But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Parallel translations
- WEB but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
- BSB But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.
- ESV but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
- NKJV But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
- NASB but I see a different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, the law which is in my body’s parts.
- NLT But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within 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
Paul sees another law in his body warring against his mind and taking him captive to sin. An inner war rages between the renewed mind and indwelling sin.
Overview
Paul describes a battle between the law of his mind, which delights in God, and the law of sin in his members. This opposing principle wages war and brings him into a painful captivity. The imagery conveys the seriousness of the ongoing conflict with sin that he cannot overcome by himself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Gal 5:17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
- Jas 4:1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
- Rom 8:2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
- Rom 6:19I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
- 1 Pet 2:11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
- Rom 7:25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
- Heb 12:4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
- 1 Tim 6:11–12But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
- 2 Tim 2:25–26In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
- Eccl 7:20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
- Rom 7:21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
- Rom 6:13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
- Rom 7:5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
- Ps 142:7Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
- Rom 7:14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
- Jas 3:2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 7:23 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.