Sin’s Use of the Law

⁷ What should we say then?^(A) Is the law sin? Absolutely not!^(B) On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.^(C) For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.^{(D)[a] 8} And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,^(E) produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.^{(F) 9} Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life ¹⁰ and I died. The commandment that was meant for life^(G) resulted in death for me. ¹¹ For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,^(H) and through it killed me. ¹² So then, the law is holy,^(I) and the commandment is holy and just and good.

The Problem of Sin in Us

¹³ Therefore, did what is good cause my death?^[b] Absolutely not!^(J) On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure. ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual,^(K) but I am made out of flesh,^[c] sold^(L) into sin’s power.^{(M) 15} For I do not understand what I am doing,^(N) because I do not practice what I want to do,^(O) but I do what I hate. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.^(P) For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. ²¹ So I discover this principle:^[d](Q) When I want to do what is good, evil is with me. ²² For in my inner self^[e] I joyfully agree with God’s law.^{(R) 23} But I see a different law in the parts of my body,^[f](S) waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.^{[g] 24} What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this dying body?^{(T) 25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!^[h](U) So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.

The Life-Giving Spirit

8 Therefore, no condemnation^(V) now exists for those in^(W) Christ Jesus,^{[i](X) 2} because the Spirit’s law of life^(Y) in Christ Jesus has set you^[j] free from the law of sin and of death.^{(Z) 3} What the law could not do^(AA) since it was limited^[k] by the flesh,^(AB) God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours^(AC) under sin’s domain,^[l] and as a sin offering,^{(AD) 4} in order that the law’s requirement would be accomplished^(AE) in us who do not walk according to the flesh^(AF) but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live^[m] according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh,^(AG) but those who live^[n] according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For the mind-set of the flesh^(AH) is death,^(AI) but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile^(AJ) to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. ⁸ Those who are in the flesh^(AK) cannot please God. ⁹ You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since^[o] the Spirit of God lives in you.^(AL) But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,^(AM) he does not belong to Him. ¹⁰ Now if Christ is in you,^(AN) the body is dead^[p] because of sin, but the Spirit^[q] is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead^(AO) lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through^[r] His Spirit who lives in you.

The Holy Spirit’s Ministries

¹² So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, ¹³ for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,^(AP) you will live. ¹⁴ All those led by God’s Spirit^(AQ) are God’s sons.^{(AR) 15} For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,^(AS) but you received the Spirit of adoption,^(AT) by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”^{(AU) 16} The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit^(AV) that we are God’s children, ¹⁷ and if children, also heirs^(AW)—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that^[s] we suffer with Him^(AX) so that we may also be glorified with Him.

³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.”