1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the Law), that the Law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the Law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.3 So then if, while her husband lives, she becomes another man’s, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she becomes another man’s.4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the Law through the body of Christ, that you may become Another’s; to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit unto God.5 For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sin which were through the Law were at work in our members to bear fruit unto death.6 But now we have been loosed from the Law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we should serve in the newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Let it not be! On the contrary, I would not have understood sin except through the Law. For I would not have known lust unless the Law had said, You shall not covet.8 But sin, taking occasion through the commandment, produced in me every lust. For apart from the Law sin is dead.9 I was alive once apart from the Law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.10 And the commandment, which was unto life, I found to be unto death.11 For sin, taking occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.12 Therefore the Law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.13 Has then that which is good become death to me? Let it not be! But sin, that it might appear to be sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I do not wish to do, that I do; moreover, what I hate, that I do.16 If, then, I do what I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law that it is good.17 But now, it is no longer I doing it, but sin that dwells in me.18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to desire is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.19 For the good that I wish to do, I do not do; but the evil I do not wish to do, that I practice.20 Now if I do what I do not wish to do, it is no longer I doing it, but sin that dwells in me.21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one desiring to do good.22 For I delight in the Law of God according to 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 will 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 Britheren, whethir ye knowun not; for Y speke to men `that knowen the lawe; for the lawe hath lordschip in a man, as long tyme as it lyueth?2 For that womman that is vndur an hosebonde, is boundun to the lawe, while the hosebonde lyueth; but if hir hosebonde is deed, sche is delyuered fro the lawe of the hosebonde.3 Therfor sche schal be clepid auoutresse, if sche be with another man, while the hosebonde lyueth; but if hir hosebonde is deed, sche is delyuered fro the lawe of the hosebonde, that sche be not auoutresse, if sche be with another man.4 And so, my britheren, ye ben maad deed to the lawe bi the bodi of Crist, that ye ben of another, that roos ayen fro deth, that ye bere fruyt to God.5 For whanne we weren in fleisch, passiouns of synnes, that weren bi the lawe, wrouyten in oure membris, to bere fruyt to deth.6 But now we ben vnboundun fro the lawe of deth, in which we weren holdun, so that we seruen in newnesse of spirit, and not in eldnesse of lettre.7 What therfor schulen we seie? The lawe is synne? God forbede. But Y knew not synne, but bi lawe; for Y wiste not that coueitynge was synne, but for the lawe seide, Thou schalt not coueyte.8 And thoruy occasioun takun, synne bi the maundement hath wrouyt in me al coueytise; for withouten the lawe, synne was deed.9 And Y lyuede withouten the lawe sumtyme; but whanne the comaundement was comun, synne lyuede ayen.10 But Y was deed, and this comaundement that was to lijf, was foundun to me, to be to deth.11 For synne, thorouy occasioun takun bi the comaundement, disceyuede me, and bi that it slow me.12 Therfor the lawe is hooli, and the comaundement is hooli, and iust, and good.13 Is thanne that thing that is good, maad deth to me? God forbede. But synne, that it seme synne, thorouy good thing wrouyte deth to me, that me synne ouer maner thorouy the comaundement.14 And we witen, that the lawe is spiritual; but Y am fleischli, seld vndur synne.15 For Y vndurstonde not that that Y worche; for Y do not the good thing that Y wole, but Y do thilke yuel thing that Y hate.16 And if Y do that thing that Y wole not, Y consente to the lawe, that it is good.17 But now Y worche not it now, but the synne that dwellith in me.18 But and Y woot, that in me, that is, in my fleisch, dwellith no good; for wille lieth to me, but Y fynde not to performe good thing.19 For Y do not thilke good thing that Y wole, but Y do thilke yuel thing that Y wole not.20 And if Y do that yuel thing that Y wole not, Y worche not it, but the synne that dwellith in me.21 Therfor Y fynde the lawe to me willynge to do good thing, for yuel thing lieth to me.22 For Y delite togidere to the lawe of God, aftir the ynnere man. But Y se another lawe in my membris,23 ayenfiytynge the lawe of my soule, and makynge me caitif in the lawe of synne, that is in my membris.24 Y am an vnceli man; who schal delyuer me fro the bodi of this synne?25 The grace of God, bi Jhesu Crist oure Lord. Therfor Y my silf bi the soule serue to the lawe of God; but bi fleisch to the lawe of synne.