KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Romans 7:7
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
WEB World English Bible
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
ASV American Standard Version
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet:
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
What, then, shall we say? the law is sin? let it not be! but the sin I did not know except through law, for also the covetousness I had not known if the law had not said:
Surrounding context — Romans 7
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter.
7 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.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin [was] dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which [was ordained] to life, I found [to be] unto death.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
ΤίG5101 · tiswhich?οὖνG3767 · ountherefore/thenἐροῦμεν;G4483 · rheō, ereōto sayὁG3588 · hothe/this/whoνόμοςG3551 · nomoslawἁμαρτία;G266 · hamartiasinμὴG3361 · mēnotγένοιτο·G1096 · ginomaito beἀλλὰG235 · allabutτὴνG3588 · hothe/this/whoἁμαρτίανG266 · hamartiasinοὐκG3756 · ounoἔγνωνG1097 · ginōskōto knowεἰG1487 · eiifμὴG3361 · mēnotδιὰG1223 · diathrough/because ofνόμου·G3551 · nomoslawτήνG3588 · hothe/this/whoτεG5037 · teand/bothγὰρG1063 · garforἐπιθυμίανG1939 · epithumiadesireοὐκG3756 · ounoᾔδειν,G1492 · eidōto perceive: understandεἰG1487 · eiifμὴG3361 · mēnotὁG3588 · hothe/this/whoνόμοςG3551 · nomoslawἔλεγεν·G3004 · legōto sayοὐκG3756 · ounoἐπιθυμήσεις·G1937 · epithumeōto long for
Cross-references
Romans 3:20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.Romans 4:15Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, [there is] no transgression.Exodus 20:17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour’s.1 Corinthians 15:56The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law.Romans 13:9For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.Deuteronomy 5:21Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any [thing] that [is] thy neighbour’s.Romans 7:8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin [was] dead.Psalm 19:7-12The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple.Romans 3:5But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? [Is] God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)Romans 7:13Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.Luke 12:15And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.1 John 2:15-16Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.1 Thessalonians 4:5Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:2 Samuel 11:2And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman [was] very beautiful to look upon.Ephesians 5:3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;Psalm 119:96I have seen an end of all perfection: [but] thy commandment [is] exceeding broad.Colossians 3:5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:1 Kings 21:1-4And it came to pass after these things, [that] Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which [was] in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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