Romans 7 7

Romans 7:7 kjv

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Romans 7:7 nkjv

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."

Romans 7:7 niv

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

Romans 7:7 esv

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. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

Romans 7:7 nlt

Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "You must not covet."

Romans 7 verses

Romans 7 7 Meaning

Romans 7:7 addresses an anticipated misunderstanding regarding the Law. Paul emphatically denies that the Law is sin. Instead, he asserts that the Law's true function is diagnostic: it reveals and defines sin, bringing to awareness what would otherwise remain unknown as transgression. Specifically, he cites the commandment against covetousness to illustrate how the Law penetrates into the inner desires of the heart, exposing the pervasive nature of sin.

Romans 7 7 Context

Romans chapter 7 marks a shift in Paul's argument from the general implications of justification by faith to the specific role of the Law in the life of both believers and humanity as a whole. Verses 1-6 established that believers are "dead to the Law" through their union with Christ's death, thereby freed from its demands to serve God in a new way. This assertion inevitably raises the critical question Paul addresses in verse 7: "Is the Law, then, sin?" Given that the Law seemed to condemn and from which believers are freed, an opponent might infer that the Law itself is flawed or sinful. Paul anticipates and vehemently refutes this idea. Verses 7-13 detail the Law's purpose in exposing sin, leading to sin's flourishing but not from the Law itself. The subsequent verses (14-25) describe the ongoing internal struggle with indwelling sin, often interpreted as either the struggle of a pre-conversion person under the Law or the continuing reality of the Christian experience. Historically, for Paul's original Jewish and Gentile audiences, understanding the Law's role was paramount, as it formed the bedrock of Jewish identity and understanding of righteousness, directly influencing the nascent Christian movement's understanding of salvation.

Romans 7 7 Word analysis

• What then shall we say? (Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; Ti oun eroumen?): A rhetorical question, frequently used by Paul (e.g., Rom 6:1, 6:15), introducing an anticipated objection or question that logically arises from his preceding statements about freedom from the Law.
• Is the law sin? (Ὁ νόμος ἁμαρτία; Ho nomos hamartia?):
  • The law (Ὁ νόμος, Ho nomos): Refers specifically to the Mosaic Law, the Torah, God's divine revelation and commands.
  • sin? (ἁμαρτία, hamartia): "Missing the mark," a moral failure, transgression, or rebellion against God's will. The question probes if the Law itself is responsible for human depravity.
• Certainly not! (Μὴ γένοιτο! Me genoito!): The strongest possible Greek expression of denial or abhorrence, akin to "May it never be!" or "God forbid!" Paul utterly rejects the notion.
• On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. (Ἀλλὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔγνων εἰ μὴ διὰ νόμου.)
  • I (ἔγνων, egnōn): While "I" can refer to Paul himself, it often serves as a rhetorical device (e.g., representative "man," Adam, Israel, or humanity) to convey a universal experience of humanity under the Law.
  • would not have known (οὐκ ἔγνων, ouk egnōn, from γινώσκω, ginosko): Not merely intellectual knowledge, but a deep, experiential understanding or recognition. Without the Law, sin's true nature as transgression against God's holy standard remains unperceived as such.
  • except through the law (εἰ μὴ διὰ νόμου, ei mē dia nomou): Emphasizes the Law as the sole means by which sin is properly identified and defined. The Law illuminates moral failings, acting as a mirror.
• For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." (τήν τε γὰρ ἐπιθυμίαν οὐκ ᾔδειν εἰ μὴ ὁ νόμος ἔλεγεν, Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις.)
  • covetousness (ἐπιθυμίαν, epithumian, from ἐπιθυμία, epithumia): A strong desire, longing, or craving, often used in a negative sense to denote illicit desire, lust, or avarice. This directly references the Tenth Commandment (Ex 20:17; Deut 5:21).
  • I would not have known (οὐκ ᾔδειν, ouk ēdein, from οἶδα, oida): Similar to ginosko, implying deep awareness and recognition.
  • unless the law had said (εἰ μὴ ὁ νόμος ἔλεγεν, ei mē ho nomos elegen): The Law's declaration defines the boundary.
  • "You shall not covet." (Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις, Ouk epithumēseis): A direct quotation of the Tenth Commandment. Paul chose this commandment because it specifically targets an internal disposition rather than just an outward act, demonstrating the Law's ability to expose even hidden sins of the heart, which the natural conscience might otherwise overlook.

Romans 7 7 Bonus section

• The "I" (ego) in Romans 7 has been extensively debated by scholars. While here it serves to convey the general human experience of coming to a knowledge of sin, particularly before conversion or under the Law, its specific identification remains a rich area of theological discussion for the rest of the chapter. For verse 7, it most clearly depicts humanity (or Israel) encountering the Law's exposing power.
• Paul, a former Pharisee, was intensely familiar with the Law. His personal journey, often interpreted to involve a dramatic awareness of his own internal failures (despite outward righteousness) when confronted by the Law's inner demands, likely informs this profound statement.
• The Law did not cause sin to exist, but rather provided the objective standard against which human actions and intentions were judged, thus making sin manifest and causing transgression to abound (Rom 5:20) in the sense of being recognized as such.
• By specifying "covetousness," Paul highlights that the Law is not just concerned with overt, public transgressions but with the deepest recesses of the human heart, foreshadowing Jesus' teachings on internal righteousness (e.g., Matt 5:27-28 regarding lust).

Romans 7 7 Commentary

Romans 7:7 is foundational to understanding Paul's theology of the Law. Far from being sinful, the Law is perfectly holy, good, and righteous, being a direct revelation from God. Its primary purpose, as Paul articulates, is to provide a precise definition of sin and expose the deep-seated reality of sin within humanity. Without the Law, what are truly transgressions against God's perfect standard might merely be perceived as unfortunate human behaviors, or not even perceived at all as inherently sinful. The commandment against covetousness is a strategic example, as it reveals the Law's penetrating power to uncover sin that originates not merely in external actions but in the very desires and intentions of the heart. The Law acts like a mirror, reflecting humanity's sinful state and incapacity to meet God's perfect demands, thereby demonstrating the profound need for a deliverer outside of human effort and legal obedience. This understanding corrects any misapprehension that blames God's holy Law for human sinfulness.