Romans 7:7

New International Reader's Version

What should we say then? That the law is sinful? Not at all! Yet I wouldn’t have known what sin was unless the law had told me. The law says, “Do not want what belongs to other people.” (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21) If the law hadn’t said that, I would not have known what it was like to want what belongs to others.

Cross References

Genesis 3:6

The woman saw that the tree’s fruit was good to eat and pleasing to look at. She also saw that it would make a person wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. And he ate it.

2 Samuel 11:2

One evening David got up from his bed. He walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman taking a bath. She was very beautiful.

Psalm 119:96

I’ve learned that everything has its limits. But your commands are perfect. They are always there when I need them.

Exodus 20:17

“Do not want to have anything your neighbor owns. Do not want to have your neighbor’s house, wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey.”

Micah 2:2

If they want fields or houses, they take them. They cheat people out of their homes. They rob them of their property.

Matthew 5:28

But here is what I tell you. Do not even look at a woman in the wrong way. Anyone who does has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Luke 12:15

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against wanting to have more and more things. Life is not made up of how much a person has.”

Luke 20:16

He will come and kill them. He will give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “We hope this never happens!”

Acts 20:33

I haven’t longed for anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.

Romans 13:9

Here are some commandments to think about. “Do not commit adultery.” “Do not commit murder.” “Do not steal.” “Do not want what belongs to others.” (Exodus 20:13–15,17; Deuteronomy 5:17–19,21) These and all other commands are included in one command. Here’s what it is. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18)

Romans 3:20

So no one will be considered right with God by obeying the law. Instead, the law makes us more aware of our sin.

Romans 3:5

Doesn’t the fact that we are wrong prove more clearly that God is right? Then what can we say? Can we say that God is not fair when he brings his anger down on us? As you can tell, I am just using human ways of thinking.

Romans 4:1

What should we say about these things? What did Abraham, the father of our people, discover about being right with God?

Romans 4:15

The law brings God’s anger. Where there is no law, the law can’t be broken.

Romans 5:20

The law was given so that sin would increase. But where sin increased, God’s grace increased even more.

Romans 6:15

What should we say then? Should we sin because we are not ruled by the law but by God’s grace? Not at all!

Romans 7:11

When the commandment gave sin the opportunity, sin tricked me. It used the commandment to put me to death.

Romans 7:13

Did what is good cause me to die? Not at all! Sin had to be recognized for what it really is. So it used what is good to bring about my death. Because of the commandment, sin became totally sinful.

Romans 7:5

The power of sin used to control us. The law stirred up sinful desires in us. So the things we did resulted in death.

Romans 7:8

But the commandment gave sin an opportunity. Sin caused me to want all kinds of things that belong to others. A person can’t sin by breaking a law if that law doesn’t exist.

1 Corinthians 15:56

The sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law.

Ephesians 5:3

There should not be even a hint of sexual sin among you. Don’t do anything impure. And do not always want more and more. These are not the things God’s holy people should do.

Deuteronomy 5:21

“Do not want to have your neighbor’s wife. Do not desire anything your neighbor owns. Do not desire to have your neighbor’s house or land, male or female servant, ox or donkey.”

Colossians 3:5

So put to death anything that comes from sinful desires. Get rid of sexual sins and impure acts. Don’t let your feelings get out of control. Remove from your life all evil desires. Stop always wanting more and more. You might as well be worshiping statues of gods.

1 Thessalonians 4:5

Don’t desire to commit sexual sins like people who don’t know God.

Hebrews 7:19

The law didn’t make anything perfect. Now a better hope has been given to us. That hope brings us near to God.

Joshua 7:21

I saw a beautiful robe from Babylonia among the things we had taken. I saw five pounds of silver. And I saw a gold bar that weighed 20 ounces. I wanted them, so I took them. I hid them in the ground inside my tent. The silver is on the bottom.”