Romans 7:8-20

New American Standard Bible

⁸ But sin, ^(A)taking an opportunity ^(B)through the commandment, produced in me ^[a]coveting of every kind; for ^(C)apart ^[b]from the Law sin is dead. ⁹ I was once alive apart ^[c]from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin came to life, and I died; ¹⁰ and this commandment, which was ^[d](D)to result in life, proved ^[e]to result in death for me; ¹¹ for sin, ^(E)taking an opportunity ^(F)through the commandment, ^(G)deceived me, and through it, killed me. ^12 (H)So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

¹³ Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? ^[f](I)Far from it! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by bringing about my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

The Conflict of Serving Two Masters

¹⁴ For we know that the Law is ^(J)spiritual, but I am ^(K)fleshly, ^(L)sold ^[g](M)into bondage to sin. ¹⁵ For ^(N)I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing ^(O)what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate. ¹⁶ However, if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with ^(P)the Law, that the Law is good. ¹⁷ But now, ^(Q)no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my ^(R)flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. ¹⁹ For ^(S)the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. ²⁰ But if I do the very thing I do not want, ^(T)I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.