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Romans 4:15
New Living Translation
Romans 4:15
New Living Translation
15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
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Romans 4:15
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Romans 4:15
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Romans 5:13
New Living Translation
Romans 5:13
New Living Translation
13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
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Romans 5:13
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Romans 5:13
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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.(A)
Galatians 3:10
New Living Translation
Galatians 3:10
New Living Translation
10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”[a]
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Galatians 3:10
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Galatians 3:10
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10 For all who rely on the works of the law(A) are under a curse,(B) as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”[a](C)
Footnotes
- Galatians 3:10 Deut. 27:26
Romans 3:19-20
New Living Translation
Romans 3:19-20
New Living Translation
19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
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Romans 3:19-20
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Romans 3:19-20
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19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(A) it says to those who are under the law,(B) so that every mouth may be silenced(C) and the whole world held accountable to God.(D) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(E) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(F)
1 Corinthians 15:56
New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 15:56
New Living Translation
56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.
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1 Corinthians 15:56
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1 Corinthians 15:56
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Romans 7:7-25
New Living Translation
Romans 7:7-25
New Living Translation
God’s Law Reveals Our Sin
7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”[a] 8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, 10 and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. 11 Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. 12 But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
13 But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.
Struggling with Sin
14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[b] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power[c] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
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Romans 7:7-25
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Romans 7:7-25
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The Law and Sin
7 What shall we say, then?(A) Is the law sinful? Certainly not!(B) Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.(C) For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”[a](D) 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,(E) produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.(F) 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(G) actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,(H) deceived me,(I) and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.(J)
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(K) to bring about my death,(L) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual,(M) sold(N) as a slave to sin.(O) 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.(P) 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.(Q) 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.(R) 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[b](S) 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.(T) 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.(U)
21 So I find this law at work:(V) Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being(W) I delight in God’s law;(X) 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war(Y) against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin(Z) at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?(AA) 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!(AB)
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law,(AC) but in my sinful nature[c] a slave to the law of sin.(AD)
Footnotes
- Romans 7:7 Exodus 20:17; Deut. 5:21
- Romans 7:18 Or my flesh
- Romans 7:25 Or in the flesh
John 3:36
New Living Translation
John 3:36
New Living Translation
36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
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John 3:36
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John 3:36
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36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,(A) but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
1 John 3:4
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1 John 3:4
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4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.
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1 John 3:4
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1 John 3:4
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4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.(A)
Ephesians 5:6
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Ephesians 5:6
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6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
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Ephesians 5:6
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Ephesians 5:6
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6 Let no one deceive you(A) with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath(B) comes on those who are disobedient.(C)
Romans 5:20-21
New Living Translation
Romans 5:20-21
New Living Translation
20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Romans 5:20-21
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Romans 5:20-21
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Galatians 3:19
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Galatians 3:19
New Living Translation
19 Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people.
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Galatians 3:19
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Galatians 3:19
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19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions(A) until the Seed(B) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels(C) and entrusted to a mediator.(D)
2 Corinthians 3:7-9
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2 Corinthians 3:7-9
New Living Translation
The Glory of the New Covenant
7 The old way,[a] with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!
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2 Corinthians 3:7-9
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2 Corinthians 3:7-9
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The Greater Glory of the New Covenant
7 Now if the ministry that brought death,(A) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,(B) transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation(C) was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!(D)
Romans 2:12-13
New Living Translation
Romans 2:12-13
New Living Translation
12 When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. 13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.
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Romans 2:12-13
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Romans 2:12-13
New International Version
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law(A) will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey(B) the law who will be declared righteous.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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