16
ButδὲifεἰwhatὃI do notοὐwant,θέλωthisτοῦτοI do,ποιῶI agreeσύμφημιwith the lawτῷ νόμῳthatὅτιit isgood.καλός
Romans 7:16
Study it in the app“But if what I do not want, this I do, I agree with the law that it is good.”
Paul describes the inner war: he wants the good and does what he hatesTemptation
With the Greek beneath
Romans 7:16, word by word
- wantθέλωthelō
want
To have the desire or the resolve for something.
Where else “thelō” appears- I doποιῶpoiō
do
To carry out an action or cause an effect.
Where else “poiō” appears- I agreeσύμφημιsymphēmi
agree
Agree: say the same as another.
Where else “symphēmi” appears- with the lawνόμῳnomōi
law
The instructions God gave Israel through Moses; also, the whole of Scripture.
Where else “nomōi” appears- goodκαλόςkalos
beautiful
Lovely to look at.
Where else “kalos” appears
The context
15For what I do I do not understand; for what I want, this I do not practice, but what I hate, this I do.
16 · This verse (above)
17But now it is no longer I who do it, but the sin that dwells in me.
To study Romans 7 in a group
1. What it says
What does Paul say he does and does not do, and how does he feel about it? (vv. 15-19, 24)
2. What it means
Why do you think Paul describes his inner struggle so frankly? What answer does he give at the end? (vv. 21-25)
3. How I live it
Paul admits his inner struggle without hiding it. To whom could you confidently tell a struggle of your own?