Section 7:13–25

Sin prevents us from doing what is right

In this section Paul answered another possible wrong conclusion about the law. In 7:12 Paul said that the law is good. Now he asked if it is right to think that the law brought death. The answer is no. Sin brought death and this shows that sin is very bad. Paul then talked about his own struggle with sinning even though he agrees that the law is good. He felt he was captive to sin. But God can rescue us from that captivity.

For the use of “I” in this section, see the General Comment in the summary of Section 7:7–12.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

The way that Paul struggled to stop sinning
-or-
The power of sin

Paragraph 7:13–20

7:13a–b

Did that which is good…become death to me? Certainly not!: This is a rhetorical question and its answer. It emphasizes that the believers in Rome should not think that the law, called here that which is good, caused Paul to be marked for death. Translate this clause with that meaning. Here are some ways:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Do you think that the/that good thing become death to me?
-or-
Don’t you realize that the ⌊laws⌋, which/they are good, did not cause me to be marked/destined for death?

• As a statement. For example:

Indeed, that which is good did not become death to me.
-or-
Surely you understand that the laws, which/they are good, did not cause me to be marked/destined for death.

• As a command. For example:

Do not think that which is good became death to me
-or-
Understand this: the laws, which/they are good, did not cause me to be marked/destined for death.

that which is good: This phrase refers to God’s laws (7:12). In some languages it will be much clearer to make that explicit. For example:

that which is good, ⌊namely the laws,⌋
-or-

⌊the laws, and we already said⌋ that they are good

See also examples in the previous note.

become death to me: The Greek literally translates these words. They indicate that when Paul broke the law, it became as a verdict/judgment of death for him. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

bring death to me (English Standard Version)
-or-
resulted in my dying (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
cause my death (New Living Translation (2004))

7:13a

Did that which is good, then, become death to me?: The word then occurs in the middle of the clause. In some languages it is more natural to be first. For example:

So then, did that which is good bring death to me?

7:13b

Certainly not!: The Greek is literally “May it not be.” It indicates a very strong “no.” The law did not bring death to Paul. See how you translated this phrase in 3:4 or 7:7. Note that “Indeed” and “Surely” in the As a statement examples in 7:13a–b translate the words Certainly not! here. If you used those words there (or something similar), do not translate these words here.

7:13c

But: This word indicates that the law did not become death to Paul, But sin did. In some languages it is natural to begin this sentence with But.

However, 7:13b says “Certainly not!” In many languages that phrase already implies contrast and so it is more natural to omit But here.

in order that sin might be exposed as sin: The phrase in order that introduces a purpose clause. In some languages a purpose clause indicates that something has not happened yet. If that is true in your language, translate this as a result clause. For example:

and so sin has been shown to be sin

sin might be exposed as sin: The phrase be exposed indicates that people will see that sin is clearly sin. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

sin might be recognized as sin (New International Version)
-or-
its true nature as sin might be revealed (Good News Translation)

This clause is passive. Some languages must translate without a passive clause. For example:

sin would clearly appear to be sin
-or-
sin might reveal itself to be sin

7:13d

it produced death in 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:

sin ⌊was like someone who⌋ produced death in me

produced death in me: The word produced refers to causing something to exist. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

caused my death (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
bring about my condemnation to death (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
It was sin that killed me (Contemporary English Version)

See how you translated “produced” in 7:8.

through what was good: Here the word through refers to something being used as a tool to do something. Here it indicates that the commandment was like a tool that sin used to influence Paul. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

using what is good (Good News Translation)
-or-
by that good thing

what was good: This phrase refers to the laws, like “that which is good” does in 7:13a.

7:13e

so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful: This clause is a second purpose for why sin produced death in Paul (7:13d). In some languages, the word sin must be repeated here, as the Berean Standard Bible does. If you changed the purpose clause in 7:13c to a result clause, you should do the same here. For example:

and through the commandment ⌊sin⌋ has become utterly sinful

through the commandment: Here the word through refers to something being used as a tool to do something. Here it indicates that the commandment was like a tool that made sin to be very bad beyond measure.

the commandment: The word commandment is singular and probably refers to the one law Paul mentioned in 7:7: “You shall not covet.” But it is probably used as an example of any of the laws in a general way.

sin might become utterly sinful: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as utterly are literally “exceedingly far more.” It indicates that the sin of coveting is very bad. And as an example, these words indicate that all sin is very bad. Here are other ways to translate these words:

might become exceeding sinful (King James Version)
-or-
So we can see how terrible sin really is. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
to show that sin is very evil (New Century Version)
-or-
it became clear that sin is really very-very bad

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