the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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King James Version
Romans 7:18
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Yes, I know that nothing good lives in me—I mean nothing good lives in the part of me that is not spiritual. I want to do what is good, but I don't do it.
For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it.
For I knowe that in me (that is to saye in my flesshe) dwelleth no good thinge. To will is present with me: but I fynde no meanes to performe that which is good.
For 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.
For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but I cannot carry it out.Genesis 6:5; 8:21;">[xr]
For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
Yes, I know that nothing good lives in me—I mean nothing good lives in the part of me that is earthly and sinful. I want to do the things that are good, but I do not do them.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing: for to want is present with me, but to do that which is good [is] not.
For 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.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
For 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.
For 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 what is good, I find not.
For I know that in me, that is, in my lower self, nothing good has its home; for while the will to do right is present with me, the power to carry it out is not.
But and Y woot, that in me, that is, in my fleisch, dwellith no good; for wille lieth to me, but Y fynde not to performe good thing.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
I know that my selfish desires won't let me do anything that is good. Even when I want to do right, I cannot.
For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not.
For I am conscious that in me, that is, in my flesh, there is nothing good: I have the mind but not the power to do what is right.
For I know that there is nothing good housed inside me — that is, inside my old nature. I can want what is good, but I can't do it!
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, good does not dwell: for to will is there with me, but to do right [I find] not.
For I know that in me, but that is in my flesh, good dwelleth not; because to will the good is easy to me, but to perform it I find not.
For I know, that in me, (that is, in my flesh,) good dwelleth not: because, to approve the good, is easy for me; but to do it, I am unable.
For I know, that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present with me: but how to performe that which is good, I find not.
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't.
I know there is nothing good in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do good but I do not.
For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it.
For I know, yt in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to wil is preset wt me: but I find no meanes to perform yt which is good.
Yet I know that it does not fully dominate me, (that is in my flesh) but as far as good is concerned, the choice is easy for me to make, but to do it, that is difficult.
I know, in fact, that there dwelleth not in me, that is, in my flesh, anything good; for, the wishing, lieth near me, but, the working out of what is right, not!
For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is to say, in my flesh, that which is good. For to will is present with me: but to accomplish that which is good, I find not.
For I knowe, that in me, that is to say in my fleshe, dwelleth no good thyng. For to wyll, is present with me: but I fynde no meanes to perfourme that which is good.
I know that good does not live in me—that is, in my human nature. For even though the desire to do good is in me, I am not able to do it.
For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.
For I know that good does not live in me, that is, in my flesh. For the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwells no good. For to will is present to me, but to work out the good I do not find.
for I have known that there doth not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, good: for to will is present with me, and to work that which is right I do not find,
for I knowe that in me (yt is, in my flesh) there dwelleth no good thinge.To wyll is present wt me, but to perfourme yt which is good,
for I experience, that in the carnal part of me dwells no good: for it is familiar to me, to will, but not to execute that which is good.
For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
I finally realize there is nothing good that lives within me. At least as far as my natural desires go. No matter how much I want to do the right thing, I rarely get it done.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good is not.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
that in me: Genesis 6:5, Genesis 8:21, Job 14:4, Job 15:14-16, Job 25:4, Psalms 51:5, Isaiah 64:6, Matthew 15:19, Mark 7:21-23, Luke 11:13, Ephesians 2:1-5, Titus 3:3, 1 Peter 4:2
in my: Romans 7:5, Romans 7:25, Romans 8:3-13, Romans 13:14, John 3:6, Galatians 5:19-21, Galatians 5:24
for to will: Romans 7:15, Romans 7:19, Romans 7:25, Psalms 119:5, Psalms 119:32, Psalms 119:40, Psalms 119:115-117, Psalms 119:173, Psalms 119:176, Galatians 5:17, Philippians 2:13, Philippians 3:12
Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 19:3 - good things Nehemiah 8:12 - because Matthew 13:8 - good Matthew 26:41 - the spirit Matthew 26:75 - And he Mark 14:38 - The spirit Luke 8:15 - in an Acts 15:39 - the contention Romans 7:14 - but Romans 7:17 - sin Ephesians 2:3 - by 1 Timothy 1:8 - the law
Cross-References
And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh,.... The apostle goes on to give some further account of himself, what he knew, and was fully assured of by long experience; as that
dwelleth no good thing in him, that is, in his flesh, or carnal self; for otherwise there were many good things dwelt in him; there was the good work of grace, and the good word of God in him, and even Father, Son, and Spirit, dwelt in him; but his meaning is, that there was no good thing naturally in him; no good thing of his own putting there; nothing but what God had put there; no good thing, but what was owing to Christ, to the grace of God, and influence of the Spirit; or as he himself explains it, there was no good thing in his "flesh"; in the old man that was in him, which has nothing in his nature good; no good thing comes out of him, nor is any good thing done by him: and this explanative and limiting clause, "that is, in my flesh", clearly proves, that the apostle speaks of himself, and as regenerate; for had he spoke in the person of an unregenerate man, there would have been no room nor reason for such a restriction, seeing an unregenerate man is nothing else but flesh, and has nothing but flesh, or corrupt nature in him; and who does not know, that no good thing dwells in such persons? whereas the apostle intimates by this explication, that he had something else in him beside flesh, and which is opposed to it; and that is spirit, or the new man, which is of a spiritual nature, and is seated in the spirit, or soul, and comes from the Spirit of God; and in this spiritual man dwell good things, for "the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth"; so that though there was no good thing dwelling in his flesh, in the old than, yet there were good things dwelling in his spirit, in the new and spiritual man, the hidden man of the heart: and he adds,
to will is present with me; which must be understood, not of the power and faculty of the will, with respect to things natural and civil, which is common to all men; nor of a will to that which is evil, which is in wicked men; but of a will to that which was good, which he had not of himself, but from God, and is only to be found in regenerate persons; and denotes the readiness of his mind and will to that which is spiritually good, like that which Christ observes of his disciples, when he says, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak", Matthew 26:41, which may serve much to illustrate the passage before us: since it follows,
but how to perform that which is good, I find not; he found he had no strength of himself to do what he willed; and that he could do nothing without Christ; and that what he did by the strength and grace of Christ, he did not do perfectly. To will to live without sin, not to have a lustful or a revengeful thought in his breast, was present with him, but how to perform, how to live in this manner, which was so desirable to him, being born again, he found not. It may be asked, how does this agree with what the apostle says, "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure?" Philippians 2:13. To this it may be replied, that when God does work in his people both to will and to do, he does not work both equally alike, or to the same degree, so that the work answers to the will; God never works in them so to do, as to will, for when they are wrought in, acted upon, and influenced to do the most, and that in the best manner, they never do all that they would; and sometimes God works in them to will, when he does not work in them to do; as in the case of the disciples of Christ, in whom he worked to will to watch with Christ an hour, but did not work in them to do, Matthew 26:40; and whenever he works in the saints, whether to will or to do, or both, it is always of his own good pleasure.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For I know - This is designed as an illustration of what he had just said, that sin dwelt in him.
That is, in my flesh - In my unrenewed nature; in my propensities and inclinations before conversion. Does not this qualifying expression show that in this discussion he was speaking of himself as a renewed man? Hence, he is careful to imply that there was at that time in him something that was right or acceptable with God, but that that did not pertain to him by nature.
Dwelleth - His soul was wholly occupied by what was evil. It had taken entire possession.
No good thing - There could not be possibly a stronger expression of belief of the doctrine of total depravity. It is Paulâs own representation of himself. It proves that his heart was wholly evil. And if this was true of him, it is true of all others. It is a good way to examine ourselves, to inquire whether we have such a view of our own native character as to say that we know that in our flesh there dwelleth no good thing. The sense here is, that so far as the flesh was concerned, that is, in regard to his natural inclinations and desires, there was nothing good; all was evil. This was true in his entire conduct before conversion, where the desires of the flesh reigned and rioted without control; and it was true after conversion, so far as the natural inclinations and propensities of the flesh were concerned. All those operations in every stake were evil, and not the less evil because they are experienced under the light and amidst the influences of the gospel.
To will - To purpose or intend to do good.
Is present with me - I can do that. It is possible; it is in my power. The expression may also imply that it was near to him ÏαÏαÌκειÏαι parakeitai, that is, it was constantly before him; it was now his habitual inclination and purpose of mind. It is the uniform, regular, habitual purpose of the Christianâs mind to do right.
But how - The sense would have been better retained here if the translators had not introduced the word âhow.â The difficulty was not in the mode of performing it, but to do the thing itself.
I find not - I do not find it in my power; or I find strong, constant obstacles, so that I fail of doing it. The obstacles are not natural, but such as arise from long indulgence in sin; the strong native propensity to evil.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. For I know that in me, c.] I have learned by experience that in an unregenerate man there is no good. There is no principle by which the soul can be brought into the light no principle by which it can be restored to purity: fleshly appetites alone prevail; and the brute runs away with the man.
For to will is present with me — Though the whole soul has suffered indescribably by the FALL, yet there are some faculties that appear to have suffered less than others; or rather have received larger measures of the supernatural light, because their concurrence with the Divine principle is so necessary to the salvation of the soul. Even the most unconcerned about spiritual things have understanding, judgment, reason, and will. And by means of these we have seen even scoffers at Divine revelation become very eminent in arts and sciences; some of our best metaphysicians, physicians, mathematicians, astronomers, chemists, c., have been known-to their reproach be it spoken and published-to be without religion nay, some of them have blasphemed it, by leaving God out of his own work, and ascribing to an idol of their own, whom they call nature, the operations of the wisdom, power, and goodness of the Most High. It is true that many of the most eminent in all the above branches of knowledge have been conscientious believers in Divine revelation; but the case of the others proves that, fallen as man is, he yet possesses extra-ordinary powers, which are capable of very high cultivation and improvement. In short, the soul seems capable of any thing but knowing, fearing, loving, and serving God. And it is not only incapable, of itself, for any truly religious acts; but what shows its fall in the most indisputable manner is its enmity to sacred things. Let an unregenerate man pretend what he pleases, his conscience knows that he hates religion; his soul revolts against it; his carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. There is no reducing this fell principle to subjection; it is SIN, and sin is rebellion against God; therefore sin must be destroyed, not subjected; if subjected, it would cease to be sin, because sin is in opposition to God: hence the apostle says, most conclusively, it cannot be subjected, i.e. it must be destroyed, or it will destroy the soul for ever. When the apostle says, to will is present with me, he shows that the will is on the side of God and truth, so far that it consents to the propriety and necessity of obedience. There has been a strange clamour raised up against this faculty of the soul, as if the very essence of evil dwelt in it; whereas the apostle shows, throughout this chapter, that the will was regularly on God's side, while every other faculty appears to have been in hostility to him. The truth is, men have confounded the will with the passions, and laid to the charge of the former what properly belongs to the latter. The will is right, but the passions are wrong. It discerns and approves, but is without ability to perform: it has no power over sensual appetites; in these the principle of rebellion dwells: it nills evil, it wills good, but can only command through the power of Divine grace: but this the person in question, the unregenerate man, has not received.
