Released From the Law, Bound to Christ
1Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
4So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5For when we were in the realm of the flesh,7:5 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit. the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
The Law and Sin
7What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”7:7 Exodus 20:17; Deut. 5:21 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.7:18 Or my flesh For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature7:25 Or in the flesh a slave to the law of sin.
Hatufungwi Tena Na Sheria
17:1 Gal 3:15; 5:18Ndugu zangu (sasa ninasema na wale wanaoijua sheria), je, hamjui ya kwamba sheria ina mamlaka tu juu ya mtu wakati akiwa hai? 27:2 1Kor 7:39Kwa mfano, mwanamke aliyeolewa amefungwa kwa mumewe wakati akiwa hai, lakini yule mume akifa, yule mwanamke amefunguliwa kutoka sheria ya ndoa. 37:3 Lk 16:18; Mt 5:32Hivyo basi, kama huyo mwanamke ataolewa na mwanaume mwingine wakati mumewe akiwa bado yuko hai, ataitwa mzinzi. Lakini kama mumewe akifa, mwanamke huyo hafungwi tena na sheria ya ndoa, naye akiolewa na mtu mwingine haitwi mzinzi.
47:4 Gal 2:19; 4:31; Kol 1:22Vivyo hivyo, ndugu zangu, ninyi mmeifia sheria kwa njia ya mwili wa Kristo, ili mweze kuwa mali ya mwingine, yeye ambaye alifufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu, ili tupate kuzaa matunda kwa Mungu. 57:5 Rum 7:7-11; 6:13Kwa maana tulipokuwa tunatawaliwa na asili ya dhambi, tamaa za dhambi zilizochochewa na sheria zilikuwa zikitenda kazi katika miili yetu, hivyo tulizaa matunda ya mauti. 67:6 Rum 2:29Lakini sasa, kwa kufia kile kilichokuwa kimetufunga kwanza, tumewekwa huru kutokana na sheria ili tutumike katika njia mpya ya Roho, wala si katika njia ya zamani ya sheria iliyoandikwa.
Sheria Na Dhambi
77:7 Rum 3:20; 4:15; Kut 20:17; Kum 5:21Tuseme nini basi? Kwamba sheria ni dhambi? La, hasha! Lakini, isingekuwa kwa sababu ya sheria, nisingalijua dhambi. Nisingalijua kutamani ni nini kama sheria haikusema, “Usitamani.” 87:8 Rum 4:15; 1Kor 15:56Lakini dhambi kwa kupata nafasi katika amri, hii ikazaa ndani yangu kila aina ya tamaa. Kwa maana pasipo sheria, dhambi imekufa. 9Wakati fulani nilikuwa hai pasipo sheria, lakini amri ilipokuja, dhambi ikawa hai, nami nikafa. 107:10 Law 18:5; Lk 10:26-28Nikaona kwamba ile amri iliyokusudiwa kuleta uzima, ilileta mauti. 117:11 Mwa 3:13Kwa maana dhambi kwa kupata nafasi katika amri, ilinidanganya, na kupitia katika hiyo amri, ikaniua. 127:12 Gal 3:21; 1Tim 1:8Hivyo basi, sheria yenyewe ni takatifu, na amri ni takatifu na ya haki, tena ni njema.
137:13 Rum 6:23; 7:12; 5:20Je, kile kilicho chema basi kilikuwa mauti kwangu? La, hasha! Lakini ili dhambi itambuliwe kuwa ni dhambi, ilileta mauti ndani yangu kupitia kile kilichokuwa chema, ili kwa njia ya amri dhambi izidi kuwa mbaya kupita kiasi.
Mgongano Wa Ndani
147:14 1Kor 3:1; 1Fal 21:20-25; 2Fal 17:17Kwa maana tunajua kwamba sheria ni ya kiroho, lakini mimi ni wa kimwili nikiwa nimeuzwa kwenye utumwa wa dhambi. 157:15 Gal 5:17Sielewi nitendalo, kwa maana lile ninalotaka kulitenda, silitendi, lakini ninatenda lile ninalolichukia. 167:16 Rum 7:12Basi kama ninatenda lile nisilotaka kutenda, ni kwamba ninakubali kuwa sheria ni njema. 177:17 Rum 7:20Lakini, kwa kweli si mimi tena nitendaye lile nisilotaka bali ni ile dhambi ikaayo ndani yangu. 187:18 Gal 5:24Kwa maana ninafahamu kwamba hakuna jema lolote likaalo ndani yangu, yaani, katika asili yangu ya dhambi. Kwa kuwa nina shauku ya kutenda lililo jema, lakini siwezi kulitenda. 197:19 Rum 7:15Sitendi lile jema nitakalo kutenda, bali lile baya nisilolitaka, ndilo nitendalo. 207:20 Rum 7:17Basi kama ninatenda lile nisilotaka kutenda, si mimi tena nifanyaye hivyo, bali ni ile dhambi ikaayo ndani yangu.
217:21 Rum 7:23, 25Hivyo naiona sheria ikitenda kazi. Ninapotaka kutenda jema, jambo baya liko papo hapo. 227:22 Efe 3:16; Za 1:2; 40:8Kwa maana katika utu wangu wa ndani naifurahia sheria ya Mungu. 237:23 Yak 4:1; 1Pet 2:11Lakini ninaona kuna sheria nyingine inayotenda kazi katika viungo vya mwili wangu inayopigana vita dhidi ya ile sheria ya akili yangu. Sheria hii inanifanya mateka wa ile sheria ya dhambi inayofanya kazi katika viungo vya mwili wangu.
247:24 Rum 6:6; 8:2Ole wangu mimi maskini! Ni nani atakayeniokoa na mwili huu wa mauti?
25Ashukuriwe Mungu kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo Bwana wetu! Hivyo basi, mimi mwenyewe kwa akili zangu ni mtumwa wa sheria ya Mungu, lakini katika asili ya dhambi ni mtumwa wa sheria ya dhambi.
