1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

1 Või eks te tea, vennad - mina räägin käsutundjaile - et käsk valitseb inimese üle, niikaua kui inimene elab.

2 Nii on abielunaine käsuga seotud elusoleva mehe külge; aga kui mees sureb, on ta lahti mehe käsu alt.

3 Sellepärast, kui naine mehe elus olles läheb teisele mehele, nimetatakse teda abielurikkujaks; aga kui mees sureb, on ta sellest käsust vaba, nii et ta ei ole abielurikkuja, kui ta läheb teisele mehele.

4 Nõnda teiegi, mu vennad, olete surmatud käsule Kristuse ihu läbi, et saaksite teisele mehele, kes on surnuist üles äratatud, et me kannaksime vilja Jumalale.

5 Sest kui me olime lihas, siis patuhimud, mis tõusid käsu läbi, tegutsesid meie liikmetes, et kanda vilja surmale.

6 Aga nüüd me oleme käsust lahti ning oleme surnud sellele, mis meid kinni pidas, nii et me teenime Jumalat vaimu uues olemises ja mitte kirjatähe vanas olemises.

7 Mis me siis ütleme? Ons käsk patt? Mitte sugugi! Ent pattu ma ei oleks tundnud muidu kui käsu kaudu; sest ma ei oleks kurjast himust midagi teadnud, kui käsk ei oleks öelnud: „Sa ei tohi himustada!"

8 Aga patt, saades tõuget käsust, äratas minus kõiksugu himusid; sest ilma käsuta on patt surnud.

9 Mina elasin enne ilma käsuta; aga kui käsusõna tuli, virgus patt ellu

10 ja mina surin ära, ja nõnda leiti käsusõna, mis mulle pidi olema eluks, mulle olevat surmaks.

11 Sest kui patt oli saanud käsusõnast tõuke, pettis ta mind ja surmas mind selle abil.

12 Nõnda on siis käsk püha ja käsusõna püha ja õige ja hea.

13 Kas siis nüüd see, mis on hea, on saanud mulle surmaks? Mitte sugugi! Vaid patt, et ta ilmneks patuna, on selle hea kaudu mulle toonud surma, et patt ise saaks üliväga patuseks käsusõna läbi.

14 Sest me teame, et käsk on vaimne, aga mina olen lihalik ja müüdud patu alla.

15 Ma ei tunne ju ära, mida ma teen; sest ma ei tee seda, mida ma tahan, vaid mida ma vihkan, seda ma teen.

16 Kui ma aga teen, mida ma ei taha, siis ma möönan, et käsk on hea.

17 Nii ei tee seda enam mitte mina, vaid patt, mis minus elab.

18 Sest ma tean, et minus, see on minu lihas, ei ela head. Tahet mul on, aga head teha ma ei suuda;

19 sest head, mida ma tahan, ma ei tee, vaid kurja, mida ma ei taha, ma teen!

20 Kui ma nüüd teen seda, mida ma ei taha, siis ei tee seda enam mitte mina, vaid patt, mis minus elab.

21 Nii ma leian eneses käsu, et kuigi ma tahan teha head, on mulle omane teha kurja.

22 Sest seespidise inimese poolest on mul Jumala käsust hea meel,

23 aga oma liikmetes ma tunnen teist käsku, mis paneb vastu mu mõistuse käsule ja võtab mind vangi patu käsu alla, mis on mu liikmetes.

24 Oh mind viletsat inimest! Kes päästab mind sellest surma ihust?

25 Tänu olgu Jumalale Jeesuse Kristuse, meie Issanda läbi! Nii ma siis teenin oma mõistusega Jumala käsku, aga lihaga patu käsku.