# Romans 7.21

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Romans](/codex/romans/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 19. For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise. 20. 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.**
>
> 22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23. but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. (Romans 7:19-23, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 19. For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice. 20. 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.**
>
> 22. For I delight in God’s law after the inward man, 23. but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. (Romans 7:19-23, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 19. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20. 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.**
>
> 22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (Romans 7:19-23, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 19. for the good that I will, I do not; but the evil that I do not will, this I practise. 20. 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,**
>
> 22. for I delight in the law of God according to the inward man, 23. and I behold another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of the sin that [is] in my members. (Romans 7:19-23, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## 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; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from Free Will](/codex/argument-from-free-will/), via [Romans 7.15-23](/codex/romans-7-15-23/)
- [Christians Behaving Badly Defeater](/codex/christians-behaving-badly-defeater/), via [Romans 7.14-25](/codex/romans-7-14-25/)

**Concepts:**

- [Original Sin](/codex/original-sin/), via [Romans 7.14-25](/codex/romans-7-14-25/)
- [Sanctification](/codex/sanctification/), via [Romans 7.14-25](/codex/romans-7-14-25/)
- [Sin](/codex/h2403-chattath/), via [Romans 7.14-25](/codex/romans-7-14-25/), [Romans 7.15-25](/codex/romans-7-15-25/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G3551 - nomos](/codex/g3551-nomos/)
- [H8451 - torah](/codex/h8451-torah/), via [Romans 7.7-25](/codex/romans-7-7-25/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## 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](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/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](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.
