Romans 7
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 Ref Are ye ignorant, brethren -- for to those knowing law I speak -- that the law hath lordship over the man as long as he liveth?
2 Ref for the married woman to the living husband hath been bound by law, and if the husband may die, she hath been free from the law of the husband;
3 Ref so, then, the husband being alive, an adulteress she shall be called if she may become another man's; and if the husband may die, she is free from the law, so as not to be an adulteress, having become another man's.
4 Ref So that, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of the Christ, for your becoming another's, who out of the dead was raised up, that we might bear fruit to God;
5 Ref for when we were in the flesh, the passions of the sins, that `are' through the law, were working in our members, to bear fruit to the death;
6 Ref and now we have ceased from the law, that being dead in which we were held, so that we may serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.
7 Ref What, then, shall we say? the law `is' sin? let it not be! but the sin I did not know except through law, for also the covetousness I had not known if the law had not said:
8 Ref `Thou shalt not covet;' and the sin having received an opportunity, through the command, did work in me all covetousness -- for apart from law sin is dead.
9 Ref And I was alive apart from law once, and the command having come, the sin revived, and I died;
10 Ref and the command that `is' for life, this was found by me for death;
11 Ref for the sin, having received an opportunity, through the command, did deceive me, and through it did slay `me';
12 Ref so that the law, indeed, `is' holy, and the command holy, and righteous, and good.
13 Ref That which is good then, to me hath it become death? let it not be! but the sin, that it might appear sin, through the good, working death to me, that the sin might become exceeding sinful through the command,
14 Ref for we have known that the law is spiritual, and I am fleshly, sold by the sin;
15 Ref for that which I work, I do not acknowledge; for not what I will, this I practise, but what I hate, this I do.
16 Ref And if what I do not will, this I do, I consent to the law that `it is' good,
17 Ref and now it is no longer I that work it, but the sin dwelling in me,
18 Ref for I have known that there doth not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, good: for to will is present with me, and to work that which is right I do not find,
19 Ref for the good that I will, I do not; but the evil that I do not will, this I practise.
20 Ref And if what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that work it, but the sin that is dwelling in me.
21 Ref I find, then, the law, that when I desire to do what is right, with me the evil is present,
22 Ref for I delight in the law of God according to the inward man,
23 Ref and I behold another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of the sin that `is' in my members.
24 Ref A wretched man I `am'! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?
25 Ref I thank God -- through Jesus Christ our Lord; so then, I myself indeed with the mind do serve the law of God, and with the flesh, the law of sin.
Bible in Basic English (BBE)
1 Ref Is it not clear, my brothers (I am using an argument to those who have knowledge of the law), that the law has power over a man as long as he is living?
2 Ref For the woman who has a husband is placed by the law under the power of her husband as long as he is living; but if her husband is dead, she is free from the law of the husband.
3 Ref So if, while the husband is living, she is joined to another man, she will get the name of one who is untrue to her husband: but if the husband is dead, she is free from the law, so that she is not untrue, even if she takes another man.
4 Ref In the same way, my brothers, you were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, even to him who came again from the dead, so that we might give fruit to God.
5 Ref For when we were in the flesh, the evil passions which came into being through the law were working in our bodies to give the fruit of death.
6 Ref But now we are free from the law, having been made dead to that which had power over us; so that we are servants in the new way of the spirit, not in the old way of the letter.
7 Ref What then is to be said? is the law sin? in no way. But I would not have had knowledge of sin but for the law: for I would not have been conscious of desire if the law had not said, You may not have a desire for what is another's.
8 Ref But sin, taking its chance through that which was ordered by the law, was working in me every form of desire: because without the law sin is dead.
9 Ref And there was a time when I was living without the law: but when the law gave its orders, sin came to life and put me to death;
10 Ref And I made the discovery that the law whose purpose was to give life had become a cause of death:
11 Ref For I was tricked and put to death by sin, which took its chance through the law.
12 Ref But the law is holy, and its orders are holy, upright, and good.
13 Ref Was then that which is good, death to me? In no way. But the purpose was that sin might be seen to be sin by working death to me through that which is good; so that through the orders of the law sin might seem much more evil.
14 Ref For we are conscious that the law is of the spirit; but I am of the flesh, given into the power of sin.
15 Ref And I have no clear knowledge of what I am doing, for that which I have a mind to do, I do not, but what I have hate for, that I do.
16 Ref But, if I do that which I have no mind to do, I am in agreement with the law that the law is good.
17 Ref So it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me.
18 Ref For I am conscious that in me, that is, in my flesh, there is nothing good: I have the mind but not the power to do what is right.
19 Ref For the good which I have a mind to do, I do not: but the evil which I have no mind to do, that I do.
20 Ref But if I do what I have no mind to do, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me.
21 Ref So I see a law that, though I have a mind to do good, evil is present in me.
22 Ref In my heart I take pleasure in the law of God,
23 Ref But I see another law in my body, working against the law of my mind, and making me the servant of the law of sin which is in my flesh.
24 Ref How unhappy am I! who will make me free from the body of this death?
25 Ref I give praise to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So with my mind I am a servant to the law of God, but with my flesh to the law of sin.