Romans 7:23

Nevertheless, I sense that there is a different force that is in ◄my body/me► [PRS, SYN]. It is opposed to what with my mind I desire to do [MET], and it puts me inescapably under the control of [MET] the sinful desires that I have [SYN].

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

22With my new inner nature I like the laws of God very much.

24When I consider this, I feel that I am a very wretched person. I want someone to set me free from the control of what my body desires, in order that I might not be separated from God. [RHQ] I also think that what I have experienced is the same as what all believers experience.

Read all of Romans 7

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 7:20There is no one in this world who always does what is right and who never sins.

Romans 6:19I am illustrating what I say by talking about slavery because your human nature prevents you from understanding spiritual truth easily. In the past you willingly did the immoral and unlawful things that your minds compelled your bodies to do [MET], just like slaves do what their masters compel them to do. As a result, you did even more unlawful things. Now, you need to willingly allow your minds to compel your bodies to act righteously [MET], in order that you will behave in a holy/pure way.

Romans 7:14We know that the laws that God gave Moses came from God’s Spirit. But as for me, I am influenced by my self-directed nature. It is as though I have been forced to become a slave of my desire to sin [MET].

Romans 7:25I thank God that it is by Jesus Christ our Lord that we can be free from the control of what our bodies desire. So, with our minds, you and I on the one hand want to obey God’s laws. But also, you and I often let our sinful desires control us because of our self-directed nature.

Galatians 5:17Your self-directed nature ◄opposes God’s Spirit/does not want you to do what God’s Spirit wants you to do►, but also his Spirit opposes your self-directed nature. These two are always ◄fighting with/opposing► each other. The result is that you do not constantly do the good deeds that you truly desire to do.

2 Timothy 2:25That is, they should gently instruct/teach people who oppose the true message. They should do that in order that perhaps God will cause others to completely change what they think, so that they may acknowledge/believe the true message.

Matthew Henry on Romans 7:8-25

Excellency of the Law; Usefulness of the Law. ( a. d. 58.) 7 What 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. 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Romans 7:23