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? 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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
8 But sin, taking
occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence.
For without the law sin was dead. 9 For I was alive without the law
once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10 And the
commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew
me.
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
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. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold
under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I
not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would
not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I
that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
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. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil
which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no
more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present
with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 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.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
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.
Chapter 8
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the
flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for
sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law
might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the
flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life
and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is
not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they
that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead
dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken
your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live
after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if
ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are
the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may
be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the
manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject
to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the
same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children
of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth
in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also,
which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our
body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for
what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that
we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know
not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he
that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of
God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
(Comments by Joan Boney ... When I prayed about the end of Romans 7, I
saw Romans 8 is the continuation of Romans 7 and should be included
with Romans 7, at least in part.)