²³ for all have sinned^(A) and fall short of the glory of God,

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,^(A) and death through sin,^(B) and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned^(C)—

¹³ To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.^{(D) 14} Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam,^(E) who is a pattern of the one to come.^(F)

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man,^(G) how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,^(H) overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death^(I) reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life^(J) through the one man, Jesus Christ!

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,^(K) so also one righteous act resulted in justification^(L) and life^(M) for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man^(N) the many were made sinners,^(O) so also through the obedience^(P) of the one man the many will be made righteous.

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.^(Q) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,^{(R) 21} so that, just as sin reigned in death,^(S) so also grace^(T) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life^(U) through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Released From the Law, Bound to Christ

7 Do you not know, brothers and sisters^(A)—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? ² For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him.^{(B) 3} So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress.^(C) But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.

⁴ So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law^(D) through the body of Christ,^(E) that you might belong to another,^(F) to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. ⁵ For when we were in the realm of the flesh,^[a](G) the sinful passions aroused by the law^(H) were at work in us,^(I) so that we bore fruit for death.^{(J) 6} But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law^(K) so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.^(L)

The Law and Sin

⁷ What shall we say, then?^(M) Is the law sinful? Certainly not!^(N) Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.^(O) For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”^{[b](P) 8} But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,^(Q) produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.^{(R) 9} Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰ I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life^(S) actually brought death. ¹¹ For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,^(T) deceived me,^(U) and through the commandment put me to death. ¹² So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.^(V)

¹³ Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good^(W) to bring about my death,^(X) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual,^(Y) sold^(Z) as a slave to sin.^{(AA) 15} I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.^{(AB) 16} And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.^{(AC) 17} As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.^{(AD) 18} For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[c](AE) For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.^{(AF) 20} Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.^(AG)

²¹ So I find this law at work:^(AH) Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being^(AI) I delight in God’s law;^{(AJ) 23} but I see another law at work in me, waging war^(AK) against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin^(AL) at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?^{(AM) 25} Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!^(AN)

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law,^(AO) but in my sinful nature^[d] a slave to the law of sin.^(AP)