It is important to notice the range of Paul’s argument in this passage. He begins by interpreting his own experience in light of the account in Genesis 3. But he also assumes that every other man’s experience is similar to his own, and so what he says has relevance for all men in all periods of history.

Sprang to life (so Moffatt; Jerusalem Bible “came to life”) may also have the meaning “came to life again” (this seems to be the meaning of the Revised Standard Version “revived”), though most commentators understand this verb in the same sense as the Good News Translation. Here, as in the previous verse, law is the equivalent of a specific command from God.

The rendering of the phrase apart from law in the first clause of verse 9 may present certain difficulties, especially when it must be made into a complete clause—for example, “I myself was alive when there were no laws to tell me I shouldn’t do certain things” or “I was alive so long as I did not know about the laws which told me, You must not do such bad things.”

In a number of languages one cannot say when the commandment came. But one can say, for example, “when I came to know about a commandment,” “when I learned that I shouldn’t do certain things,” or “… that God said I shouldn’t do certain things.”

In this type of context sin sprang to life may then be translated as “sin became active,” “sin began to have power,” or “sin became strong,” or “then I had a strong desire to sin.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .