Notes on the Epistle of Paul, the Apostle, to the Romans

By William Kelly

A NEW TRANSLATION OF THE TEXT ACCORDING TO ANCIENT AUTHORITY.

Chapter 7

Romans 7.

What, are ye ignorant, brethren, for I speak to [such as] know law, that the law hath dominion over the man as long time as he liveth? 2 For the married woman is bound to the living husband by law; but if the husband die, she is quit from the law of her husband. 3 So then, while the husband liveth, she shall be called an adulteress, if she belong to another man; but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so as not to be an adulteress by belonging to another man. 4 So that, my brethren, ye also have been made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that ye should belong to another, him that was raised out of [the] dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins that [were] by the law wrought in our members bringing forth fruit to death; 6 but now have we got quittance from the law, having died in what we were held so as for us to serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter.

7 What then shall we say? [Is] the law sin? Let it not be. Nay, I had not known sin unless by law; for1 lust also I had not been conscious of, unless the law had said, 'Thou shalt not lust.' 8 But sin having taken occasion by the commandment wrought in me every lust; for apart from law sin is dead. 9 But I was alive apart from law once; but, the commandment having come, sin revived and I died, 10 and the commandment that [was] unto life, this was found to me unto death. 11 For sin having taken a point of attack by the commandment deceived me and by it slew [me]. 12 So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. 13 Did then the good become death to me? Let it not be; but sin, that it might appear sin, working out death to me by the good, that sin might become excessively sinful by the commandment. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I work out I own not; for I do not what I will, but what I hate, this I practise. 16 But if what I will not, this I practise, I consent to the law that [it is] right. 17 But now no longer am I working it out, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, no good dwelleth; for to will is present with me, but to work out the right 19 [is] not; for I practise not good which I will, but evil which I will not, this I do. 20 But if what I will not, this I practise, no longer am I working it out, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then the law, for me wishing to practise the right, that the evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I [am]! who shall deliver me out of this body of death? 25 I thank God2 through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I myself with the mind am serving God's law, but with the flesh sin's law. 

1) The article is in the Greek, implying what was actually there.

2) The Vatican and other ancient authorities give "thanks to God," but the Sinai, Alex., and the mass of other MSS., support εὐχαριστῶ.