1 Or, do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know law), that the law rules the man upon time, as long as he lives. 2 For the married woman to the living man is bound by law. But if the man dies, she is freed i from the law of the man. 3 So then, while the man lives, she will be called an adulteress, if she becomes another man's. But if the man dies, she is free from the law, which she will not be an adulteress, being another man's.
4 So, my brethren, you also became dead to the law, through the body of the Christ, for you became another's, to him who was raised from the dead, so that we might bear fruit to the God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the passions ii of the sin, which are through the law, was working in our members unto the bearing fruit to the death. 6 But now, we were freed iii from the law, having died to which we were held, so that we might serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.
7 What then shall we say? The law is sin? May it not be! But, I did not know the sin, except through law. For I also had not known the desire, iv except the law was saying, “You shall not desire.” 8 But, the sin taking opportunity through the commandment produced in me every desire. For without law sin is dead.
9 And I was living without law once. But, when the commandment came, the sin came to life again, and I died. 10 And it was found for me, the commandment which was unto life, it was unto death. 11 For the sin taking opportunity through the commandment deceived me, and through it killed. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment holy and righteous and good.
13 Therefore, the good to me became death? May it not be! But, the sin, so that it might appear sin, through the good to me, produced death. So that, the sin might become exceedingly sinful through the commandment.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual. But, I am fleshly, sold under the sin. v 15 For what I am doing, I do not know. For what I will not, this I practice. But, what I hate, this I do. 16 And if what I will not, this I do, I agree with the law, that it is good.
17 So now, I am no longer doing it, but the sin dwelling in me. 18 For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh. For the will is present in me, vi but doing the good I do not find. 19 For the good I will, I don't do, but the bad I will not, this I practice. 20 And if what I will not, this I do, I am no longer doing it, but the sin dwelling in me is.
21 I find then, the law, the will in me to do the good, that the bad is present in me. 22 For I delight in the law of the God according to the inner man. vii 23 But, I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and taking me captive to the law of the sin which is in my members.
24 I am a miserable viii man. Who will deliver me out of this body of the death? 25 I thank the God through Joshua Christ our lord. So then, I myself serve indeed in the mind God's law, but in the flesh, sin's law.
Translated by Darwin Fish. See original pdfs here and here.
- κατήργηται (katêrgêtai) “freed” - same word as in Romans 6:6 “nullified.” (TT) ^
- παθήματα (pathêmata) “passions” - for passion also only in Galatians 5:24, elsewhere for suffering. (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 1:5-7; Philippians 3:10; Colossians 1:24; 2 Timothy 3:11; Hebrews 2:9-10; 10:32; 1 Peter 1:11, 4:13; 5:1, 9) ^
- κατηργήθημεν (katêrgêthêmen) “freed” - same root verb as in verse 2. ^
- ἐπιθυμίαν (epithumian) “desire”; NKJV “covetousness”; CEB “desire for what others have” - see Exodus 20:17 and footnote, and verb form of this noun in Matthew 5:28. ^
- Romans 5:19; 11:32; Galatians 3:22 ^
- Psalm 119:5-6, 31, 35-38, 80 ^
- Job 23:12; Psalm 119:20, 39, 46-48, 59, 62, 72, 92, 97, 140, 155, (in contrast) 162-165, 174-176; Ephesians 3:16-19. ^
- Ταλαίπωρος (Talaipôros) “miserable” CEB, etc.; “wretched” NKJV, etc. - found also in Revelation 3:17 (“wretched” NKJV) – related noun, ταλαιπωρία (talaipôria), in Romans 3:16 “misery” (TT, NKJV); James 5:1 “miseries.” (NKJV) ^
And not only, but also ourselves having the first fruit of the spirit, also we ourselves groan in ourselves, eagerly waiting adoption, the redemption of our body. -- E.g. Matthew 5:6; Romans 7:24; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:1-3.
For this, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not desire, and if some other commandment, in this the word is summed up, in that, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. -- ἐπιθυμήσεις (epithumêseis) “desire” - see Romans 7:7 and footnote. Covetousness = desiring what you should not.