Romans 7:18 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.
Romans 7:18 nkjv
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
Romans 7:18 niv
For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Romans 7:18 esv
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
Romans 7:18 nlt
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't.
Romans 7 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Romans 3:23 | All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. | Human fallen nature |
| Galatians 5:17 | For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh… | Spiritual conflict |
| John 3:6 | What is born of the flesh is flesh… | Flesh vs. Spirit |
| Genesis 6:5 | The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth… | Pervasive sin nature |
| Jeremiah 17:9 | The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick… | Corrupt human heart |
| Romans 8:8 | Those living according to the flesh cannot please God. | Inability to please God |
| 1 Corinthians 15:48 | As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of dust… | Earthly origin of man |
| Colossians 1:21 | You were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds… | Alienation from God |
| Titus 1:15 | To the pure, all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure… | Corruption of mind |
| Romans 7:15 | For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. | Lack of good volition |
| Psalm 51:5 | Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. | Inherited sin |
| Ecclesiastes 7:29 | This only have I found: God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. | Original creation & Fall |
| Ephesians 2:3 | By nature children of wrath… | Innate sin nature |
| Romans 7:24 | Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? | Cry for deliverance |
| John 15:5 | Apart from me you can do nothing. | Dependence on Christ |
| 1 Corinthians 2:14 | The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God… | Spiritual discernment |
| Romans 9:16 | It depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. | Sovereignty of God |
| 2 Corinthians 3:5 | Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to determine anything that comes from us. | Insufficiency of self |
| 1 Peter 4:2 | so as to live for the desires of men, no longer for the desires of God. | Fleshly desires |
| Philippians 2:13 | for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. | God's work in believers |
Romans 7 verses
Romans 7 18 Meaning
This verse states that within the apostle Paul, the writer, he possesses no inherent good. Specifically, the desire to do what is right is present, but the ability to perform it is absent.
Romans 7 18 Context
In Romans chapter 7, Paul is addressing the believer's relationship with the law and sin. He uses the analogy of marriage to explain how believers are freed from the law through the death and resurrection of Christ. He then explores the struggle with indwelling sin, depicting the internal conflict between his renewed spirit and the sinful nature that still resides within him. Verse 18 specifically follows Paul's confession of his inability to do the good he desires, emphasizing the persistent power of indwelling sin in his "flesh." This section (Romans 7:14-25) is often seen as Paul's description of the unregenerate state or the intense spiritual warfare a believer experiences.
Romans 7 18 Word analysis
- οἶδα (oida): Present tense, first person singular of "oida," meaning "I know." This signifies a present, ongoing certainty or awareness.
- ὅτι (hoti): A conjunction, meaning "that." It introduces a subordinate clause stating what Paul knows.
- οὐκ (ouk): A negative particle, meaning "not." It negates the following verb.
- ἔστιν (estin): Present tense, third person singular of "eimi," meaning "is." This affirms the existence of something.
- ἐν (en): A preposition, meaning "in." It denotes location or presence within something.
- ἐμοὶ (emoi): First person singular dative of "ego," meaning "me." Placed after "en," it specifies "in me."
- ἀγαθὸν (agathon): Neuter singular accusative of "agathos," meaning "good." Here, it functions as a noun, referring to "goodness" or "that which is good." The neuter form emphasizes goodness as an abstract quality or an objective reality.
- οὐκ (ouk): Another "not."
- ἔστιν (estin): Another "is."
- …εἰς τὸ (eis to): "unto," "for," or "to." In this construction, it can introduce the purpose or extent of the preceding statement, here signifying what is capable "within me."
- ἀγαθὸν (agathon): Another "good." It refers to the doing or performing of good.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀγαθόν" (ouk estin en emoi agathon): Literally "not is in me good." This powerfully declares the absence of any inherent, innate good within his natural self, apart from God's grace. It speaks to the depth of corruption.
- "τὸ θέλειν παρ' ἐμοὶ κεῖται, τὸ δὲ κατεργάζεσθαι τὸ ἀγαθὸν οὐχί" (to thelein par' emoi keitai, to de katergazesthai to agathon oucheti): Though this is verse 18, the subsequent phrasing clarifies: "to will is present with me, but to do the good is not." The intent is present ("to will is present"), but the ability to execute ("to do the good") is missing.
Romans 7 18 Bonus Section
The sentiment expressed here echoes a profound struggle for self-mastery that philosophers also pondered, but Paul frames it within the redemptive plan of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. He is not despairing, but accurately diagnosing the human condition outside of Christ's full liberation from the bondage of sin. The key to overcoming this "wretched man" predicament lies in a proper understanding of not just our inability, but of God's provision through Christ and the empowering of the believer by the Holy Spirit. The verse points towards the necessity of God's grace and the transformation that comes through union with Christ.
Romans 7 18 Commentary
This verse is a stark admission of humanity's fallen state and inherent sinfulness. Paul is not saying he wants to do evil, nor that the capacity for good is completely annihilated. Instead, he expresses that due to the power of indwelling sin in his "flesh," he cannot reliably or perfectly perform the good he desires. The good intention is there, a reflection of the Spirit's work, but the sinful nature, as yet unremoved, hinders the execution. This highlights the constant battle believers face, needing God's power (as mentioned in v. 25 and Philippians 2:13) to overcome sin's grip and effectively live out their faith. The inability to perform good is a defining characteristic of life without Christ's complete redemptive power actively applied.