Epistula ad Romanos, 7

1. An ignoratis, fratres — scienti bus enim legem loquor — quia lex in homine dominatur, quanto tempore vivit?

1. Do you not know, brethren -- for I am speaking to those who know the law -- that the law is binding on a person only during his life?

2. Nam quae sub viro est mulier, viventi viro alligata est lege; si autem mortuus fuerit vir, soluta est a lege viri.

2. Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the husband.

3. Igitur, vivente viro, vocabitur adultera, si fuerit alterius viri; si autem mortuus fuerit vir, libera est a lege, ut non sit adultera, si fuerit alterius viri.

3. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

4. Itaque, fratres mei, et vos mortificati estis legi per corpus Christi, ut sitis alterius, eius qui ex mortuis suscitatus est, ut fructificaremus Deo.

4. Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.

5. Cum enim essemus in carne, passiones peccatorum, quae per legem sunt, operabantur in membris nostris, ut fructificarent morti;

5. While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.

6. nunc autem soluti sumus a lege, mortui ei, in qua detinebamur, ita ut serviamus in novitate Spiritus et non in vetustate litterae.

6. But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.

7. Quid ergo dicemus? Lex peccatum est? Absit! Sed peccatum non cognovi, nisi per legem; nam concupiscentiam nescirem, nisi lex diceret: “Non concupisces”.

7. What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin. I should not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

8. Occasione autem accepta, peccatum per mandatum operatum est in me omnem concupiscentiam; sine lege enim peccatum mortuum erat.

8. But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, wrought in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead.

9. Ego autem vivebam sine lege aliquando; sed, cum venisset mandatum, peccatum revixit,

9. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died;

10. ego autem mortuus sum; et inventum est mihi mandatum, quod erat ad vitam, hoc esse ad mortem;

10. the very commandment which promised life proved to be death to me.

11. nam peccatum, occasione accepta, per mandatum seduxit me et per illud occidit.

11. For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it killed me.

12. Itaque lex quidem sancta, et mandatum sanctum et iustum et bonum.

12. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.

13. Quod ergo bonum est, mihi factum est mors? Absit! Sed peccatum, ut appareat peccatum, per bonum mihi operatum est mortem; ut fiat supra modum peccans peccatum per mandatum.

13. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

14. Scimus enim quod lex spiritalis est; ego autem carnalis sum, venumdatus sub peccato.

14. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.

15. Quod enim operor, non intellego; non enim, quod volo, hoc ago, sed quod odi, illud facio.

15. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

16. Si autem, quod nolo, illud facio, consentio legi quoniam bona.

16. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good.

17. Nunc autem iam non ego operor illud, sed, quod habitat in me, peccatum.

17. So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me.

18. Scio enim quia non habitat in me, hoc est in carne mea, bonum; nam velle adiacet mihi, operari autem bonum, non!

18. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it.

19. Non enim, quod volo bonum, facio, sed, quod nolo malum, hoc ago.

19. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.

20. Si autem, quod nolo, illud facio, iam non ego operor illud, sed, quod habitat in me, peccatum.

20. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me.

21. Invenio igitur hanc legem volenti mihi facere bonum, quoniam mihi malum adiacet.

21. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

22. Condelector enim legi Dei secundum interiorem hominem;

22. For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self,

23. video autem aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis meae et captivantem me in lege peccati, quae est in membris meis.

23. but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members.

24. Infelix ego homo! Quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius?

24. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

25. Gratias autem Deo per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum! Igitur ego ipse mente servio legi Dei, carne autem legi peccati.

25. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.