The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• The Calvin Translation Society, Instituted In May M.DCCC.XLIII.
• Translator’s Preface.
• Commentaries On the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans.
• The Epistle Dedicatory.
• Epistle to the Romans.: the Argument.
• Chapter I.
• Chapter II.
• Chapter III.
• Chapter IV.
• Chapter V.
• Chapter VI.
• Chapter VII.
• Chapter VIII.
• Chapter IX.
• Chapter X.
• Chapter XI.
• Chapter XII.
• Chapter XIII.
• Chapter XIV.
• Chapter XV. 1
• Chapter XVI.
• A Translation of Calvin’s Version of the Epistle to the Romans.
• Chapter I.
• Chapter II.
• Chapter III.
• Chapter IV.
• Chapter V.
• Chapter VI.
• Chapter VII.
• Chapter VIII.
• Chapter IX.
• Chapter X.
• Chapter XI.
• Chapter XII.
• Chapter XIII.
• Chapter XIV.
• Chapter XV.
• Chapter XVI.
• Errata.
• Works Published By T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh.

CHAPTER VII.

1Know ye not, brethren, (for to those who know the law I2 speak,) that the law rules over a man as long as he lives. For a woman, subject to a husband, is bound by the law to a living husband; but if the husband die, she is loosed from the law of3her husband. While then the husband is living, she shall be called an adulteress, if she be united to another man: but if the husband be dead, she is freed from his law, so that she is not an adulteress by marrying another man.

4And thus, my brethren, are ye also dead to the law through the body of Christ, that hereafter ye should be united to another, even to him who has been raised from the dead, that ye5 might bring forth fruit to God. For when ye were in the flesh, the emotions of sin which are through the law wrought in6 your members to bring forth fruit to death: but now ye are loosed from the law, having died to that by which we were held, that we might serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

7What then shall we say? Is the law sin? By no means: yet sin I knew not except through the law; for concupiscence I8 had not known, had not the law said, “Thou shalt not lust.” And the occasion being taken, sin through the commandment9 wrought in me every concupiscence. Sin indeed without the law is dead: and I lived some time without the law; but when10 the commandment came, sin revived, and I died; and the commandment, which was for life, was found by me to be11 unto death: for sin, taking occasion through the commandment,12 led me astray, and through it slew me. So then the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

13Did then what is good become death to me? By no means: but sin, that it might appear to be sin, wrought death in me through that which is good, in order that sin through the commandment might become above measure sinful.

14We indeed know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal,15 sold under sin: for what I work I know not; since what I16 would, this I do not, but what I hate, this I do. If then, what I would not, this I do, I consent to the law of God, that it is17 good: and now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin which18 dwells in me.1 I indeed know that no good dwells in me, that is,19 in my flesh; for to will is present with me, but to perform what is good I find not; since the good I would I do not; but the evil20 I would not, that I do. But if what I would not, that I do, it is21 no longer I who do it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then a law that while I am willing to do good, evil lies in wait for me.

22I consent then to the law of God according to the inner23 man: but I see another law in my members, resisting the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which is24 in my members. Miserable man am I! who shall rescue me25 from this body of death?—I give thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord: so then with the mind I serve myself the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

[1 ]Here is repeated in a different way what had been before stated, only the reference before was to the weakness of good, but here to the power of evil.