Passage

Romans 7.18-19

Book: Romans · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV

16. But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17. So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.

18. For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not. 19. For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise.

But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. 21. I find then the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present. (Romans 7:16-21, ASV)

WEB

16. But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good. 17. So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

18. For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good. 19. For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.

But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. 21. I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present. (Romans 7:16-21, WEB)

KJV

16. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18. 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. 19. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (Romans 7:16-21, KJV)

YLT

16. And if what I do not will, this I do, I consent to the law that [it is] good, 17. and now it is no longer I that work it, but the sin dwelling in me,

18. for I have known that there doth not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, good: for to will is present with me, and to work that which is right I do not find, 19. for the good that I will, I do not; but the evil that I do not will, this I practise.

And if what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that work it, but the sin that is dwelling in me. 21. I find, then, the law, that when I desire to do what is right, with me the evil is present, (Romans 7:16-21, YLT)

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Setting

Speaker: Paul the apostle
Audience: the Christians in Rome, Jewish and Gentile
Location: written most likely from Corinth
Time period: about AD 57

Theological reading

No good thing in the flesh. "In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing." Paul qualifies the statement carefully: the problem is located in "the flesh," fallen human nature, not in the whole self, since he goes on to say he delights in God's law "after the inward man" (verse 22).

Willing without doing. "To will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not. For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise." The law shows the good and the will approves it, but approval does not supply the power to obey.

Who is speaking. Interpreters debate whether the "I" of Romans 7:14-25 describes Paul as a believer still struggling with sin, Paul before conversion seen from a Christian vantage point, or Israel under the law. On any reading the passage shows that the law cannot deliver from sin's power, which prepares for the answer of chapter 8. See Sanctification.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word.

G4561 - sarx, sarx, Strong's G4561
G1492 - oida, oida, Strong's G1492

Quoted in

Arguments and defeaters:

Concepts:

Biblical Goodness, via Romans 7.18
Christians Behaving Badly, via Romans 7.14-25
Concupiscence, via Romans 7.7-25
Hypocrisy, via Romans 7.19
Original Sin, via Romans 7.14-25
Sanctification, via Romans 7.14-25
Sin, via Romans 7.14-25, Romans 7.15-25

Lexicon:

Notes

Your annotations.

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.