KJV: 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.
YLT: What, then, shall we say? the law is sin? let it not be! but the sin I did not know except through law, for also the covetousness I had not known if the law had not said:
Darby: What shall we say then? is the law sin? Far be the thought. But I had not known sin, unless by law: for I had not had conscience also of lust unless the law had said, Thou shalt not lust;
ASV: What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet:
| ἐροῦμεν | shall we say |
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Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: λέγω Sense: to utter, speak, say. |
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| ὁ | [Is] the |
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Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| νόμος | law |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: νόμος Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command. |
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| ἁμαρτία | sin |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular Root: ἁμαρτία Sense: equivalent to 264. |
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| μὴ | Never |
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Parse: Adverb Root: μή Sense: no, not lest. |
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| γένοιτο | may it be |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Optative Middle, 3rd Person Singular Root: γίνομαι Sense: to become, i. |
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| τὴν | - |
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Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ἁμαρτίαν | sin |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ἁμαρτία Sense: equivalent to 264. |
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| ἔγνων | I have known |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: γινώσκω Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel. |
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| νόμου | law |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: νόμος Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command. |
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| τήν | - |
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Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ἐπιθυμίαν | covetousness |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ἐπιθυμία Sense: desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust. |
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| ᾔδειν | I had been conscious of |
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Parse: Verb, Pluperfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: οἶδα Sense: to see. |
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| ἔλεγεν | had said |
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Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: λέγω Sense: to speak, say. |
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| ἐπιθυμήσεις | you shall covet |
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Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular Root: ἐπιθυμέω Sense: to turn upon a thing. |
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Greek Commentary for Romans 7:7
A pertinent query in view of what he had said. Some people today oppose all inhibitions and prohibitions because they stimulate violations. That is half-baked thinking. [source]
Second aorist indicative of γινωσκω ginōskō to know. It is a conclusion of a second class condition, determined as unfulfilled. Usually αν an is used in the conclusion to make it plain that it is second class condition instead of first class, but occasionally it is not employed when it is plain enough without as here (John 16:22, John 16:24). See note on Galatians 4:15. So as to I had not known coveting (lust), epithumian ouk ēidein But all the same the law is not itself sin nor the cause of sin. Men with their sinful natures turn law into an occasion for sinful acts. [source]
(lust), epithumian ouk ēidein But all the same the law is not itself sin nor the cause of sin. Men with their sinful natures turn law into an occasion for sinful acts. [source]
Rev., correctly, I did not know. See on John 2:24. The I refers to Paul himself. He speaks in the first person, declaring concerning himself what is meant to apply to every man placed under the Mosaic law, as respects his relation to that law, before and after the revolution in his inner life brought about through his connection with that law. His personal experience is not excluded, but represents the universal experience. [source]
Rev., coveting. See on Mark 4:19. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 7:7
Not primarily of the greater consciousness and acknowledgment of sin, but of the increase of actual transgression. The other thought, however, may be included. See Romans 7:7, Romans 7:8, Romans 7:9, Romans 7:11. [source]
See Romans 4:1; Romans 6:1; Romans 7:7; Romans 8:31; Romans 9:14, Romans 9:30. The phrase anticipates an objection or proposes an inference. It is used by Paul only, and by him only in this Epistle and in its argumentative portions. It is not found in the last five chapters, which are hortatory. [source]
Paul is fond of this rhetorical question (Romans 4:1; Romans 6:1; Romans 7:7; Romans 8:31; Romans 9:14, Romans 9:30). [source]
This is the conclusion (wherefore, ωστε hōste) to the query in Romans 7:7. The commandment is God‘s and so holy like Him, just in its requirements and designed for our good. The modern revolt against law needs these words. [source]
It is usual to explain ινα hina here as final, as God‘s ultimate purpose. So Denney who refers to Galatians 3:19.; Romans 7:7. But Chrysostom explains ινα hina here as εκβασις ekbasis (result). This is a proper use of ινα hina in the Koiné{[28928]}š as we have seen. If we take it so here, the meaning is “so that the trespass abounded” (aorist active subjunctive of πλεονασω pleonasō late verb, see note on 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 8:15). This was the actual effect of the Mosaic law for the Jews, the necessary result of all prohibitions. Did abound more exceedingly (υπερεπερισσευσεν hupereperisseusen). First aorist active indicative of υπερπερισσευω huperperisseuō Late verb, in N.T. only here and 2 Corinthians 7:4 which see. A strong word. If πλεοναζω pleonazō is comparative (πλεον pleon) περισσευω perisseuō is superlative (Lightfoot) and then υπερπερισσευω huperperisseuō goes the superlative one better. See υπερπλεοναζω huperpleonazō in 1 Timothy 1:14. The flood of grace surpassed the flood of sin, great as that was (and is). [source]
Because Moses was the minister of the law. For the relation of the law to sin and condemnation, see Romans 5:20; Romans 7:7-13. [source]
This is the conclusion of a condition of the second class without αν an expressed which would have made it clearer. But see John 16:22, John 16:24; Romans 7:7 for similar examples where the context makes it plain without αν an It is strong language and is saved from hyperbole by “if possible” Did Paul not have at this time serious eye trouble? [source]
The enmity immediately follows the middle wall of partition, and should be rendered in apposition with and as defining it, and as dependent on brake down, not on abolished: the middle wall which was the enmity. It is used abstractly, as peace in Ephesians 2:14. The enmity was the result and working of the law regarded as a separative system; as it separated Jew from Gentile, and both from God. See Romans 3:20; Romans 4:15; Romans 5:20; Romans 7:7-11. For abolished, see on cumbereth, Luke 13:7, and make without effect, see on Romans 3:3. [source]
Lit. in passion of desire. Not with avaricious greed. For ἐπιθυμία see on Mark 4:19. Its meaning is by no means limited to sensual lust; see, for instance, Luke 22:15. It is used as including all kinds of worldly desires, as Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:24; 1 John 2:17. In Romans 7:7, especially of covetousness. [source]
Const. again with bringeth in. “When he a second time bringeth the first-begotten into the world.” Referring to the second coming of Christ. Others explain again as introducing a new citation as in Hebrews 1:5; but this would require the reading πάλιν δὲ ὅταν andagain, when. In Hebrews, πάλιν , when joined to a verb, always means a second time. See Hebrews 5:12; Hebrews 6:1, Hebrews 6:2. It will be observed that in this verse, and in Hebrews 5:7, Hebrews 5:8, God is conceived as spoken of rather than as speaking; the subject of λέγει saithbeing indefinite. This mode of introducing citations differs from that of Paul. The author's conception of the inspiration of Scripture leads him to regard all utterances of Scripture, without regard to their connection, as distinct utterances of God, or the Holy Spirit, or the Son of God; whereas, by Paul, they are designated either as utterances of Scripture in general, or of individual writers. Very common in this Epistle are the expressions, “God saith, said, spake, testifieth,” or the like. See Hebrews 2:11, Hebrews 2:13; Hebrews 3:7; Hebrews 4:4, Hebrews 4:7; Hebrews 7:21; Hebrews 10:5, Hebrews 10:8, Hebrews 10:15, Hebrews 10:30. Comp. with these Romans 1:17; Romans 2:24; Romans 4:17; Romans 7:7; Romans 9:13; Romans 10:5, Romans 10:16, Romans 10:20, Romans 10:21; Romans 11:2. Ὅταν εἰσαγάγῃ wheneverhe shall have brought. The event is conceived as occurring at an indefinite time in the future, but is viewed as complete. Comp. John 16:4; Acts 24:22. This use of ὅταν with the aorist subjunctive never describes an event or series of events as completed in the past. [source]
Επιτυμια Epithumia is old word for craving (from επιτυμεω epithumeō to have a desire for) either good (Philemon 1:23) or evil (Romans 7:7) as here. Like a fish drawn out from his retreat. [source]
Prohibition with μη mē and the present passive imperative of πλαναω planaō common verb to lead astray. This is the way of sin to deceive and to kill (Romans 7:7-14). The devil is a pastmaster at blinding men‘s eyes about sin (2 Corinthians 4:4; Romans 1:27; Ephesians 4:14; etc.). [source]
Apodosis of a condition of second class without αν an as is usual with clauses of possibility, propriety, obligation (Matthew 26:24; 1 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 7:7; Hebrews 9:26). [source]