is death; but the gift of God
is eternal life by Christ Jesus our Lord.

CHAPTER V.

THOSE IN CHRIST DEAD TO THE LAW, THE FLESH THE PRINCIPLE OF SIN, ITS
DOMINION OVER THE MIND, ETC.

1 [7:1]ARE you ignorant, brothers, for I speak to them who understand
law, that the law has authority over a man as long as he lives?
[7:2]For a woman under a husband is bound by law to a living husband;
but if the husband has died she is released from the law of the
husband. [7:3]Therefore while the husband lives, she shall be called an
adulteress if she is married to another man; but if the husband has
died, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress if
married to another man. [7:4]So, my brothers, you have also died to the
law through the body of Christ, that you should be married to another,
to him that was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
[7:5]For when we were in the flesh, the sinful affections operated
through the law in our members to bear fruit to death; [7:6]but now we
are released from the law by which we were held having died, that we
should serve [God] in newness of spirit, not in the old age of a
writing.

2 [7:7]What shall we say then? Is the law sin? By no means. On the
contrary I knew not sin except through the law; for I had not known
inordinate desire, unless the law had said, You shall not desire
inordinately. [7:8]But Sin having taken occasion through the
commandment wrought in me every inordinate desire; for without the law
sin was dead.

3 [7:9]And I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment
came, sin revived, and I died, [7:10]and the commandment which was for
life was found to be for death. [7:11]For sin having taken occasion
through the commandment deceived me, and through it killed me.
[7:12]The law therefore is holy, and the commandment holy and righteous
and good. [7:13]Did then that which is good become death to me? By no
means, but sin; that sin might be made manifest, producing death to me
through that which is good, that sin might become exceedingly sinful
through the commandment. [7:14]For we know that the law is spiritual;
but I am carnal, sold under sin. [7:15]For what I do this I approve
not; for I do not what I wish, but what I hate, this I do. [7:16]But if
what I wish not this I do, I consent to the law that it is good;
[7:17]and now I no longer do it, but the sin that dwells in me.
[7:18]For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, ther