The big picture
Romans 7 opens in verse 1 with “Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might…”, and closes in verse 25 with “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law…” Repeated or prominent terms include good, commandment, dead, husband, death. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Romans · King James Version · 25Romans 7:1-7
1–7: Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that…
Romans 7:1–7 opens with “Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion…” and reaches “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Romans 7 develops its own movement around good, commandment, dead, husband, death, with particular weight carried by husband, dead, liveth.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Romans 7:1-7
King James Version1Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4Wherefore, 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.
5For 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.
6But 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.
7What 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.
Romans 7:8-14
8–14: Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of…
Romans 7:8–14 opens with “But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For…” and reaches “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Romans 7 develops its own movement around good, commandment, dead, husband, death, with particular weight carried by commandment, death, good.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was…” The line’s distinctive content terms include commandment, concupiscence, dead. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.
Romans 7:8-14
King James Version8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
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.
14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Romans 7:15-21
15–21: For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but…
Romans 7:15–21 opens with “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” and reaches “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Romans 7 develops its own movement around good, commandment, dead, husband, death, with particular weight carried by good, dwelleth, evil.
Context that brings the passage to life
“For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Romans 7:15-21
King James Version15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18For 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.
19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Romans 7:22-25
22–25: For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Romans 7:22–25 opens with “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:” and reaches “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Romans 7 develops its own movement around good, commandment, dead, husband, death, with particular weight carried by members, mind, body.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
Romans 7:22-25
King James Version22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23But 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.
24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Romans 7:1 begins with “Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?”
Where the chapter turns
Romans 7:13 forms a natural hinge: “Was 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…”
The final note
Romans 7:25 leaves the reader with “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words good, commandment, dead, husband, death, know help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What links this event with creation?
Waters overwhelm the inhabited world, reversing the separations that made life possible.
What details show continuity rather than total abandonment?
The named household and preserved kinds of living creatures survive within the ark.
KJV words made clear
- dominion
- responsibility or rule
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
- wherefore
- for that reason
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.