Paragraph 7:11–12

7:11a–b

sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, deceived me: There are three ways to interpret what the phrase through the commandment connects to:

(1) It connects to the phrase seizing an opportunity, as in the Berean Standard Bible.

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

(2) It connects to the phrase deceived me. For example:

Sin found its chance, and by means of the commandment it deceived me (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation)

(3) It connects to sin or the whole clause. For example:

in the commandment sin found its opportunity to seduce me (Revised English Bible)

(Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it is unlikely that Paul would imply that the commandment had a part in deceiving him, as interpretation (2) implies.

7:11a

For: This word introduces an explanation of how the commandment now leads to death for Paul. Some languages, for a natural connection, will omit this word.

seizing its opportunity through the commandment: See how you translated these words in 7:8.

7:11b

deceived me: Here Paul continued to speak of sin as a person. Some languages cannot speak of sin in that way. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Make it a simile. For example:

⌊like someone who⌋ deceived me

• Translate without the figure of speech. For example:

caused me to sin

7:11c

through the commandment put me to death: Here the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the commandment is literally “it.” For example:

through it killed me (English Standard Version)

put me to death: Here Paul continued to speak of sin as a person. Some languages cannot speak of sin in that way. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Make it a simile. For example:

⌊like someone who⌋ killed me

• Translate without the figure of speech. For example:

caused me to die

put…to death: Here this phrase refers to being marked for death.

In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to physical death. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain it in your translation. For example:

⌊marked/destined⌋ me for death
-or-
caused me ⌊to have God’s verdict⌋ of death

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