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New Living Translation

Romans 7:4

So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Death;   Fellowship;   Holiness;   Justification;   Law;   Righteousness;   Scofield Reference Index - Bride;   Flesh;   Law of Moses;   Thompson Chain Reference - Church;   Fruit, Spiritual;   Fruitfulness;   Fruitfulness-Unfruitfulness;   Union with Christ;   The Topic Concordance - Law;   Resurrection;   Service;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Church, the;   Dead, the;   Law of God, the;   Law of Moses, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Law;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Adultery;   Divorce;   Freedom;   Law;   Paul;   Resurrection;   Self-discipline;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Flesh;   James, Theology of;   Kill, Killing;   Rome;   Sanctification;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Law;   Sin;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Fruit;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Law;   Nail;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Body;   Lawgiver;   Romans, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Justification, Justify;   Romans, Epistle to the;   Thessalonians, Second Epistle to the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Brotherly Love;   Cross, Cross-Bearing;   Fruit;   Justification;   Law;   Regeneration;   Sacrifice (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Antinomians;   Righteousness;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Marriage;   Wedding;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   Law of Moses, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Law in the New Testament;   Pauline Theology;   Salvation;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for September 15;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
In the same way, my brothers and sisters, your old selves died and you became free from the law through the body of Christ. Now you belong to someone else. You belong to the one who was raised from death. We belong to Christ so that we can be used in service to God.
Revised Standard Version
Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Even so ye my brethren are deed concerninge the lawe by the body of Christ yt ye shuld be coupled to another (I meane to him that is rysen agayne fro deeth) that we shuld bringe forth frute vnto God.
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Messiah, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.
International Standard Version
In the same way, my brothers, through Christ's body you also died as far as the law is concerned, so that you may belong to another person, the one who was raised from the dead, and may bear fruit for God.Romans 8:2; Galatians 2:19; Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death in regard to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
New Century Version
In the same way, my brothers and sisters, your old selves died, and you became free from the law through the body of Christ. This happened so that you might belong to someone else—the One who was raised from the dead—and so that we might be used in service to God.
Update Bible Version
Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that you should be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 to God.
English Standard Version
Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.
World English Bible
Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Thus ye also, my brethren, are dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye might be married to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we may bring forth fruit to God.
Weymouth's New Testament
So, my brethren, to you also the Law died through the incarnation of Christ, that you might be wedded to Another, namely to Him who rose from the dead in order that we might yield fruit to God.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And so, my britheren, ye ben maad deed to the lawe bi the bodi of Crist, that ye ben of another, that roos ayen fro deth, that ye bere fruyt to God.
English Revised Version
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
Berean Standard Bible
Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
Contemporary English Version
That is how it is with you, my friends. You are now part of the body of Christ and are dead to the power of the Law. You are free to belong to Christ, who was raised to life so that we could serve God.
Amplified Bible
Therefore, my fellow believers, you too died to the Law through the [crucified] body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.
American Standard Version
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
Bible in Basic English
In the same way, my brothers, you were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, even to him who came again from the dead, so that we might give fruit to God.
Complete Jewish Bible
Thus, my brothers, you have been made dead with regard to the Torah through the Messiah's body, so that you may belong to someone else, namely, the one who has been raised from the dead, in order for us to bear fruit for God.
Darby Translation
So that, my brethren, *ye* also have been made dead to the law by the body of the Christ, to be to another, who has been raised up from among [the] dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
Etheridge Translation
And now, my brethren, you also are dead to the law, through the body of the Meshiha, that you should be married to another, (namely, to) him who rose from the dead, that you may render fruit unto Aloha.
Murdock Translation
And now, my brethren, ye also have become dead to the law, by the body of Messiah; that ye might be joined to another, [fn] to him who arose from the dead; and might yield fruits unto God.
King James Version (1611)
Wherefore my brethren, yee also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, euen to him who is raised from the dead, that wee should bring forth fruit vnto God,
New Life Bible
My Christian brothers, that is the way it is with you. You were under the power of the Law. But now you are dead to it because you are joined to another. You are joined to Christ Who was raised from the dead. This is so we may be what God wants us to be. Our lives are to give fruit for Him.
New Revised Standard
In the same way, my friends, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So yee, my brethren, are dead also to the Law by ye body of Christ, yt ye should be vnto an other, euen vnto him yt is raised vp from the dead, that we should bring foorth fruite vnto God.
George Lamsa Translation
Wherefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that you might become another''s, even to him who arose from the dead, so that you may bring forth fruit to God.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So, then, my brethren, ye also, were made dead unto the law through the body of the Christ, to the end ye might become another's - his who from among the dead was raised, in order that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law, by the body of Christ: that you may belong to another, who is risen again from the dead that we may bring forth fruit to God.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Euen so, ye also my brethren, are dead concernyng the lawe by the body of Christe, that ye shoulde be coupled to another, who is raysed from the dead, that we shoulde bryng foorth fruite vnto God.
Good News Translation
That is how it is with you, my friends. As far as the Law is concerned, you also have died because you are part of the body of Christ; and now you belong to him who was raised from death in order that we might be useful in the service of God.
Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death in relation to the law through the body of Christ so that you may belong to another. You belong to him who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
So then, my brothers, you also were brought to death with respect to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.
Literal Translation
So that, my brothers, you also were made dead to the Law through the body of Christ, for you to become Another's, to the One raised from the dead, so that we may bear fruit to God.
Young's Literal Translation
So that, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of the Christ, for your becoming another's, who out of the dead was raised up, that we might bear fruit to God;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Euen so my brethren, ye also are deed vnto the lawe by the body of Christ, that ye shulde be with another (namely wt him which is raysed vp from the deed) that we shulde brynge forth frute vnto God.
Mace New Testament (1729)
thus, my brethren, the law is become dead with respect to you by the body of Christ; that you might be subject to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
THE MESSAGE
So, my friends, this is something like what has taken place with you. When Christ died he took that entire rule-dominated way of life down with him and left it in the tomb, leaving you free to "marry" a resurrection life and bear "offspring" of faith for God. For as long as we lived that old way of life, doing whatever we felt we could get away with, sin was calling most of the shots as the old law code hemmed us in. And this made us all the more rebellious. In the end, all we had to show for it was miscarriages and stillbirths. But now that we're no longer shackled to that domineering mate of sin, and out from under all those oppressive regulations and fine print, we're free to live a new life in the freedom of God.
New English Translation
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God.
New King James Version
Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another--to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
Simplified Cowboy Version
So, let's see how you're following along. You have died with Christ and so you are no longer under the Code.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
Legacy Standard Bible
So, my brothers, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

Contextual Overview

1 Now, dear brothers and sisters—you who are familiar with the law—don't you know that the law applies only while a person is living? 2 For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. 3 So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries. 4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye also: Romans 7:6, Romans 6:14, Romans 8:2, Galatians 2:19, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 3:13, Galatians 5:18, Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:14, Colossians 2:20

the body: Matthew 26:26, John 6:51, 1 Corinthians 10:16, Hebrews 10:10, 1 Peter 2:24

that ye: Psalms 45:10-15, Isaiah 54:5, Isaiah 62:5, Hosea 2:19, Hosea 2:20, John 3:29, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:23-27, Revelation 19:7, Revelation 21:9

that we: Romans 6:22, Psalms 45:16, John 15:8, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Philippians 1:11, Philippians 4:17, Colossians 1:6, Colossians 1:10

Reciprocal: Song of Solomon 7:2 - thy belly Song of Solomon 8:5 - there she Ezekiel 23:4 - they were Mark 4:20 - which Luke 8:15 - bring Luke 20:10 - sent John 15:5 - same Romans 6:7 - For he Romans 7:9 - and I died 1 Corinthians 6:13 - but for Galatians 3:25 - we Colossians 1:22 - the body Colossians 2:12 - wherein 1 Peter 4:2 - no

Cross-References

Genesis 2:5
neither wild plants nor grains were growing on the earth. For the Lord God had not yet sent rain to water the earth, and there were no people to cultivate the soil.
Genesis 6:3
Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years."
Genesis 6:7
And the Lord said, "I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them."
Genesis 6:13
So God said to Noah, "I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!
Genesis 6:17
"Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die.
Genesis 7:10
After seven days, the waters of the flood came and covered the earth.
Genesis 7:11
When Noah was 600 years old, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the underground waters erupted from the earth, and the rain fell in mighty torrents from the sky.
Genesis 7:12
The rain continued to fall for forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:17
For forty days the floodwaters grew deeper, covering the ground and lifting the boat high above the earth.
Genesis 7:21
All the living things on earth died—birds, domestic animals, wild animals, small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the people.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also,.... Here the apostle accommodates the foregoing instance and example to the case in hand, showing, that the saints were not under the law, the power and dominion of it; since that, as when a man is dead, the woman is loosed from that law by which she was bound whilst he lived, that she may lawfully marry another man, and bear children to him without the imputation of adultery; so believers being dead to the law, and the law dead to them, which is all one, they are loosed from it, and may be, and are lawfully married to Christ, that they may bring forth the genuine fruits of good works, not in order to obtain righteousness and life by them, but for the honour and glory of God; in which account may be observed, an assertion that the saints and children of God

are become dead to the law, and that to them, as in Romans 7:6, and can have no more power over them than a law can have over dead persons, or a dead abrogated law can have over living ones. They are represented as "dead to sin", and "dead with Christ", Romans 6:2; and here, "dead to the law", as in Galatians 2:19, and consequently cannot be under it; are out of the reach of its power and government, since that only has dominion over a man as long as be lives the law is dead to them; it has no power over them, to threaten and terrify them into obedience to it; nor even rigorously to exact it, or command it in a compulsory way; nor is there any need of all this, since believers delight in it after the inward man, and serve it with their minds freely and willingly; the love of Christ, and not the terrors of the law, constrains them to yield a cheerful obedience to it; it has no power to charge and accuse them, curse or condemn them, or minister death unto them, no, not a corporeal one, as a penal evil, and much less an eternal one. And the way and means by which they become dead to the law, and that to them is,

by the body of Christ; not by Christ, as the body or substance of the ceremonial law; see Colossians 2:17; since that is not singly designed, but the whole law of Moses; but by "the body of Christ", is either meant Christ himself, Hebrews 10:10, or rather the human nature of Christ, Hebrews 10:5, in which the law meets with every thing it can require and demand, as holiness of nature, which is the saints' sanctification in Christ; obedience of life, which is their righteousness; and sufferings of death, which is the penalty the law enjoins, whereby full expiation of sin is made, complete pardon is procured, and eternal redemption obtained; so that the law has nothing more to demand; its mouth is stopped, it is not in its power to curse and damn believers, they are dead to that, and that to them: the reason why the law is become so to them, and they to that, is,

that ye should be married to another; or "that ye should be to another", or "be another's"; that is, that ye should appear to be so in a just and legal way; for they were another's, they were Christ's before by the Father's gift, and were secretly married to him in the everlasting covenant, before he assumed their nature, and in the body of his flesh bore their sins, satisfied law and justice, paid their debts, and so freed them from the power of the law, its curse and condemnation, or any obligation to punishment; all which was done in consequence of his interest in them, and their marriage relation to him; but here respect is had to their open marriage to him in time, the day of their espousals in conversion; to make way for which, the law, their former husband, must be dead, and they dead to that, that so their marriage to Christ might appear lawful and justifiable; who is very fitly described by him,

who is raised from the dead; and is a living husband, and will ever continue so, will never die more; and therefore as the saints can never be loosed from the marriage bond of union between Christ and them, so they can never be loosed from the law of this husband; wherefore though they are dead to the law as a covenant of works, and as ministered by Moses, and are free from any obligation to it, as so considered, yet they are "under the law to Christ", 1 Corinthians 9:21; under obligation, by the ties of love, to obedience to it, and shall never be loosed from it. The end of being dead to the law, and of being married to Christ, is,

that we should bring forth fruit unto God. The allusion is to children being called "the fruit of the womb", Psalms 127:3, and here designs good works, the fruits of righteousness, which are brought forth by persons espoused to Christ, under the influence of the Spirit and grace of God; and they are "unto God", that is, for the honour and glory of God; meaning either Christ the husband of believers, who is God over all blessed for ever; or God the Father, to whose praise and glory they are by Christ; and which is a reason and argument which strongly excites and encourages the saints to the performance of them: and let it be observed, that as children begotten and born in lawful marriage are only true and legitimate, and all before marriage are spurious and illegitimate; so such works only are the true and genuine fruits of righteousness, which are in consequence of a marriage relation to Christ; are done in faith, spring from love, and are directed to the glory of God; and all others, which are done before marriage to Christ, and without faith in him, are like spurious and illegitimate children.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore - This verse contains an application of the illustration in the two preceding. The idea there is, that death dissolves a connection from which obligation resulted. This is the single point of the illustration, and consequently there is no need of inquiring whether by the wife the apostle meant to denote the old man, or the Christian, etc. The meaning is, as death dissolves the connection between a wife and her husband, and of course the obligation of the law resulting from that connection, so the death of the Christian to the Law dissolves that connection, so far as the scope of the argument here is concerned, and prepares the way for another union, a union with Christ, from which a new and more efficient obligation results. The design is to show that the new connection would accomplish more important effects than the old.

Ye also are become dead to the law - Notes, Romans 6:3-4, Romans 6:8. The connection between us and the Law is dissolved, so far as the scope of the apostle’s argument is concerned. He does not say that we are dead to it, or released from it as a rule of duty, or as a matter of obligation to obey it; for there neither is, nor can be, any such release, but we are dead to it as a way of justification and sanctification. In the great matter of acceptance with God, we have ceased to rely on the Law, having become dead to it, and having embraced another plan.

By the body of Christ - That is, by his body crucified; or in other words, by his death; compare Ephesians 2:15, “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,” etc. that is, by his death. Colossians 1:22, “in the body of his flesh through death,” etc. Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24, “who bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” The sense, is, therefore, that by the death of Christ as an atoning sacrifice; by his suffering for us what would be sufficient to meet the demands of the Law; by his taking our place, he has released us from the Law as a way of justification; freed us from its penalty; and saved us from its curse. Thus released, we are at liberty to be united to the law of him who has thus bought us with his blood.

That ye should be married to another - That you might be united to another, and come under his law. This is the completion of the illustration in Romans 7:2-3. As the woman that is freed from the law of her husband by his death, when married again comes under the authority of another, so we who are made free from the Law and its curse by the death of Christ, are brought under the new law of fidelity and obedience to him with whom we are thus united. The union of Christ and his people is not unfrequently illustrated by the most tender of all earthly connections, that of a husband and wife, Ephesians 5:23-30; Revelation 21:9. “I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife,” Revelation 19:7.

Even to him who is raised ... - See the force of this explained, Romans 6:8.

That we should bring forth fruit unto God - That we should live a holy life. This is the point and scope of all this illustration. The new connection is such as will make us holy. It is also implied that the tendency of the Law was only to bring forth fruit unto death Romans 7:5, and that the tendency of the gospel is to make man holy and pure; compare Galatians 5:22-23.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 7:4. Wherefore, my brethren — This is a parallel case. You were once under the law of Moses, and were bound by its injunctions; but now ye are become dead to that law - a modest, inoffensive mode of speech, for, The law, which was once your husband, is dead; God has determined that it shall be no longer in force; so that now, as a woman whose husband is dead is freed from the law of that husband, or from her conjugal vow, and may legally be married to another, so God, who gave the law under which ye have hitherto lived, designed that it should be in force only till the advent of the Messiah; that advent has taken place, the law has consequently ceased, and now ye are called to take on you the yoke of the Gospel, and lay down the yoke of the law; and it is the design of God that you should do so.

That ye should be married to another - who is raised from the dead — As Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, the object of God in giving the law was to unite you to Christ; and, as he has died, he has not only abolished that law which condemns every transgressor to death, without any hope of a revival, but he has also made that atonement for sin, by his own death, which is represented in the sacrifices prescribed by the law. And as Jesus Christ is risen again from the dead, he has thereby given the fullest proof that by his death he has procured the resurrection of mankind, and made that atonement required by the law. That we should bring forth fruit unto God - we, Jews, who believe in Christ, have, in consequence of our union with him, received the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit; so that we bring forth that fruit of holiness unto God which, without this union, it would be impossible for us to produce. Here is a delicate allusion to the case of a promising and numerous progeny from a legitimate and happy marriage.


 
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