7:24a

What a wretched man I am!: The Greek is literally “I (a) miserable/wretched man,” with the word “miserable/wretched” first to emphasize it. Here Paul considered himself very unhappy and distressed about the terrible situation he was in (wanting to do right but always sinning). Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I am such a miserable man!
-or-
A man of unhappiness/distress, that is me.

7:24b

Who will rescue me from this body of death?: Here the word rescue means “deliver.” This question is a rhetorical question. Paul wanted his readers to think about the answer before he told them the answer in 7:25a. Translate this clause in that meaning. Here are some ways:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Who will rescue me from this body of death? (New International Version)
-or-
Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death? (New Jerusalem Bible)

• As a statement. For example:

There is only one person who will rescue me from this body destined to die.

this body of death: 7:23 says that the law of sin dwelt in the parts of Paul’s body. 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. So in that way Paul here referred to his body as connected to death. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

this body that is subject to death (New International Version (2011))
-or-
this body that brings me death

Also see the ways this phrase was translated in the previous note.

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