Ad Romanos 7

VULGATA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 An ignoratis, fratres (scientibus enim legem loquor), quia lex in homine dominatur quanto tempore vivit ?	1 Or do you not know, brothers, (now I am speaking to those who know the law) that the law has dominion over a man only so long as he lives?
2 Nam quæ sub viro est mulier, vivente viro, alligata est legi : si autem mortuus fuerit vir ejus, soluta est a lege viri.	2 For example, a woman who is subject to a husband is obligated by the law while her husband lives. But when her husband has died, she is released from the law of her husband.
3 Igitur, vivente viro, vocabitur adultera si fuerit cum alio viro : si autem mortuus fuerit vir ejus, liberata est a lege viri, ut non sit adultera si fuerit cum alio viro.	3 Therefore, while her husband lives, if she has been with another man, she should be called an adulteress. But when her husband has died, she is freed from the law of her husband, such that, if she has been with another man, she is not an adulteress.
4 Itaque fratres mei, et vos mortificati estis legi per corpus Christi : ut sitis alterius, qui ex mortuis resurrexit, ut fructificemus Deo.	4 And so, my brothers, you also have become dead to the law, through the body of Christ, so that you may be another one who has risen from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.
5 Cum enim essemus in carne, passiones peccatorum, quæ per legem erant, operabantur in membris nostris, ut fructificarent morti.	5 For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were under the law, operated within our bodies, so as to bear fruit unto death.
6 Nunc autem soluti sumus a lege mortis, in qua detinebamur, ita ut serviamus in novitate spiritus, et non in vetustate litteræ.	6 But now we have been released from the law of death, by which we were being held, so that now we may serve with a renewed spirit, and not in the old way, by the letter.
7 Quid ergo dicemus ? lex peccatum est ? Absit. Sed peccatum non cognovi, nisi per legem : nam concupiscentiam nesciebam, nisi lex diceret : Non concupisces.	7 What should we say next? Is the law sin? Let it not be so! But I do not know sin, except through the law. For example, I would not have known about coveting, unless the law said: “You shall not covet.”
8 Occasione autem accepta, peccatum per mandatum operatum est in me omnem concupiscentiam. Sine lege enim peccatum mortuum erat.	8 But sin, receiving an opportunity through the commandment, wrought in me all manner of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.
9 Ego autem vivebam sine lege aliquando : sed cum venisset mandatum, peccatum revixit.	9 Now I lived for some time apart from the law. But when the commandment had arrived, sin was revived,
10 Ego autem mortuus sum : et inventum est mihi mandatum, quod erat ad vitam, hoc esse ad mortem.	10 and I died. And the commandment, which was unto life, was itself found to be unto death for me.
11 Nam peccatum occasione accepta per mandatum, seduxit me, et per illud occidit.	11 For sin, receiving an opportunity through the commandment, seduced me, and, through the law, sin killed me.
12 Itaque lex quidem sancta, et mandatum sanctum, et justum, et bonum.	12 And so, the law itself is indeed holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.
13 Quod ergo bonum est, mihi factum est mors ? Absit. Sed peccatum, ut appareat peccatum, per bonum operatum est mihi mortem : ut fiat supra modum peccans peccatum per mandatum.	13 Then was what is good made into death for me? Let it not be so! But rather sin, in order that it might be known as sin by what is good, wrought death in me; so that sin, through the commandment, might become sinful beyond measure.
14 Scimus enim quia lex spiritualis est : ego autem carnalis sum, venundatus sub peccato.	14 For we know that the law is spiritual. But I am carnal, having been sold under sin.
15 Quod enim operor, non intelligo : non enim quod volo bonum, hoc ago : sed quod odi malum, illud facio.	15 For I do things that I do not understand. For I do not do the good that I want to do. But the evil that I hate is what I do.
16 Si autem quod nolo, illud facio : consentio legi, quoniam bona est.	16 So, when I do what I do not want to do, I am in agreement with the law, that the law is good.
17 Nunc autem jam non ego operor illud, sed quod habitat in me peccatum.	17 But I am then acting not according to the law, but according to the sin which lives within me.
18 Scio enim quia non habitat in me, hoc est in carne mea, bonum. Nam velle, adjacet mihi : perficere autem bonum, non invenio.	18 For I know that what is good does not live within me, that is, within my flesh. For the willingness to do good lies close to me, but the carrying out of that good, I cannot reach.
19 Non enim quod volo bonum, hoc facio : sed quod nolo malum, hoc ago.	19 For I do not do the good that I want to do. But instead, I do the evil that I do not want to do.
20 Si autem quod nolo, illud facio : jam non ego operor illud, sed quod habitat in me, peccatum.	20 Now if I do what I am not willing to do, it is no longer I who am doing it, but the sin which lives within me.
21 Invenio igitur legem, volenti mihi facere bonum, quoniam mihi malum adjacet :	21 And so, I discover the law, by wanting to do good within myself, though evil lies close beside me.
22 condelector enim legi Dei secundum interiorem hominem :	22 For I am delighted with the law of God, according to the inner man.
23 video autem aliam legem in membris meis, repugnantem legi mentis meæ, et captivantem me in lege peccati, quæ est in membris meis.	23 But I perceive another law within my body, fighting against the law of my mind, and captivating me with the law of sin which is in my body.
24 Infelix ego homo, quis me liberabit de corpore mortis hujus ?	24 Unhappy man that I am, who will free me from this body of death?
25 gratia Dei per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Igitur ego ipse mente servio legi Dei : carne autem, legi peccati.	25 The grace of God, by Jesus Christ our Lord! Therefore, I serve the law of God with my own mind; but with the flesh, the law of sin.