12 So (A)the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, (B)sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For (C)I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with (D)the law, that it is good. 17 So now (E)it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells (F)in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 (G)For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, (H)it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For (I)I delight in the law of God, (J)in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members (K)another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from (L)this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

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12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.(A)

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(B) to bring about my death,(C) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual,(D) sold(E) as a slave to sin.(F) 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.(G) 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.(H) 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.(I) 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a](J) 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.(K) 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.(L)

21 So I find this law at work:(M) Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being(N) I delight in God’s law;(O) 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war(P) against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin(Q) at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?(R) 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!(S)

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law,(T) but in my sinful nature[b] a slave to the law of sin.(U)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 7:18 Or my flesh
  2. Romans 7:25 Or in the flesh