Romans 7:15 kjv
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Romans 7:15 nkjv
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
Romans 7:15 niv
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Romans 7:15 esv
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Romans 7:15 nlt
I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
Romans 7 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 7:18-19 | For I know that in me…nothing good dwells…for to will is present with me…I do not do. | Expanded statement of internal conflict. |
| Rom 7:21 | So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. | The constant presence of temptation. |
| Gal 5:17 | For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit…that you may not do the things you want to do. | Conflict between the Spirit and the flesh. |
| Mt 26:41 | Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. | Weakness of the flesh despite willing spirit. |
| Mk 14:38 | The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. | A parallel account of the struggle. |
| 1 Pet 2:11 | Beloved, I urge you…abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. | The ongoing battle against fleshly desires. |
| Jas 4:17 | So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin. | Knowing good but failing to do it. |
| Ps 51:5 | Indeed, I was born a sinner, a sinful nature from my conception. | The innate sinful nature from birth. |
| Jer 17:9 | The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? | The deep corruption of the human heart. |
| Rom 8:7-8 | For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God…those who are in the flesh cannot please God. | The nature of the unregenerate; inability to please God. |
| Eph 2:3 | Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind… | Former life enslaved to fleshly desires. |
| Rom 3:20 | For by works of the law no human being will be justified…since through the law comes knowledge of sin. | The Law reveals sin but cannot overcome it. |
| Rom 7:7 | What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. | The Law defines sin, but is not sin itself. |
| Rom 7:20 | Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. | Indwelling sin as the active agent. |
| Rom 7:23 | But I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin. | Inner war against sin's dominion. |
| Rom 7:24 | Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? | A desperate cry for deliverance. |
| Rom 8:2 | For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. | Deliverance from sin's power through the Spirit. |
| Rom 8:13 | For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. | The Spirit's role in empowering victory over sin. |
| Phil 2:13 | For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. | God's empowering work in the believer. |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | And I will give you a new heart…and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes. | The Spirit's role in enabling obedience. |
| 1 Jn 1:8 | If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. | Acknowledging the ongoing presence of sin. |
| Col 3:5-10 | Put to death therefore what is earthly in you…seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices. | The believer's responsibility to put off sin. |
| Heb 12:1 | Therefore…let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely… | The persistent hold of sin. |
Romans 7 verses
Romans 7 15 Meaning
Paul describes a profound inner struggle where his actions betray his intentions. He finds himself doing what he does not approve of or understand, failing to do what he genuinely desires, and instead committing the very things he detests. This highlights the deep conflict between his renewed will and the persistent power of indwelling sin, a universal experience for believers.
Romans 7 15 Context
Romans 7 delves into the believer's complex relationship with the Mosaic Law and indwelling sin after justification. Paul uses an "I" (ego) that most scholars interpret as describing the experience of a regenerate individual struggling with the vestiges of sin, rather than an unregenerate person. He previously established that believers are dead to the Law and united with Christ (Rom 7:4), serving in the newness of the Spirit. However, the Law, though holy, just, and good, merely intensified the awareness of sin and did not provide the power to overcome it. Verses 7-13 detail how the Law revealed and even exacerbated sin in Paul's experience, demonstrating its deadliness. Verse 14 sets the stage by declaring the Law spiritual but himself "carnal, sold under sin," leading into the raw confession of internal conflict in verse 15 and the subsequent verses (up to 7:25a) which further elaborate this internal warfare before the triumphal answer of chapter 8. This section portrays the experience of a truly regenerated person who hates sin and delights in God's Law but still feels sin's lingering power.
Romans 7 15 Word analysis
For (οὐ γὰρ / ou gar): This particle introduces a reason or explanation, linking this statement back to Paul's declaration of being "sold under sin" in the preceding verse (Rom 7:14). It explains the evidence of that condition.
what I am doing (ὃ κατεργάζομαι / ho katergazomai): "Katergazomai" implies a thorough or complete working out, often leading to a product or result. It refers to the actual actions performed by Paul, underscoring their tangible reality despite his inner rejection.
I do not understand (γινώσκω / ginōskō): More than a simple lack of intellectual grasp. In this context, it signifies "I do not approve of," "I do not acknowledge as right or consistent with my true self," or "I do not consent to." It expresses a profound moral dissonance; his regenerated mind rejects these actions as alien to his new identity in Christ.
for what I want to do (ὃ θέλω / ho thelō): "Thelō" indicates a strong desire, a settled intention, or a volitional choice stemming from his renewed spiritual will. This desire is for the good, aligning with God's Law, and is a characteristic of a transformed heart.
I do not practice (τοῦτο πράσσω / touto prassō): "Prassō" often refers to habitual or continuous action, a pattern of conduct. Paul admits that despite his desire for good, he consistently falls short, unable to live out these good intentions as a steady practice.
but what I hate (ἀλλ’ ὃ μισῶ / all’ ho misō): "Misō" denotes intense dislike, strong aversion, or abhorrence. This strong emotional term is vital; it highlights the perspective of a regenerate individual who views sin not merely as undesirable but as deeply detestable—a sentiment absent in an unregenerate heart.
I do (τοῦτο ποιῶ / touto poiō): "Poiō" is a general verb for "to do" or "to make." Here, it directly indicates the concrete performance of the actions he detests. It is a blunt admission of succumbing to the very sin his regenerated being abhors.
"For what I am doing, I do not understand": This phrase underlines the disorienting power of indwelling sin. His actions are not aligned with his rational or spiritual self-understanding. His true, spiritual identity disavows these behaviors, marking them as foreign.
"for what I want to do, I do not practice": This part points to the frustrating gap between genuine, godly desires (which are a mark of salvation) and the consistent, practical execution of those desires in daily life. The good will is present, but consistent obedience is elusive.
"but what I hate, I do": This is the starkest paradox, showcasing the tragic reality of the Christian's struggle. Despite a deep, spiritual loathing for sin—a hatred indicative of a regenerated heart—he still finds himself performing those very acts. This illustrates the lingering, potent grip of sin on the believer's mortal body.
Romans 7 15 Bonus section
The extensive debate surrounding the identity of the "I" in Romans 7 (whether it represents an unregenerate person, a believer, or Paul's pre-conversion experience) deeply impacts the interpretation of this verse. The strong consensus among many scholars is that it describes the post-conversion experience of a genuine believer. This interpretation is supported by the specific language used, such as "hating" sin and "delighting in God's Law" (Rom 7:22), characteristics typically attributed to a redeemed heart, which are absent in an unregenerate person (Rom 8:7-8). This struggle illustrates the theological concept of "already, but not yet"—the believer is already new in Christ but not yet fully glorified, still residing in a fallen body. This internal battle, though difficult, is not meant to foster despair but to drive the believer to greater reliance on the Holy Spirit, who alone provides the power for victory over this spiritual dilemma. Paul expresses this profound struggle to highlight the complete insufficiency of human willpower or adherence to the Law for sanctification, pointing unequivocally to Christ and the Holy Spirit as the sole source of overcoming power.
Romans 7 15 Commentary
Romans 7:15 serves as a raw, honest confession of the believer's ongoing struggle with sin. It reveals the deep internal conflict between the regenerated will, which longs to do good and detests evil, and the persistent pull of indwelling sin within the flesh. Paul's lament is not an excuse for sin, but an articulation of its profound power even in one who loves God and delights in His Law. This paradox, where intention contradicts action, underscores the inadequacy of human will and the Law to achieve perfect obedience or overcome sin entirely. This verse prepares the reader for the ultimate resolution and victory found through the Holy Spirit in Christ, as detailed in Romans 8, proving that true spiritual power comes from outside oneself.