18
ForγὰρI knowοἶδαthatὅτιnothing goodοὐκ ἀγαθόνdwellsοἰκεῖinἐνme,ἐμοίthatτοῦτ’is,ἔστινinἐνmy flesh;τῇ σαρκί μουforγὰρthe wantingτὸ θέλεινis presentπαράκειταίwith me,μοιbutδὲthe doingτὸ κατεργάζεσθαιof the goodτὸ καλὸνis not.οὔ
Romans 7:18
Study it in the app“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wanting is present with me, but the doing of the good is not.”
Paul describes the inner war: he wants the good and does what he hatesTemptation
With the Greek beneath
Romans 7:18, word by word
- I knowοἶδαoida
know
To hold a fact as certain, to be aware of it.
Where else “oida” appears- nothing goodἀγαθόνagathon
good
Being as it should be and doing others good; in the full sense, God alone.
Where else “agathon” appears- dwellsοἰκεῖoikei
dwell, live
Dwell, live in a place; also live with someone.
Where else “oikei” appears- isἔστινestin
be
To be: says who or what something is.
Where else “estin” appears- my fleshσαρκίsarki
sinful nature
The human nature that opposes God's Spirit.
Where else “sarki” appears- the wantingθέλεινthelein
want
To have the desire or the resolve for something.
Where else “thelein” appears- is presentπαράκειταίparakeitai
be present
Be present, be at hand, lie close by.
Where else “parakeitai” appears- the doingκατεργάζεσθαιkatergazesthai
commit
To carry out something, often evil.
Where else “katergazesthai” appears- of the goodκαλὸνkalon
beautiful
Lovely to look at.
Where else “kalon” appears
The context
17But now it is no longer I who do it, but the sin that dwells in me.
18 · This verse (above)
19For I do not do the good that I want, but the evil that I do not want, this I practice.
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?