Romans 7:20 kjv
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Romans 7:20 nkjv
Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
Romans 7:20 niv
Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Romans 7:20 esv
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Romans 7:20 nlt
But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
Romans 7 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 7:17 | So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. | Previous verse, identical sentiment of indwelling sin. |
| Rom 7:23 | but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind... | The internal conflict between mind/will and flesh. |
| Rom 7:25 | So then, with my mind I myself serve the law of God, but with my flesh the law of sin. | Explicitly attributes the mind/will to God and flesh to sin. |
| Gal 5:17 | For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh... | Describes the constant battle between two natures within a believer. |
| Eph 4:22 | ...put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires... | The old nature to be discarded. |
| Col 3:9-10 | Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self... | Emphasizes the transformation and new identity in Christ. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. | Believer's fundamental change of identity. |
| Rom 6:6-7 | We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing... | Identification with Christ's death for freedom from sin's dominion. |
| Rom 8:7-8 | For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law... | The mind of the flesh's inability and opposition to God. |
| Gen 4:7 | If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door... | Sin as an active, personified force or power. |
| John 8:34 | Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” | Sin's enslaving power before deliverance. |
| 1 John 3:9 | No one born of God makes a practice of sin, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. | Differentiates habitual, intentional sin from occasional struggles of a new nature. |
| 1 John 1:8 | If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. | Acknowledges the continued presence of sin, even for believers. |
| Rom 8:1-4 | There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free... | The solution to the struggle of Romans 7: Freedom in the Spirit. |
| Gal 2:20 | I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me... | Identity transformation where Christ lives through the believer. |
| Heb 12:1 | ...let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance... | Sin as an ever-present entangling force. |
| Ps 51:5 | Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. | Inherited sinfulness of humanity. |
| Rom 7:15 | For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. | Mirrors Rom 7:20, expressing the incomprehensible contradiction of actions. |
| 1 Pet 2:11 | Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. | Fleshly passions fighting against the soul, similar to Rom 7. |
| Jas 4:1 | What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not your passions that wage war within your members? | The internal struggle manifesting in outward conflicts. |
| Phil 3:3 | For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh... | No confidence in human nature apart from Christ. |
Romans 7 verses
Romans 7 20 Meaning
Romans 7:20 elucidates the internal struggle experienced by a person who genuinely desires to obey God, yet finds themselves performing actions they condemn. The verse clarifies that when a believer's true will is aligned with God's Law but their actions fall short, it is not their regenerated self performing the act. Instead, it is attributed to the powerful, entrenched presence of "sin" residing within their fallen nature, distinct from their true, Christ-aligned identity. This distinguishes the believer's core identity, which seeks righteousness, from the active influence of indwelling sin.
Romans 7 20 Context
Romans chapter 7 presents a deeply personal and theological exploration of the relationship between believers, the Law, and sin. Preceding verse 20, Paul explains that the Law is spiritual and good, yet it merely reveals sin and intensifies its effects without providing the power to overcome it. He describes a person who genuinely desires to keep the Law (Rom 7:14, "I am carnal, sold under sin") but finds himself enslaved to a different "law" in his members. Verses 7:15-19 establish this inner conflict: the 'I' that wants to do good finds himself doing evil, and the 'I' that hates evil is nevertheless caught doing it. Romans 7:20 then offers an explanation for this phenomenon, clearly differentiating the intentional self from the influence of an internal power. This intense wrestling foreshadows the victorious liberation found in the Spirit, which Paul unveils in chapter 8, contrasting the powerlessness under the Law with the empowerment through the Holy Spirit. The broader historical context includes the early church grappling with how Gentile and Jewish believers relate to the Mosaic Law after conversion, a pivotal concern for Paul in his letters.
Romans 7 20 Word analysis
- Now if I do: This connects back to the struggle detailed in Rom 7:15-19. "I" (ἐγώ - egō) refers to the self experiencing this conflict. This "I" is commonly understood by scholars to be a regenerate individual, given the clear desire to obey God's good and spiritual law (Rom 7:14) and the condemnation of sin.
- what I do not want: This highlights the misalignment between the person's will, desire, or intention and their actual action. It signifies a genuine, internal desire for righteousness and adherence to God's standard. The will is for good, yet the action is for evil.
- it is no longer I who do it: This is a crucial theological distinction. Paul states that the primary actor for the unwanted, sinful deed is not the regenerate "I," that is, the spirit or new man (cf. 2 Cor 5:17). The core identity, which desires God, is disassociated from the unwanted action. This does not absolve responsibility but redefines the source.
- but sin that dwells within me:
- sin (ἁμαρτία - hamartia): Here, it is not merely a collection of sinful acts but a powerful, active, personal-like principle, a pervasive influence, or a remaining fallen nature (often referred to as the 'flesh' elsewhere by Paul) that resides within the individual even after regeneration. It’s an indwelling power that opposes the renewed will.
- dwells (ἐνοικοῦσα - enoikousa): This word signifies "to inhabit," "to reside within," "to take up residence." It indicates a settled presence of this powerful principle of sin within the believer, not just a passing temptation. It implies an entrenched enemy within the redeemed person's mortal body, despite their spiritual newness. This indwelling does not mean ownership or dominion for the believer (Rom 6:14), but a persistent presence and influence.
Romans 7 20 Bonus section
This verse is pivotal in understanding Christian anthropology – the biblical view of humanity. It delineates between the renewed mind/will and the residual presence of a sinful nature (the flesh). This theological precision is vital to avoid two errors: first, claiming perfect sinlessness post-conversion (which 1 John 1:8 refutes); second, using regeneration as an excuse for willful sin (which Romans 6 strongly condemns). Paul clarifies that in Rom 7:20, the sin is unwanted by the 'I' that is serving God with his mind. It highlights that sanctification is a progressive process, not an instantaneous eradication of sin's presence, though its dominion is broken (Rom 6:14). This persistent internal conflict drives believers to utter dependence on Christ and the empowering work of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 7 20 Commentary
Romans 7:20 does not provide an excuse for sin but offers an explanation for its occurrence within the life of a sincere believer who, by their new nature, truly desires to do good. It isolates the blame for unwilling sin not on the core identity or the regenerated will of the individual, but on the persistent power of indwelling sin – that corrupt principle that remains in our fallen flesh even after conversion. This powerful distinction affirms that a believer's true "self" in Christ, their mind, desires God's Law, while the lingering presence of sin's power wars against this desire and sometimes manifests in action. This explanation sets the stage for the definitive victory and empowerment provided by the Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 8, clarifying that true deliverance from this internal conflict is found in walking by the Spirit, not by struggling under the Law in one's own power.