7:9a

This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that probably indicates a general connection to the previous verse. It introduces a new thought connected to what Paul had just said. For example:

And… (NET Bible)

Many English versions omit the conjunction and allow the context to indicate the connection.

Once I was alive apart from the law: The word Once indicates a time prior to the time Paul wrote this letter. For example:

At one time I was alive without any laws (God’s Word)
-or-
Earlier I lived apart from laws

apart from: This phrase indicates that Paul lived separated from the laws of Moses. He did not know them, or they did not affect his life. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

without (King James Version)
-or-
in the absence of (Revised English Bible)

7:9b

but when the commandment came: Here the word when indicates that at a time in the past, the commandment came. That ended the time of Paul living apart from the law. It began the time when sin was alive in his life (7:9c).

the commandment came: Paul spoke of the commandment as if it were a person who came to Paul. Some languages cannot use the word came here. For example:

the commandment became clear to me

commandment: This word is singular. It probably refers to the law to not covet. See how you translated this word in 7:8.

7:9c

sin sprang to life: This is a figure of speech. It indicates that sin, which had been like something dead (7:8c), is now like something alive. It was influencing Paul and causing him to sin.

In some languages it is not natural to speak of sin as if it sprang to life. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Change it to a simile. For example:

sin became ⌊like an⌋ alive ⌊thing⌋ ⌊in my life⌋

• Translate without the figure of speech. For example:

sin became powerful

and I died: There is an issue with the verse numbers here:

(1) Verse 10 starts with these words. For example:

9…sin came to life 10 and I died. (New Jerusalem Bible)

(Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, New Century Version)

(2) Verse 10 starts after these words. For example:

9 sin came alive and I died. 10… (English Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New American Standard Bible, King James Version, English Standard Version, Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you put the verse number where the major language version puts it. If there is no major language version in your area, you should follow option (1), because the UBS Handbook Greek New Testament 5th edition follows the tradition of having these words in verse 10.

I died: This is a figure of speech. The words “sin came alive” implies that Paul sinned. God’s penalty for sin is death (6:23). So even though Paul continued to live while he sinned, God had marked him for death because of that sin.

In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that Paul actually died at that time. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Change it to a simile. For example:

I became ⌊like a⌋ dead ⌊thing/person⌋ ⌊in my life⌋

• Explain the figure of speech in your translation. For example:

I came ⌊under God’s judgment of⌋ death

• Translate literally and explain the figure of speech in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

This is a figure of speech. Paul sinned and God judged him worthy of death. See 6:20–23.

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