19
ForγὰρI do notοὐdoποιῶthe goodἀγαθόνthatὃI want,θέλωbutἀλλὰthe evilκακὸνthatὃI do notοὐwant,θέλωthisτοῦτοI practice.πράσσω
Romans 7:19
Study it in the app“For I do not do the good that I want, but the evil that I do not want, this I practice.”
Paul describes the inner war: he wants the good and does what he hatesTemptation
With the Greek beneath
Romans 7:19, word by word
- doποιῶpoiō
do
To carry out an action or cause an effect.
Where else “poiō” appears- the goodἀγαθόνagathon
good
Being as it should be and doing others good; in the full sense, God alone.
Where else “agathon” appears- I wantθέλωthelō
want
To have the desire or the resolve for something.
Where else “thelō” appears- the evilκακὸνkakon
evil
What goes against God's will and harms others.
Where else “kakon” appears- I practiceπράσσωprassō
do
To carry out something, often evil.
Where else “prassō” appears
The context
18For 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.
19 · This verse (above)
20But if what I do not want, this I do, 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?