Romans 7, side by side

Two versions of the same chapter. Each row is one verse, so you can see how the wording changes.

Modern

1Or don’t you know, brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives?

Classic

1Know 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?

Modern

2For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband.

Classic

2For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Modern

3So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man.

Classic

3So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Modern

4Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might produce fruit to God.

Classic

4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Modern

5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law worked in our members to bring out fruit to death.

Classic

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.

Modern

6But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

Classic

6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Modern

7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

Classic

7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Modern

8But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead.

Classic

8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

Modern

9I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Classic

9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Modern

10The commandment which was for life, this I found to be for death;

Classic

10And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

Modern

11for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.

Classic

11For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Modern

12Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.

Classic

12Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Modern

13Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, was producing death in me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful.

Classic

13Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Modern

14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.

Classic

14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Modern

15For I don’t know what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.

Classic

15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

Modern

16But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good.

Classic

16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Modern

17So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

Classic

17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Modern

18For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.

Classic

18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Modern

19For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.

Classic

19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Modern

20But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

Classic

20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Modern

21I find then the law that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.

Classic

21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Modern

22For I delight in God’s law after the inward man,

Classic

22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Modern

23but 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.

Classic

23But 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.

Modern

24What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?

Classic

24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Modern

25I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, sin’s law.

Classic

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.

Your pair of translations is remembered on this device for other chapters.