for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
Parallel translations
- KJV For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
- BSB For sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through the commandment put me to death.
- ESV For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
- NKJV For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.
- NASB for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it, killed me.
- NLT Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Sin used the commandment to deceive and kill, much as the serpent did in Eden. Sin twists even God's good law to destroy.
Overview
Echoing the deception in the garden, Paul depicts sin as a deceiver that weaponizes the commandment. By promising and then withholding life, sin uses the holy law to bring about spiritual death. The language clears the law of blame and places it squarely on sin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Gen 3:13Yahweh God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
- Rom 7:8But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
- Heb 3:13but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
- Isa 44:20He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”
- Rom 7:13Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by producing death in me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful.
- Jas 1:26If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
- Jer 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?
- Jer 49:16As for your terror, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill, though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there,” says Yahweh.
- Jas 1:22But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
- Obad 1:3The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’
- Eph 4:22that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 7:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.