An Illustration from Marriage

7 Since I am speaking to those who understand law, brothers,^(A) are you unaware that the law has authority over someone as long as he lives? ² For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives.^(B) But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband. ³ So then, if she gives herself to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she gives herself to another man, she is not an adulteress.

⁴ Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to death^(C) in relation to the law^(D) through the crucified body of the Messiah,^(E) so that you may belong to another—to Him who was raised from the dead—that we may bear fruit for God. ⁵ For when we were in the flesh,^[a](F) the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us^[b](G) and bore fruit for death. ⁶ But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way^[c] of the Spirit^(H) and not in the old letter of the law.

Sin’s Use of the Law

⁷ What should we say then?^(I) Is the law sin? Absolutely not!^(J) On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.^(K) For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.^{(L)[d] 8} And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,^(M) produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.^{(N) 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^(O) resulted in death for me. ¹¹ For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,^(P) and through it killed me. ¹² So then, the law is holy,^(Q) and the commandment is holy and just and good.

The Problem of Sin in Us

¹³ Therefore, did what is good cause my death?^[e] Absolutely not!^(R) 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,^(S) but I am made out of flesh,^[f] sold^(T) into sin’s power.^{(U) 15} For I do not understand what I am doing,^(V) because I do not practice what I want to do,^(W) 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.^(X) 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:^[g](Y) When I want to do what is good, evil is with me. ²² For in my inner self^[h] I joyfully agree with God’s law.^{(Z) 23} But I see a different law in the parts of my body,^[i](AA) waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.^{[j] 24} What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this dying body?^{(AB) 25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!^[k](AC) So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.