⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.^(A)

¹⁵ For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.^(A)

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.”^{(A) 11} Now it is evident that no one is reckoned as righteous before God by the law, for “the one who is righteous will live by faith.”^{[a](B) 12} But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law^[b] will live by them.”^{(C) 13} Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”^(D)—

⁵ For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.^{(A) 6} But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are enslaved in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the written code.^(B)

The Law and Sin

⁷ What then are we to say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”^{(C) 8} But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law sin lies dead.^{(D) 9} I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived ¹⁰ and I died, and the very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.^{(E) 11} For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. ¹² So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.^(F)

¹³ Did what is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin that was working death in me through what is good, in order that it might be shown to be sin, so that through the commandment sin might become sinful beyond measure.

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(A)

²⁰ But law came in, so that the trespass might increase, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,^(A)

Adam and Christ

¹² Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned^(A)— ¹³ for sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.

²⁴ I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.”^[a](A)

²⁷ And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once and after that the judgment,^(A)

¹⁷ If, because of the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.