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But now we were released[a] from the Law, having died to that by which we were being held, so that we are serving in newness of the Spirit[b] and not in oldness of the letter[c].

Not That The Law Is At Fault For My Sin

Therefore, what shall we say? Is the Law sin[d]? May it never be! On-the-contrary, I would not have known[e] sin except through the Law.

Sin Used The Law To Produce Sin In Me

For indeed I would not have known[f] coveting[g] if the Law were not saying [in Ex 20:17], “You shall not covet”. But sin, having taken[h] an opportunity[i] through the commandment, produced[j] every[k] [kind of ] coveting in me. For apart-from[l] the Law, sin is dead[m].

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 7:6 Same word as in v 2.
  2. Romans 7:6 Or, of spirit.
  3. Romans 7:6 That is, the written code of the Law.
  4. Romans 7:7 If the passions of sins are through the Law, is the Law what makes me a sinner? No. It merely defines the standard against which sin rebels.
  5. Romans 7:7 Or, come-to-know sin. That is, known of sin’s presence in him as sin (v 7-8) or of its power to kill him in relation to God (v 9-11). Apart from God’s Law, sin is merely ‘your opinion’ or ‘my bad choices’.
  6. Romans 7:7 Or, known-about.
  7. Romans 7:7 Or, [evil] desire, lust.
  8. Romans 7:8 Or, received.
  9. Romans 7:8 Or, occasion, starting point, base of operations.
  10. Romans 7:8 Or, opportunity, produced... in me through the commandment.
  11. Romans 7:8 Once aware it was forbidden, sin increased the coveting. This explains how the passions of sins were ‘through the Law’, v 5.
  12. Romans 7:8 Or, without a law.
  13. Romans 7:8 This is stated as a general principle. Sin is present, but inactive until it has a law to transgress. Thus God’s Law is the power of sin, 1 Cor 15:56. Or, ‘sin was dead’, stating it as the historical experience of Paul.

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