The Letter to the Romans

Romans 7

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ROMANS 7:1

TWMC

Brothers and sisters, surely you understand that the Law has authority over a person only as long as that person lives. After all, I'm speaking to people who understand the Law.¹

KJV

Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Greek

Ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε, ἀδελφοί—γινώσκουσιν γὰρ νόμον λαλῶ—ὅτι ὁ νόμος κυριεύει τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐφ’ ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ;

Romanized Greek

Ē agnoeite, adelphoi—ginōskousin gar nomon lalō—hoti ho nomos kyrieuei tou anthrōpou eph’ hoson chronon zē?

ROMANS 7:2

TWMC

Consider a married woman. By law, she is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law that bound her to him.²

KJV

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Greek

Ἡ γὰρ ὕπανδρος γυνὴ τῷ ζῶντι ἀνδρὶ δέδεται νόμῳ· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἀνήρ, κατήργηται ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ἀνδρός.

Romanized Greek

Hē gar hypandros gynē tō zōnti andri dedetai nomō; ean de apothanē ho anēr, katērgētai apo tou nomou tou andros.

ROMANS 7:3

TWMC

So if she joins herself to another man while her husband is still alive, she commits adultery. But if her husband dies, she is free from that marriage obligation and may marry another man without committing adultery.

KJV

So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Greek

Ἄρα οὖν ζῶντος τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μοιχαλὶς χρηματίσει, ἐὰν γένηται ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἀνήρ, ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, τοῦ μὴ εἶναι αὐτὴν μοιχαλίδα, γενομένην ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ.

Romanized Greek

Ara oun zōntos tou andros moichalis chrēmatisei, ean genētai andri heterō; ean de apothanē ho anēr, eleuthera estin apo tou nomou, tou mē einai autēn moichalida, genomenēn andri heterō.

ROMANS 7:4

TWMC

In the same way, my brothers and sisters, through Christ's death you have died to the Law and been released from its authority. You now belong to the risen Jesus Christ, entering a new relationship with God so that your lives may produce fruit that honors Him.³

KJV

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Greek

Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐθανατώθητε τῷ νόμῳ διὰ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ χριστοῦ, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι ὑμᾶς ἑτέρῳ, τῷ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγερθέντι, ἵνα καρποφορήσωμεν τῷ θεῷ.

Romanized Greek

Hōste, adelphoi mou, kai hymeis ethanatōthēte tō nomō dia tou sōmatos tou christou, eis to genesthai hymas heterō, tō ek nekrōn egerthenti, hina karpophorēsōmen tō theō.

ROMANS 7:5

TWMC

Before we belonged to Christ, our sinful desires held us captive. The Law exposed those desires, but sin used the commandments to stir them up within us. The result was a life producing fruit that led only to death and separation from God.⁴

KJV

For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Greek

Ὅτε γὰρ ἦμεν ἐν τῇ σαρκί, τὰ παθήματα τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τὰ διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐνηργεῖτο ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ καρποφορῆσαι τῷ θανάτῳ.

Romanized Greek

Hote gar ēmen en tē sarki, ta pathēmata tōn hamartiōn ta dia tou nomou enērgeito en tois melesin hēmōn eis to karpophorēsai tō thanatō.

ROMANS 7:6

TWMC

But now, through our death with Christ, we have been released from the Law that once held us prisoner. We no longer serve God by following the old written code, but through a new life empowered by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.⁵

KJV

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Greek

Νυνὶ δὲ κατηργήθημεν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, ἀποθανόντες ἐν ᾧ κατειχόμεθα, ὥστε δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος, καὶ οὐ παλαιότητι γράμματος.

Romanized Greek

Nyni de katērgēthēmen apo tou nomou, apothanontes en hō kateichometha, hōste douleuein hēmas en kainotēti pneumatos, kai ou palaiotēti grammatos.

ROMANS 7:7

TWMC

So what are we saying? Is the Law itself sinful? Absolutely not! In fact, I would never have understood what sin truly was without the Law. For example, I would not have recognized coveting as sin if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”⁶

KJV

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Greek

Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; Ὁ νόμος ἁμαρτία; Μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔγνων, εἰ μὴ διὰ νόμου· τήν τε γὰρ ἐπιθυμίαν οὐκ ᾔδειν, εἰ μὴ ὁ νόμος ἔλεγεν, Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις·

Romanized Greek

Ti oun eroumen? Ho nomos hamartia? Mē genoito; alla tēn hamartian ouk egnōn, ei mē dia nomou; tēn te gar epithymian ouk ēdein, ei mē ho nomos elegen, Ouk epithymēseis;

ROMANS 7:8

TWMC

But the power of sin seized the opportunity provided by that commandment and stirred up every kind of covetous desire within me. Without the Law, sin lay dormant.

KJV

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

Greek

ἀφορμὴν δὲ λαβοῦσα ἡ ἁμαρτία διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς κατειργάσατο ἐν ἐμοὶ πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν· χωρὶς γὰρ νόμου ἁμαρτία νεκρά.

Romanized Greek

aphormēn de labousa hē hamartia dia tēs entolēs kateirgasato en emoi pasan epithymian; chōris gar nomou hamartia nekra.

ROMANS 7:9

TWMC

There was a time when I lived without understanding the Law. But when the commandment became clear to me, sin came alive within me,⁷

KJV

For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Greek

Ἐγὼ δὲ ἔζων χωρὶς νόμου ποτέ· ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς ἐντολῆς, ἡ ἁμαρτία ἀνέζησεν, ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπέθανον·

Romanized Greek

Egō de ezōn chōris nomou pote; elthousēs de tēs entolēs, hē hamartia anezēsen, egō de apethanon;

ROMANS 7:10

TWMC

and I found myself condemned to death. The very commandment that was meant to lead to life instead revealed my path toward death.

KJV

And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

Greek

καὶ εὑρέθη μοι ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ εἰς ζωήν, αὕτη εἰς θάνατον·

Romanized Greek

kai heurethē moi hē entolē hē eis zōēn, hautē eis thanaton;

ROMANS 7:11

TWMC

Sin took advantage of the law, deceived me through the commandment, and ultimately brought death upon me.⁸

KJV

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Greek

ἡ γὰρ ἁμαρτία ἀφορμὴν λαβοῦσα διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐξηπάτησέν με, καὶ δι’ αὐτῆς ἀπέκτεινεν.

Romanized Greek

hē gar hamartia aphormēn labousa dia tēs entolēs exēpatēsen me, kai di’ autēs apekteinen.

ROMANS 7:12

TWMC

So the Law itself is holy, and God's commandments are holy, righteous, and good.

KJV

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Greek

Ὥστε ὁ μὲν νόμος ἅγιος, καὶ ἡ ἐντολὴ ἁγία καὶ δικαία καὶ ἀγαθή.

Romanized Greek

Hōste ho men nomos hagios, kai hē entolē hagia kai dikaia kai agathē.

ROMANS 7:13

TWMC

Does that mean what was good brought destruction upon me? Absolutely not! It was sin itself that brought death, twisting what was good to accomplish evil. Through the commandment, sin was exposed for what it really is—utterly sinful and destructive.⁹

KJV

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Greek

Τὸ οὖν ἀγαθὸν ἐμοὶ γέγονεν θάνατος; Μὴ γένοιτο. Ἀλλὰ ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἵνα φανῇ ἁμαρτία, διὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μοι κατεργαζομένη θάνατον—ἵνα γένηται καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν ἁμαρτωλὸς ἡ ἁμαρτία διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς.

Romanized Greek

To oun agathon emoi gegonen thanatos? Mē genoito. Alla hē hamartia, hina phanē hamartia, dia tou agathou moi katergazomenē thanaton—hina genētai kath’ hyperbolēn hamartōlos hē hamartia dia tēs entolēs.

ROMANS 7:14

TWMC

We know that God's Law is spiritually righteous and good. But I am still human, struggling with the weakness of my sinful nature, as though sin itself has made me its slave.¹⁰

KJV

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Greek

Οἴδαμεν γὰρ ὅτι ὁ νόμος πνευματικός ἐστιν· ἐγὼ δὲ σαρκικός εἰμι, πεπραμένος ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν.

Romanized Greek

Oidamen gar hoti ho nomos pneumatikos estin; egō de sarkikos eimi, pepramenos hypo tēn hamartian.

ROMANS 7:15

TWMC

I don't understand why I do the evil things I do. The good I want to accomplish is not always what I do. Instead, I find myself doing the very things I detest.¹¹

KJV

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

Greek

Ὃ γὰρ κατεργάζομαι, οὐ γινώσκω· οὐ γὰρ ὃ θέλω, τοῦτο πράσσω· ἀλλ’ ὃ μισῶ, τοῦτο ποιῶ.

Romanized Greek

Ho gar katergazomai, ou ginōskō; ou gar ho thelō, touto prassō; all’ ho misō, touto poiō.

ROMANS 7:16

TWMC

And when I do what I know is wrong, even though I don't want to do it, I am acknowledging that God's Law is good.

KJV

If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Greek

Εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ θέλω, τοῦτο ποιῶ, σύμφημι τῷ νόμῳ ὅτι καλός.

Romanized Greek

Ei de ho ou thelō, touto poiō, symphēmi tō nomō hoti kalos.

ROMANS 7:17

TWMC

Yet there is something deeper at work inside of me. Sin has taken hold of my human weakness, dragging me toward the very things I know are wrong.

KJV

Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Greek

Νυνὶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ κατεργάζομαι αὐτό, ἀλλ’ ἡ οἰκοῦσα ἐν ἐμοὶ ἁμαρτία.

Romanized Greek

Nyni de ouketi egō katergazomai auto, all’ hē oikousa en emoi hamartia.

ROMANS 7:18

TWMC

I know that nothing good ever comes from my sinful nature. Even when my heart desires to do what is right, I find myself unable to carry it out.

KJV

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Greek

Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ οἰκεῖ ἐν ἐμοί, τοῦτ’ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου, ἀγαθόν· τὸ γὰρ θέλειν παράκειταί μοι, τὸ δὲ κατεργάζεσθαι τὸ καλὸν οὐχ εὑρίσκω.

Romanized Greek

Oida gar hoti ouk oikei en emoi, tout’ estin en tē sarki mou, agathon; to gar thelein parakeitai moi, to de katergazesthai to kalon ouch heuriskō.

ROMANS 7:19

TWMC

Time and again, I fail to do the good I want to do, while the evil I desperately want to avoid is exactly what I end up doing.

KJV

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Greek

Οὐ γὰρ ὃ θέλω, ποιῶ ἀγαθόν· ἀλλ’ ὃ οὐ θέλω κακόν, τοῦτο πράσσω.

Romanized Greek

Ou gar ho thelō, poiō agathon; all’ ho ou thelō kakon, touto prassō.

ROMANS 7:20

TWMC

And when I repeatedly do the evil I do not want to do, it reveals the terrible power of sin working within me, opposing my desire to live a godly life.

KJV

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Greek

Εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ θέλω ἐγώ, τοῦτο ποιῶ, οὐκέτι ἐγὼ κατεργάζομαι αὐτό, ἀλλ’ ἡ οἰκοῦσα ἐν ἐμοὶ ἁμαρτία.

Romanized Greek

Ei de ho ou thelō egō, touto poiō, ouketi egō katergazomai auto, all’ hē oikousa en emoi hamartia.

ROMANS 7:21

TWMC

So I have discovered this troubling reality: whenever I set my heart on doing good, evil is waiting right there, set against my desires.¹²

KJV

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Greek

Εὑρίσκω ἄρα τὸν νόμον τῷ θέλοντι ἐμοὶ ποιεῖν τὸ καλόν, ὅτι ἐμοὶ τὸ κακὸν παράκειται.

Romanized Greek

Heuriskō ara ton nomon tō thelonti emoi poiein to kalon, hoti emoi to kakon parakeitai.

ROMANS 7:22

TWMC

Deep within my heart, I delight in God's Law. I know it is good, and I want to live according to it.

KJV

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Greek

Συνήδομαι γὰρ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον·

Romanized Greek

Synēdomai gar tō nomō tou theou kata ton esō anthrōpon;

ROMANS 7:23

TWMC

But a darker power is at work within me, fighting against the light that my mind knows to be right. It wages war against my desire to obey God, taking me captive to the sin that operates within my mortal body.¹³

KJV

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Greek

βλέπω δὲ ἕτερον νόμον ἐν τοῖς μέλεσίν μου ἀντιστρατευόμενον τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ νοός μου, καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζοντά με τῷ νόμῳ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῷ ὄντι ἐν τοῖς μέλεσίν μου.

Romanized Greek

blepō de heteron nomon en tois melesin mou antistrateuomenon tō nomō tou noos mou, kai aichmalōtizonta me tō nomō tēs hamartias tō onti en tois melesin mou.

ROMANS 7:24

TWMC

What a miserable condition I find myself living in! I know what is right, yet I struggle to do it. Who can rescue me from this body that is subject to death?¹⁴

KJV

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Greek

Ταλαίπωρος ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος· τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου;

Romanized Greek

Talaipōros egō anthrōpos; tis me rhysetai ek tou sōmatos tou thanatou toutou?

ROMANS 7:25

TWMC

Thank God! My deliverance comes through Jesus Christ our Lord! And yet, the struggle remains: with my mind I desire to serve God's Law, but my sinful nature continues to drag me toward the service of sin.

KJV

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Greek

Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν. Ἄρα οὖν αὐτὸς ἐγὼ τῷ μὲν νοῒ δουλεύω νόμῳ θεοῦ, τῇ δὲ σαρκὶ νόμῳ ἁμαρτίας.

Romanized Greek

Eucharistō tō theō dia Iēsou christou tou kyriou hēmōn. Ara oun autos egō tō men noi douleuō nomō theou, tē de sarki nomō hamartias.

Notes

Romans 7:1 The Law's jurisdiction. The verb kyrieuei means to rule or exercise lordship. The limit is "for as long as [a person] lives" (eph' hoson chronon zē). TWMC's "has authority" keeps that sense without suggesting that the Law is oppressive in itself. "Brothers and sisters" is an accessible rendering of an address that reads literally "brothers." It does not change Paul's audience. ↩
Romans 7:2 Marriage, and the limits of an illustration. Paul's illustration describes a married woman who is bound by law to her husband while he lives and released from that bond when he dies. "Marriage obligation" (v. 3) expresses the legal bond. The comparison with a second marriage is an illustration. TWMC adds no conditions from separate debates about divorce. ↩
Romans 7:4 Died to the Law, belonging to Christ. "Through Christ's death." Dia tou sōmatos tou Christou means literally "through the body of Christ." TWMC's "through Christ's death" is a contextual paraphrase that brings Jesus' bodily death into view. "You have died to the Law." Ethanatōthēte tō nomō means "you were put to death with respect to the Law." TWMC keeps "died to the Law" and then explains it as being released from the Law's authority. "The risen Jesus Christ." "You now belong to the risen Jesus Christ" interprets "to another, the one raised from the dead," who is Christ. "A new relationship with God" explains the result. It does not translate a separate phrase in this verse. "Fruit that honors Him" renders "bear fruit to God." "Him" is God. ↩
Romans 7:5 Flesh, passions and death. "Before we belonged to Christ." The Greek en tē sarki, "in the flesh," describes the condition Paul is looking back on. TWMC renders it by its context: the believer's life before Christ. The Greek. It speaks of sinful passions, aroused through the Law, at work in our bodily members to bear fruit for death. Expansions. "Held us captive," "The Law exposed those desires" and "sin used the commandments to stir them up" are interpretive expansions. Paul's own explanation in 7:7–13 supports them. The Law reveals sin, and sin exploits the good commandment. These are two different things. "Death and separation from God" expands the single Greek word "death." Separation from God is one consequence. In Romans, death is more than that alone (5:12–21; 6:23). ↩
Romans 7:6 Released, to serve in the newness of the Spirit. Katērgēthēmen apo tou nomou means "we were released (discharged) from the Law." En hō kateichometha, "that by which we were held," lies behind TWMC's "held us prisoner," a metaphor that explains it. The text contrasts serving "in newness of spirit/Spirit" with serving in "oldness of letter." TWMC's "a new life empowered by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us" is a contextual expansion. "Empowered" and "dwelling within us" are not in 7:6. The rendering takes pneuma as the Holy Spirit in light of Romans 8:9–11 and 2 Corinthians 3:6. "Through our death with Christ" carries forward 7:4. ↩
Romans 7:7 The Law exposes sin. Paul asks, "Is the Law sin?" (ho nomos hamartia), and answers with his strongest denial, mē genoito. TWMC renders it "Absolutely not!" "I would never have understood what sin truly was" renders ouk egnōn, "I would not have known," meaning knowledge by experience and recognition. The commandment Paul quotes is the tenth: "You shall not covet" (ouk epithymēseis; Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21). In verse 8, aphormē describes an opportunity or starting point that can be exploited. In some contexts it also carries the image of a foothold or base of operations. TWMC's "seized the opportunity" shows how sin exploited God's good commandment. Paul says that apart from the Law sin is "dead" (nekra). TWMC uses "lay dormant" to show the contrast between sin's inactivity and its later awakening in Paul's argument. This is an explanatory image, not a separate Greek word meaning "dormant." ↩
Romans 7:9 When the commandment came. TWMC carries one sentence across verses 9–10 on purpose. Verse 9 ends with a comma, and verse 10 begins with "and." The Greek says sin "revived" (anezēsen, came back to life) and "I died" (apethanon). TWMC's "condemned to death" is an interpretive paraphrase that explains that death. It is not a literal rendering of "I died." "There was a time when I lived without understanding the Law" interprets ezōn chōris nomou pote, "I was once alive apart from the Law." The commandment was "meant to lead to life" (eis zōēn), yet it "revealed my path toward death." ↩
Romans 7:11 Deceived through the commandment. In English, verses 11–12 mirror each other. Where TWMC's verse 11 says "the law," the Greek again says "commandment" (entolē). That is a deliberate literary choice: verse 12 resolves the pair by saying that the Law is holy, and so are God's commandments. "Deceived me" is exēpatēsen. Paul uses the same verb in 2 Corinthians 11:3 for the serpent deceiving Eve. In 1 Timothy 2:14 the Byzantine text uses the related simple verb apataō for Eve being deceived. ↩
Romans 7:13 Sin exposed for what it is. "Twisting what was good to accomplish evil" renders dia tou agathou moi katergazomenē thanaton, "producing death in me through what is good." "Utterly sinful" renders kath' hyperbolēn hamartōlos, sinful beyond measure. Our word "hyperbole" comes from hyperbolē. TWMC adds "and destructive" to show what that sinfulness does. ↩
Romans 7:14 Spiritual Law, fleshly self. The Law is pneumatikos, "spiritual." It comes from God's Spirit and carries His character. TWMC renders this "spiritually righteous and good." The Byzantine text calls the "I" sarkikos, "fleshly": shaped and ruled by the flesh. The edition behind most modern translations (Nestle–Aland) reads sarkinos, "made of flesh." Both describe human weakness. Sarkikos puts more weight on the flesh's ruling influence, and TWMC's "struggling with the weakness of my sinful nature" fits it. Pepramenos hypo tēn hamartian means "sold under sin." "Sold" is a perfect participle: the sale has been made and its effect continues. It is the language of the slave market. TWMC softens it to "as though sin itself has made me its slave." Paul's own image is stronger: a sale already completed. ↩
Romans 7:15 Doing what I hate. "I don't understand" renders ou ginōskō, "I do not know" or "do not recognize" what I am doing. "Not always" (v. 15) is TWMC's addition. The Greek is flat: "what I want, this I do not practice." TWMC softens it so that it does not read as if Paul never does any good. The Greek does not contain that qualifier. Verse 17. The Greek says ouketi egō katergazomai auto, "it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me." TWMC's "Sin has taken hold of my human weakness, dragging me toward the very things I know are wrong" is an interpretive paraphrase of that indwelling. "Nothing good ever comes from my sinful nature" (v. 18). The Greek says "nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh" (tout' estin en tē sarki mou). TWMC makes three changes. "Dwells in" becomes "comes from." "Flesh" becomes "sinful nature," which is how TWMC renders sarx in moral contexts. "Ever" is added for emphasis. Paul himself narrows the claim to "my flesh." He is not saying that nothing good exists in him at all, since he also says he wants the good. Verse 19 restates verse 15 almost word for word, and TWMC keeps the repetition with "time and again." Verse 20. TWMC's "reveals the terrible power of sin working within me" explains the repeated Greek phrase "sin that dwells in me." ↩
Romans 7:21 The other law at war. "Law" (nomos) is used in more than one way here. There is "the law of God" (v. 22). There is also a law in the sense of a principle at work: evil lies close at hand (v. 21), and "another law" wars in my members (v. 23). TWMC's "this troubling reality" (v. 21) renders that second sense. "Deep within my heart" (v. 22) renders kata ton esō anthrōpon, "according to the inner man." ↩
Romans 7:23 Darkness and light. Paul's original Greek describes a conflict between the “law of my mind” and the “law of sin” operating within his bodily members. He uses the language of warfare and captivity to communicate the struggle between his desire to obey God and the power of sin. The Word, Made Clear intentionally employs the contrasting imagery of darkness and light to communicate this conflict in accessible, literary English. In this paraphrase, darkness represents the destructive influence of sin, while light represents the righteousness that Paul's mind recognizes and desires. These images form a deliberate literary mirror: darkness opposes light just as sin opposes righteousness. Although the specific words darkness and light do not appear in the Greek of Romans 7:23, this imagery is consistent with broader biblical descriptions of the conflict between righteousness and evil (John 3:19–21; Ephesians 5:8–11; 1 John 1:5–7). TWMC retains Paul's imagery of warfare and captivity while employing this additional English literary contrast to make his argument more understandable. Translation distinction: This is an intentional thought-for-thought literary paraphrase, not a claim that Paul explicitly used darkness-and-light terminology in this verse. ↩
Romans 7:24 Who will rescue me?. Talaipōros means "wretched" or "miserable," worn down by hardship. TWMC renders it "a miserable condition." "This body that is subject to death" renders ek tou sōmatos tou thanatou toutou. The demonstrative toutou ("this") stands at the end. Grammatically it can go with "death" ("the body of this death," KJV) or with "body" ("this body of death"). Either way, the body is in death's grip. The answer is a cry of thanks. The Byzantine text reads Eucharistō tō theō, "I thank God," where the Nestle–Aland text reads Charis de tō theō, "but thanks be to God." TWMC turns it into an exclamation and adds "my deliverance comes," which states what the thanksgiving implies. Verse 25b, "So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh the law of sin," sums up the two-sided struggle. TWMC keeps it as a separate paragraph so that the contrast stands. ↩