²⁰ because ^(A)by the works ^[a]of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for ^[b](B)through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

^7 (A)What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? ^(B)May it never be! Rather, ^(C)I would not have come to know sin except ^[a]through the Law. For I would not have known about ^[b]coveting if the Law had not said, “^(D)You shall not ^[c]covet.” ⁸ But sin, ^(E)taking opportunity ^(F)through the commandment, worked out in me ^[d]coveting of every kind. For ^(G)apart ^[e]from the Law sin is dead. ⁹ Now I was once alive apart ^[f]from the Law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died; ¹⁰ and this commandment, which was ^[g](H)to lead to life, was found ^[h]to lead to death for me. ¹¹ For sin, ^(I)taking an opportunity ^(J)through the commandment, ^(K)deceived me and through it killed me. ^12 (L)So, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

The Conflict of Two Natures

¹³ Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? ^(M)May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by working out my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would ^[i]become utterly sinful.

¹⁴ For we know that the Law is ^(N)spiritual, but I am ^(O)fleshly, ^(P)having been sold ^[j](Q)into bondage under sin. ¹⁵ For what I am working out, ^(R)I do not understand; for I am not practicing ^(S)what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. ¹⁶ But if I do the very thing I do not want, I agree with ^(T)the Law, that it is good. ¹⁷ So now, ^(U)no longer am I the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my ^(V)flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good is not. ¹⁹ For ^(W)the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. ²⁰ But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, ^(X)I am no longer the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me.

²¹ I find then ^(Y)the ^[k]principle that in me evil is present—in me who wants to do good. ²² For I joyfully concur with the law of God ^[l]in ^(Z)the inner man, ²³ but I see ^(AA)a different law in my members, waging war against the ^(AB)law of my mind and making me a captive ^[m]to ^(AC)the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from ^[n](AD)the body of this ^(AE)death? ^25 [o](AF)Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh ^(AG)the law of sin.

^19 (A)Why the Law then? It was added ^[a]because of trespasses, having been ^(B)ordained through angels ^(C)by the hand of a mediator, until ^(D)the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.