1 Is it not clear, my brothers (I am using an argument to those who have knowledge of the law), that the law has power over a man as long as he is living?
2 For the woman who has a husband is placed by the law under the power of her husband as long as he is living; but if her husband is dead, she is free from the law of the husband.
3 So if, while the husband is living, she is joined to another man, she will get the name of one who is untrue to her husband: but if the husband is dead, she is free from the law, so that she is not untrue, even if she takes another man.
4 In the same way, my brothers, you were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, even to him who came again from the dead, so that we might give fruit to God.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the evil passions which came into being through the law were working in our bodies to give the fruit of death.
6 But now we are free from the law, having been made dead to that which had power over us; so that we are servants in the new way of the spirit, not in the old way of the letter.
7 What then is to be said? is the law sin? in no way. But I would not have had knowledge of sin but for the law: for I would not have been conscious of desire if the law had not said, You may not have a desire for what is another's.
8 But sin, taking its chance through that which was ordered by the law, was working in me every form of desire: because without the law sin is dead.
9 And there was a time when I was living without the law: but when the law gave its orders, sin came to life and put me to death;
10 And I made the discovery that the law whose purpose was to give life had become a cause of death:
11 For I was tricked and put to death by sin, which took its chance through the law.
12 But the law is holy, and its orders are holy, upright, and good.
13 Was then that which is good, death to me? In no way. But the purpose was that sin might be seen to be sin by working death to me through that which is good; so that through the orders of the law sin might seem much more evil.
14 For we are conscious that the law is of the spirit; but I am of the flesh, given into the power of sin.
15 And I have no clear knowledge of what I am doing, for that which I have a mind to do, I do not, but what I have hate for, that I do.
16 But, if I do that which I have no mind to do, I am in agreement with the law that the law is good.
17 So it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me.
18 For I am conscious that in me, that is, in my flesh, there is nothing good: I have the mind but not the power to do what is right.
19 For the good which I have a mind to do, I do not: but the evil which I have no mind to do, that I do.
20 But if I do what I have no mind to do, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me.
21 So I see a law that, though I have a mind to do good, evil is present in me.
22 In my heart I take pleasure in the law of God,
23 But I see another law in my body, working against the law of my mind, and making me the servant of the law of sin which is in my flesh.
24 How unhappy am I! who will make me free from the body of this death?
25 I give praise to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So with my mind I am a servant to the law of God, but with my flesh to the law of sin.
1 弟兄们， 我对懂得律法的人说， 你们不晓得律法管辖人， 是在他活着的期间吗？
2 一个已婚的妇人， 在丈夫活着的时候， 她是受律法约束归属丈夫； 丈夫若死了， 她就脱离丈夫在律法上的约束。
3 所以， 当丈夫还活着的时候， 如果她归属别的男人， 就称为淫妇； 丈夫若死了， 她就脱离了律法的约束， 如果她归属别的男人， 也不是淫妇。
4 这样， 我的弟兄们， 你们借着基督的身体， 对律法来说也已经死了， 使你们归属另一位， 就是那从死人中复活的， 为的是要我们结果子给 神。
5 我们从前属肉体的时候， 罪恶的情欲借着律法在我们的肢体里发动， 就结出死亡的果子。
6 但现在， 我们既然向那捆绑我们的律法死了， 就脱离了律法的约束， 好让我们用心灵的新样子， 而不用仪文的旧方式来服事主。
7 这样， 我们可以说什么呢？难道律法是罪吗？绝对不是。不过， 如果不是借着律法， 我就不知道什么是罪； 如果不是律法说"不可贪心"， 我就不知道什么是贪心。
8 但罪趁着机会， 借着诫命在我里面发动各样的贪心， 因为没有律法， 罪是死的。
9 在没有律法的时候， 我是活的； 但诫命一来， 罪就活了，
10 我就死了， 那本来使人活的诫命， 反而使我死了；
11 因为罪借着诫命把握着机会来欺骗我， 并且杀了我。
12 这样， 律法是圣洁的， 诫命也是圣洁、公义和良善的。
13 既是这样， 那良善的反而使我死吗？绝对不是！ 但罪借着那良善的使我死， 就显出真是罪， 为了要使罪借着诫命变成更加邪恶。
14 我们知道律法是属灵的， 我却是属肉体的， 已经卖给罪了。
15 因为我所作的， 我不明白； 我所愿意的， 我没有去作， 我所恨恶的， 我倒去作。
16 如果我所不愿意的， 我倒去作， 我就不得不承认律法是好的。
17 既是这样， 那就不是我作的， 而是住在我里面的罪作的。
18 我知道在我里面， 就是在我肉体之中， 没有良善， 因为立志行善由得我， 行出来却由不得我。
19 所以我愿意行的善， 我没有去行； 我不愿意作的恶， 我倒去作了。
20 我若作自己不愿意作的事， 那就不是我作的， 而是住在我里面的罪作的。
21 因此， 我发现了一个律， 就是我想向善的时候， 恶就在我里面出现。
22 按着我里面的人来说， 我是喜欢 神的律，
23 但我发觉肢体中另有一个律， 和我心中的律争战， 把我掳去附从肢体中的罪律。
24 我这个人真是苦啊！ 谁能救我脱离这使我死亡的身体呢？
25 感谢 神， 借着我们的主耶稣基督就能脱离了。可见， 一方面我自己心里服事 神的律， 另一方面我的肉体却服事罪的律。