Romans 7:17 kjv
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Romans 7:17 nkjv
But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
Romans 7:17 niv
As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
Romans 7:17 esv
So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Romans 7:17 nlt
So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
Romans 7 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 7:18 | For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. | Clarifies the source of the sin. |
| Rom 7:20 | Now if it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me, | Distinguishes between the true self and sin's influence. |
| Gal 5:17 | For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things that you want to do. | Shows the internal conflict. |
| Col 2:11 | in him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made by the hands of flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, | Spiritual reality overriding fleshly limitations. |
| John 8:34 | Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. | Identifies the nature of slavery to sin. |
| Eph 2:1-3 | And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. | Describes the previous state before Christ. |
| Rom 6:12 | Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. | Command against sin's dominion. |
| Rom 6:6 | We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. | Old self crucified, sin's power weakened. |
| Rom 8:2 | For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. | Freedom from the law of sin. |
| Gal 2:20 | I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. | Union with Christ, Christ living through the believer. |
| Phil 3:20-21 | but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. | Hope of ultimate transformation. |
| 1 John 1:8 | If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. | Acknowledgment of continued indwelling sin. |
| 1 John 1:9 | If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. | Provision for dealing with sin. |
| Ps 51:10 | Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. | Prayer for inner renewal. |
| Eph 4:22-24 | to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. | Putting off the old, putting on the new. |
| Heb 4:15 | For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. | Christ's understanding of our struggle. |
| 1 Cor 10:13 | No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. | God's provision in temptation. |
| 1 Pet 4:1-2 | So because Christ also suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live no longer by human desires, but by the will of God. | Suffering in flesh to cease from sin. |
| 2 Cor 7:1 | Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion out of reverence for God. | Cleansing from defilement. |
| 1 Cor 15:57 | But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. | Victory through Christ. |
Romans 7 verses
Romans 7 17 Meaning
The verse asserts that the sin presently indwelling the believer is the effective agent, not the believer's renewed will. The "I" who does the sin is not truly the authentic self in Christ, but rather the power of sin leveraging the still-present, yet sovereignly-controlled, sinful nature. It is the sin that dwells within that works this evil in the believer.
Romans 7 17 Context
In Romans 7, Paul describes the struggle of the believer who is now under the law of God but still experiences the power of sin. He laments the inability to do good that he wants to do, identifying a conflict within. Verse 17 directly addresses the question of who is responsible for this ongoing sin. Paul explains that it is not the true "I" – the redeemed self in Christ – but the indwelling sin that operates through the believer's still-present, though now subdued, fleshly nature. This passage emphasizes the ongoing reality of sin's presence even after salvation, highlighting the tension between the new life in Christ and the remnants of the old self. It sets the stage for the glorious declaration of freedom found in Romans 8.
Romans 7 17 Word Analysis
οὐκ (ouk): Not. An absolute negative, emphasizing the complete absence of the "true I" as the author of the evil.
ἔτι (eti): Yet, still. Indicates the ongoing nature of this condition despite the believer's new spiritual standing.
ἐγώ (ego): I. Refers to the person, the self, the true spiritual identity in Christ.
κατοικῶν (katoikōn): Dwelling, inhabiting. A present participle showing the continuous action of sin’s residence within.
ἐν (en): In. Indicates the locus of the sin’s activity – within the person.
ἐμοί (emoi): Me. The dative case pronoun for "I," receiving the action of the dwelling sin.
εἰμί (eimi): I am. The present tense verb, asserting the reality of the indwelling sin.
Group: "οὐκ ἔτι ἐγὼ... εἰμὶ" (Not yet I... am): This construction is pivotal. It distinguishes the "I" who wants to do good from the "I" who seems to be acting against it. The true "I" is not the one performing the sin; rather, it is an imposter, sin itself, working through the still-existing flesh.
Group: "sin that dwells in me" (ἡ ἁμαρτία ἡ οἰκοῦσα ἐν ἐμοί): This phrase clearly identifies the source and agent of the wrong actions. It’s not the believer's volition apart from Christ, but a parasitic, active power within the human constitution that remains despite regeneration. The repetition of "in me" emphasizes the internal nature of the conflict.
Romans 7 17 Bonus Section
The struggle described here highlights the ongoing process of sanctification. While the believer is positionally declared righteous in Christ (justification), the practical outworking of this righteousness in every aspect of life (sanctification) is a battle. Paul’s acknowledgment of this conflict is not a defeat but a realistic assessment of the Christian life in a fallen world, still operating with a sin-stained body. The language of "dwelling sin" is consistent with New Testament teaching about the Spirit dwelling in believers, presenting a spiritual wrestling match where the Spirit's power is ultimately supreme. This verse powerfully affirms that the essence of the believer is now aligned with God, even if outward actions can still be marred by the presence of sin's power.
Romans 7 17 Commentary
This verse resolves the apparent contradiction in the believer's experience: the desire to do good coupled with the action of doing evil. Paul clarifies that the power behind the evil act is not the regenerated self but the persistent, indwelling power of sin. It's crucial to understand that this doesn't excuse the believer, as the context of Romans 6-8 is about overcoming sin through the Spirit. The true "I" in Christ is aligned with God, but sin, though dethroned, still seeks to exert its influence through the remaining fleshly nature. This makes the battle intense, but ultimately, the victory belongs to the Spirit-led self.
- Practical Application: When you find yourself falling into sin despite your desire not to, remember that the fault lies not in your renewed identity in Christ, but in the lingering power of sin in your flesh. This understanding should not lead to despair but to a more earnest reliance on the Holy Spirit for empowerment and a continual confession of your need for God's grace. It encourages us to identify with Christ's death to sin, not just conceptually but experientially, by yielding to the Spirit's control rather than to the flesh's desires.