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Sunday, September 22nd, 2024
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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Read the Bible

King James Version

Romans 7:6

But 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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Death;   Holiness;   Justification;   Law;   Regeneration;   Righteousness;   Scofield Reference Index - Flesh;   Law of Moses;   Thompson Chain Reference - Creature, New;   Man;   New;   The Topic Concordance - Deliverance;   Law;   Service;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Law of God, the;   Liberty, Christian;   New Birth, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Law;   Letters;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Freedom;   Giving;   Holy spirit;   Law;   Sabbath;   Self-discipline;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Holy Spirit;   Life;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Law;   Sin;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Law;   Nail;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Deliverance, Deliverer;   Lawgiver;   Romans, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Law;   Romans, Epistle to the;   Spirit;   Thessalonians, Second Epistle to the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Brotherly Love;   Freedom of the Will;   Holy Spirit;   Law;   Mediation Mediator;   Regeneration;   Regeneration (2);   Romans Epistle to the;   Spirit Spiritual ;   Will;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Letter, the;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Law of Moses, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Deliver;   Law in the New Testament;   New;   Salvation;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Birth, New;  

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
But we have died with Christ and are no longer bound by the Code that shows our sinfulness. Now we can ride for God, not in sin, but in the new life with Jesus.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
Legacy Standard Bible
But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were constrained, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
Bible in Basic English
But now we are free from the law, having been made dead to that which had power over us; so that we are servants in the new way of the spirit, not in the old way of the letter.
Darby Translation
but now we are clear from the law, having died in that in which we were held, so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.
New King James Version
But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Christian Standard Bible®
But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old letter of the law.
World English Bible
But 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.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But now we are freed from the law, that whereby we were held being dead, so that we serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Weymouth's New Testament
But seeing that we have died to that which once held us in bondage, the Law has now no hold over us, so that we render a service which, instead of being old and formal, is new and spiritual.
King James Version (1611)
But now wee are deliuered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serue in newnesse of spirit, and not in the oldnesse of the letter.
Literal Translation
But now we have been set free from the Law, having died to that in which we were held, so as for us to serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But now are we lowsed from the lawe, and deed vnto it, that helde vs captyue, so that we shulde serue in a new conuersacion of the sprete, and not in the olde conuersacion of the letter.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but now we are delivered by the death of the law, which held us in bondage: that we might serve according to the living spirit, and not in the dead letter of the law.
Amplified Bible
But now we have been released from the Law and its penalty, having died [through Christ] to that by which we were held captive, so that we serve [God] in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter [of the Law].
American Standard Version
But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
Revised Standard Version
But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But now are we delivered fro the lawe and deed fro that whervnto we werein bondage that we shuld serve in a newe conversacion of ye sprete and not in ye olde conversacion of the letter.
Update Bible Version
But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held, in order to serve us as slaves in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
Webster's Bible Translation
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead by which we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter.
Young's Literal Translation
and now we have ceased from the law, that being dead in which we were held, so that we may serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.
New Century Version
In the past, the law held us like prisoners, but our old selves died, and we were made free from the law. So now we serve God in a new way with the Spirit, and not in the old way with written rules.
New English Translation
But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.
Berean Standard Bible
But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Contemporary English Version
But the Law no longer rules over us. We are like dead people, and it cannot have any power over us. Now we can serve God in a new way by obeying his Spirit, and not in the old way by obeying the written Law.
Complete Jewish Bible
But now we have been released from this aspect of the Torah, because we have died to that which had us in its clutches, so that we are serving in the new way provided by the Spirit and not in the old way of outwardly following the letter of the law.
English Standard Version
But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But now we are deliuered from the Lawe, he being dead in whom we were holden, that we should serue in newnesse of Spirite, and not in the oldnesse of the letter.
George Lamsa Translation
But now we are freed from the law, being dead to that which had hold upon us; and we should henceforth serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Hebrew Names Version
But 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.
International Standard Version
But now we have been released from the law by dying to what enslaved us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit, not under the old written code.Romans 2:29; 2 Corinthians 3:6;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
but now we are loosed from the law, and are dead to that which held us, that we might serve henceforth in the newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the writing.
Murdock Translation
But now we are absolved from the law, and are dead to that which held us in its grasp: that we might henceforth serve in the newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
New Living Translation
But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
New Life Bible
but now we are free from the Law. We are dead to sin that once held us in its power. No longer do we follow the Law which is the old way. We now follow the new way, the way of the Spirit.
English Revised Version
But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were holden; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
New Revised Standard
But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, now, we have received full release from the law, by dying in that wherein we used to be held fast, so that we should be doing service - in newness of spirit and not in obsoleteness of letter.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But now we are loosed from the law of death wherein we were detained; so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Lexham English Bible
But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to that by which we were bound, so that we may serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter of the law.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But nowe are we delyuered from the lawe, and dead vnto it whervnto we were in bondage, that we shoulde serue in newenesse of spirite, and not in the oldnesse of the letter.
Easy-to-Read Version
In the past the law held us as prisoners, but our old selves died, and we were made free from the law. So now we serve God in a new way, not in the old way, with the written rules. Now we serve God in the new way, with the Spirit.
New American Standard Bible
But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
Good News Translation
Now, however, we are free from the Law, because we died to that which once held us prisoners. No longer do we serve in the old way of a written law, but in the new way of the Spirit.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But now we ben vnboundun fro the lawe of deth, in which we weren holdun, so that we seruen in newnesse of spirit, and not in eldnesse of lettre.

Contextual Overview

1 Know 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? 2 For 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. 3 So 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. 4 Wherefore, 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. 5 For 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. 6 But 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

But: Romans 7:4, Romans 6:14, Romans 6:15, Galatians 3:13, Galatians 3:23-25, Galatians 4:4, Galatians 4:5

that being dead: or, being dead to that, Romans 7:1, Romans 7:4, Romans 6:2

serve: Romans 1:9, Romans 2:27-29, Romans 6:4, Romans 6:11, Romans 6:19, Romans 6:22, Romans 12:2, Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, 2 Corinthians 3:6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:19, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 6:15, Philippians 3:3, Colossians 3:10

Reciprocal: Romans 2:29 - spirit Romans 7:9 - and I died Galatians 4:21 - ye that Galatians 5:1 - the liberty 1 Peter 2:24 - being

Cross-References

Genesis 5:32
And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 8:13
And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But now we are delivered from the law,.... From the ministration of it, by Moses; from it, as a covenant of works; from its rigorous exaction; from its curse and condemnation, all this by Christ; and from its being an irritating, provoking law to sin, through the corruption of nature, by the Spirit and grace of Christ; but not from obedience to it, as in the hands of Christ. The Vulgate Latin version, and some copies read, "from the law of death"; and the Ethiopic version renders it, "we are loosed from the law, and are delivered from the former doctrine"; the doctrine of the legal dispensation.

That being dead; not sin, but the law: in what sense believers are dead to the law, and that to them, :-.

Wherein we were held: as a woman is by the law to her husband, or as persons guilty, who are detained prisoners; so we were "kept under the law, shut up unto the faith", as in a prison, Galatians 3:23; Now the saints deliverance from the law through the abrogation of it, that losing its former life, vigour, power, and dominion, is not that they may live a loose licentious life and conversation, but that they

should serve the Lord their God without slavish fear, and with a godly one, acceptably, in righteousness and holiness, all the days of their lives; and their Lord and Master Jesus Christ, who is King of saints, lawgiver in his church, and whose commandments are to be observed from a principle of love, in faith, and to his glory; yea, even the law itself, as held forth by him, as the apostle says in the close of this chapter, "with the mind I myself serve the law of God", Romans 7:25: the manner in which this service is to be, and is performed, is,

in newness of Spirit; under the influences of the Spirit of God, the author of renovation, of the new creature, or new man created in us, in righteousness and true holiness; and from a new heart, and new Spirit, and new principles of life, light, love, and grace, formed in the soul; and by walking in "newness of life", Romans 6:4, or by a new life, walk, and conversation:

and not in the oldness of the letter; not in the outward observance of the law of Moses, which is the "letter"; not indulging the old man, or walking after the dictates of corrupt nature; nor behaving according to the old former course of living: on the whole it may be observed, that a believer without the law, being delivered from it, that being dead to him, and he to that, lives a better life and conversation under the influence of the Spirit of God, than one that is under the law, and the works of it, destitute of the grace of God; the one brings forth "fruit unto death", Romans 7:5, the other serves the Lord, "in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But now - Under the gospel. This verse states the consequences of the gospel, in distinction from the effects of the Law. The way in which this is accomplished, the apostle illustrates more at length in Romans 8:0 with which this verse is properly connected. The remainder of Romans 7:0 is occupied in illustrating the statement in Romans 7:5, of the effects of the Law; and after having shown that its effects always were to increase crime and distress, he is prepared in Romans 8:0 to take up the proposition in this verse, and to show the superiority of the gospel in producing peace.

We are delivered - We who are Christians. Delivered from it as a means of justification, as a source of sanctification, as a bondage to which we were subjected, and which tended to produce pain and death. It does not mean that Christians are freed from it as a rule of duty.

That being dead - Margin, “Being dead to that.” There is a variation here in the manuscripts. Some read it, as in the text, as if the Law was dead; others, as in the margin. as if we were dead. The majority is in favor of the reading as in the margin; and the connection requires us to understand it in this sense. So the Syriac, the Arabic, the Vulgate, AEthiopic. The sentiment here, that we are dead to the Law, is what is expressed in Romans 7:4.

Wherein we were held - That is, as captives, or as slaves. We were held in bondage to it; Romans 7:1.

That we should serve - That we may now serve or obey God.

In newness of spirit - In a new spirit; or in a new and spiritual manner. This is a form of expression implying,

  1. That their service under the gospel was to be of a new kind, differing from that under the former dispensation.

(2)That it was to be of a spiritual nature, as distinguished from that practiced by the Jews; compare 2 Corinthians 3:6; Note, Romans 2:28-29.

The worship required under the gospel is uniformly described as that of the spirit and the heart, rather than that of form and ceremony; John 4:23, “The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; Philippians 3:3.

And not in the oldness of the letter - Not in the old letter. It is implied here in this,

  1. That the form of worship here described pertained to an old dispensation that had now passed away; and,
  2. That that was a worship that was in the letter.

To understand this, it is necessary to remember that the Law which prescribed the forms of worship among the Jews, was regarded by the apostle as destitute of that efficacy and power in renewing the heart which he attributed to the gospel. It was a service consisting in external forms and ceremonies; in the offering of sacrifices and of incense, according to the literal requirements of the Law rather than the sincere offering of the heart; 2 Corinthians 3:6, “The letter killeth; the spirit giveth life;” John 6:63; Hebrews 10:1-4; Hebrews 9:9-10. It is not to be denied that there were many holy persons under the Law, and that there were many spiritual offerings presented, but it is at the same time true that the great mass of the people rested in the mere form; and that the service offered was the mere service of the letter, and not of the heart. The main idea is, that the services under the gospel are purely and entirely spiritual, the offering of the heart, and not the service rendered by external forms and rites.

(But the contrast here is not between services required under the legal and gospel dispensations respectively, but between service yielded in the opposite states of nature and grace. In the former state, we are “under the law” though we live in gospel times, and in the latter, we are “delivered from the law” as a covenant of works, or of life, just as pious Jews might be though they lived under the dispensation of Moses. The design of God in delivering us from the Law, is, that we might “serve him in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter,” that is, in such a spiritual way as the new state requires, and from such spiritual motives and aids as it furnishes; and not in the manner we were accustomed to do, under our old condition of subjection to the Law, in which we could yield only an external and forced obedience. “It is evident,” says Prof. Hodge that the clause “in the oldness of the letter is substituted by the apostle, for ‘under the law’ and ‘in the flesh;’ all which he uses to describe the legal and corrupt condition of people, prior to the believing reception of the gospel.”)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 7:6. But now we are delivered from the law — We, who have believed in Christ Jesus, are delivered from that yoke by which we were bound, which sentenced every transgressor to perdition, but provided no pardon even for the penitent, and no sanctification for those who are weary of their inbred corruptions.

That being dead wherein we were held — To us believers in Christ this commandment is abrogated; we are transferred to another constitution; that law which kills ceases to bind us; it is dead to us who have believed in Christ Jesus, who is the end of the law for justification and salvation to every one that believes.

That we should serve in newness of spirit — We are now brought under a more spiritual dispensation; now we know the spiritual import of all the Mosaic precepts. We see that the law referred to the Gospel, and can only be fulfilled by the Gospel.

The oldness of the letter. — The merely literal rites, ceremonies, and sacrifices are now done away; and the newness of the spirit, the true intent and meaning of all are now fully disclosed; so that we are got from an imperfect state into a state of perfection and excellence. We sought justification and sanctification, pardon and holiness, by the law, and have found that the law could not give them: we have sought these in the Gospel scheme, and we have found them. We serve God now, not according to the old literal sense, but in the true spiritual meaning.


 
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