appareat peccatum, per bonum operatum est mihi mortem: ut fiat supra modum peccans peccatum per mandatum.
Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Absolutely not. 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 exceeding sinful.
14 Scimus enim quia lex spiritualis est: ego autem carnalis sum venundatus sub peccato.
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.
15 Quod enim operor, non intelligo. Non enim quod volo bonum, hoc ago: sed quod odi malum, illud facio.
For I do not know what I am doing. For I do not practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.
16 Si autem quod nolo, illud facio: consentio legi, quoniam bona est.
But if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
17 Nunc autem iam non ego operor illud, sed quod habitat in me peccatum.
So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
18 Scio enim quia non habitat in me, hoc est in carne mea, bonum. Nam velle, adiacet mihi: perficere autem bonum, non invenio.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For the desire is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
19 Non enim quod volo bonum, hoc facio: sed quod nolo malum, hoc ago.
For the good which I desire, I do not do; but the evil which I do not desire, that I practice.
20 Si autem quod nolo, illud facio: iam non ego operor illud, sed quod habitat in me, peccatum.
But if what I do not desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
21 Invenio igitur legem, volenti mihi facere bonum, quoniam mihi malum adiacet:
I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
22 condelector enim legi Dei secundum interiorem hominem:
For I delight in God's law in my inner being,
23 video autem aliam legem in membris meis, repugnantem legi mentis meæ, et captivantem me in lege peccati, quæ est in membris meis.
but 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.
24 Infelix ego homo, quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius?
What a wretched man I am. Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?
25 Gratia Dei per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Igitur ego ipse mente servio legi Dei: carne autem, legi peccati.
Thanks be to 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.
