Romans 7:18
New Living Translation
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
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John 3:6
New Living Translation
6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.[a]
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- 3:6 Greek what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Psalm 51:5
New Living Translation
5 For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
Galatians 5:17
New Living Translation
17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
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Romans 7:25
New Living Translation
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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Psalm 119:115-117
New Living Translation
115 Get out of my life, you evil-minded people,
for I intend to obey the commands of my God.
116 Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live!
Do not let my hope be crushed.
117 Sustain me, and I will be rescued;
then I will meditate continually on your decrees.
Job 14:4
New Living Translation
4 Who can bring purity out of an impure person?
No one!
Galatians 5:24
New Living Translation
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
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Job 15:14-16
New Living Translation
14 Can any mortal be pure?
Can anyone born of a woman be just?
15 Look, God does not even trust the angels.[a]
Even the heavens are not absolutely pure in his sight.
16 How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person
with a thirst for wickedness!
Footnotes
- 15:15 Hebrew the holy ones.
Philippians 2:13
New Living Translation
13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
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Genesis 6:5
New Living Translation
5 The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.
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Titus 3:3
New Living Translation
3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.
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Mark 7:21-23
New Living Translation
21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
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Ephesians 2:1-5
New Living Translation
Made Alive with Christ
2 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
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- 2:2 Greek obeying the commander of the power of the air.
Romans 8:3-13
New Living Translation
3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.[a] So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life[b] because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,[c] you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,[d] you will live.
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Romans 7:19
New Living Translation
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.
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Romans 7:15
New Living Translation
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.
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Matthew 15:19
New Living Translation
19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.
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Genesis 8:21
New Living Translation
21 And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.
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1 Peter 4:2
New Living Translation
2 You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
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Philippians 3:12
New Living Translation
Pressing toward the Goal
12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
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Luke 11:13
New Living Translation
13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
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Psalm 119:176
New Living Translation
176 I have wandered away like a lost sheep;
come and find me,
for I have not forgotten your commands.
Psalm 119:40
New Living Translation
40 I long to obey your commandments!
Renew my life with your goodness.
Job 25:4
New Living Translation
4 How can a mortal be innocent before God?
Can anyone born of a woman be pure?
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.