Romans 7:18
16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good.
17 In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.
20 And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.
- ASV
- For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good [is] not.
- DARBY
- For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, good does not dwell: for to will is there with me, but to do right [I find] not.
- BLB
- For I know that there does not dwell in me—that is, in my flesh—good. For to want is present with me, but not to carry out the good.
- ÅB
- For jeg vet at i meg, det vil si i kjøttet mitt, bor det ingen ting godt. For selv om jeg har viljen, makter jeg ikke å fullføre det gode.
- OTB
- For jeg vet at det gode i seg selv ikke bor i meg, det vil si i mitt kjød. For jeg har ønsket om å gjøre det som er godt, men jeg kan ikke utføre det.
- B1930
- For jeg vet at i mig, det er i mitt kjød, bor intet godt; for viljen har jeg, men å gjøre det gode makter jeg ikke;
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
John 3:6
Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.
Read in contextPsalms 51:5
Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
Read in contextGalatians 5:17
For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Read in contextPsalms 119:115–117
Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God.
Read in contextRomans 7:25
Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Read in contextJob 14:4
Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
Read in contextJob 15:14–16
What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
Read in contextGalatians 5:24
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Read in context