Romans 7:1

Released From the Law, Bound to Christ

1 Do 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?

Romans 7:1 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
English Standard Version (ESV)
1 Or do you not know, brothers--for I am speaking to those who know the law--that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives?
New Living Translation (NLT)
1 Now, dear brothers and sisters —you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living?
The Message Bible (MSG)
1 You shouldn't have any trouble understanding this, friends, for you know all the ins and outs of the law - how it works and how its power touches only the living.
American Standard Version (ASV)
1 Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth?
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
1 Don't you realize, brothers and sisters, that laws have power over people only as long as they are alive? (I'm speaking to people who are familiar with Moses' Teachings.)
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
1 Since I am speaking to those who understand law, brothers, are you unaware that the law has authority over someone as long as he lives?
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
1 Brothers and sisters, I am speaking to you who know the law. Don't you know that the law has authority over us only as long as we are alive?

Romans 7:1 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 7:1

Know ye not, brethren
The apostle having asserted, ( Romans 6:14 ) , that the believing Romans were "not under the law"; which he knew would be displeasing to many, and excepted to by them, especially the Jews that were among them, who though they believed in Christ, yet were zealous of the law, takes it up again, and explains and defends it. That they were the Jewish converts at Rome he here particularly addresses, appears partly from his calling them "brethren", for they were so according to the flesh, as well as in a spiritual relation, and this he rather mentions to soften their resentments, and conciliate their minds to him; and partly from the words included in a parenthesis,

for I speak to them that know the law;
not the law of nature, but the law of Moses, as the Jews did, being trained up in the knowledge of it; to these he appeals, saying, "know ye not", for the truth of a principle or maxim he afterwards improves, which they could not be ignorant of,

how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he,
or "it",

liveth;
for the word "liveth" may refer either to man or to the law. The law may be said to live, when it is in full force, and to be dead, when it is abrogated and disannulled; now whilst it lives, or is in force, it has dominion over a man; it can require and command obedience of him, and in case of disobedience can condemn him, and inflict punishment on him: and this power it has also as long as the man lives who is under it, but when he is dead it has no more dominion over him; then "the servant is free from his master", ( Job 3:19 ) ; that is, from the law of his master; and children are free from the law of their parents, the wife from the law of her husband, and subjects from the law of their prince. This is so clear a point that none can doubt of it. The Jews have a saying F4, that

``when a man is dead, he becomes (twumh Nmw hrwt Nm yvpx) , free from the law, and from the commands.''


FOOTNOTES:

F4 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 30. 1. Niddah, fol. 61. 2. & T. Hieros. Kilaim, fol. 32. 1.

Romans 7:1 In-Context

1 Do 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?
2 For 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.
3 So 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.
4 So, 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.
5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Acts 1:16; S Acts 22:5; Romans 1:13; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 6:6; 1 Corinthians 14:20,26; Galatians 3:15; Galatians 6:18
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