Romans 7:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

NIV: I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

NASB: For I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate.

CSB: For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate.

NLT: I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.

KJV: For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

NKJV: For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

Is this verse and the verses to follow describing Paul before he was a Christian or after? Bible scholars disagree with each other, and the difference has some significance. In a literal sense, Paul's Greek in this passage shifts into a first-person, singular, present-tense form. This contrasts with other parts of Romans which use more general terms. At least according to his choice of language, Paul seems to be speaking of himself in a direct and literal way.

Paul characterizes himself as a person who continually does the opposite of what he himself wants to do. Instead of doing the things he wants to do, he does what he hates, instead. This is frustrating—why is this happening?

Those who believe Paul is describing his life before becoming a Christian understand Paul to mean that those who are still under the law are confused about why they cannot keep the law. Why do they keep disobeying God's commands even when they don't want to? Bible scholars with this view understand the previous verse to describe someone who is still a slave to sin, not someone who has be freed from sin through faith in Christ (Romans 6:2, 18, 22).

Bible scholars who believe Paul is describing himself as a Christian believe that he is being deeply honest about ongoing struggle with sin. Although Christians have been freed from sin's power, we continue to live under its powerful influence. Sometimes we may feel exactly as Paul describes. We continue to do what we hate—we sin—even when we mean to do what was right. It's not that we are still slaves to sin, but that we are divided by our own competing desires.

Regardless of any disagreement about Paul's perspective here, Bible scholars agree that both non-Christians and Christians may express this feeling. Both may set out to do the right thing and find themselves doing a wrong thing, instead, without fully knowing why. This is part and parcel of being a fallible, mortal human being (2 Corinthians 5:2).

Romans 7:7–25 explores the relationship between the law of Moses and human sin. Paul insists that the law is how he came to know and understand sin, in general, and his own sin specifically. He also explains how knowing the law does not make a person holier; it can actually tempt us to sin even more! Paul changes his perspective in this passage, speaking in a first-person-here-and-now manner, as a Christian, wanting to do what is right and finding himself doing what is sinful instead. Paul recognized his natural inability to do right and realized his need to be delivered from sin by God through Jesus.

In Romans 7, Paul describes the relationship between Christians and law of Moses and between the law and human sinfulness. Because we died spiritually when we came to faith in Christ, Christians have been freed from our obligation to follow the law. Paul insists, though, that the law is holy and good in the sense that it reveals to all who try to follow it just how very sinful we are. The law shows us that no matter how good our intentions, we still end up in sin and in need of the deliverance available only through faith in Jesus.

Romans 6 revealed that those in Christ have died to sin and are no longer slaves to it. Romans 7 begins by showing that, in Christ, we have also died to our obligation to follow the law of Moses. Paul makes clear, though, that the law is holy and good because it reveals to us just how sinful we are. Paul describes how his failed attempts to follow the law convinced him more fully of his need to be delivered from his sinfulness by God through faith in Christ. Romans 8 will explore many of the benefits of being in Christ.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.