Romans 7:13 · Bible study
Romans 7:13 Commentary: Sin Exposed Through the Good Law
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul defends the law as holy and good, showing that sin uses the commandment to produce death and reveal its own exceeding evil.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The good law is not the cause of death; sin exploits it to reveal its own exceeding evil.
- Key words: “sin” (hamartia) as an active power; “exceeding sinful” (kath’ huperbolēn hamartōlos) beyond measure.
- Main debate: Does the law merely reveal sin or also provoke it? Commentators hold both, emphasizing its role in stirring up dormant sin.
- Theological theme: The elenctic (convicting) use of the law, which drives sinners to Christ.
- Best use: In evangelism and self-examination, showing that we need rescue not from the law but from the sin it exposes.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Certainly not! But in order that sin might be exposed as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, was producing death in me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful.
KJV King James Version 1769
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Did then that which is good become death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good;—that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
That which is good then, to me hath it become death? let it not be! but the sin, that it might appear sin, through the good, working death to me, that the sin might become exceeding sinful through the command,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Did then that which is good become death to me? Far be the thought. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death to me by that which is good; in order that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Was that then which is good made death unto me? God forbid! But sin, that it may appear sin, by that which is good, wrought death in me: that sin, by the commandment, might become sinful above measure.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¿ Luego lo que es bueno, á mí me es hecho muerte? No; sino que el pecado, para mostrarse pecado, por lo bueno me obró la muerte, haciéndose pecado sobremanera|strong="G2596, G5236" pecante por el mandamiento.
Então o que é bom se tornou para mim morte? De maneira nenhuma! Mas foi o pecado, para que se mostrasse como pecado, que operou a morte em mim por meio do bem, a fim de que, por meio do mandamento, o pecado se tornasse excessivamente pecaminoso.
Ce qui est bon a-t-il donc été pour moi une cause de mort? Loin de là! Mais c’ est le péché, afin qu’ il se manifestât comme péché en me donnant la mort par ce qui est bon, et que, par le commandement, il devînt condamnable au plus haut point.
Ist denn, das da gut ist, mir zum Tod geworden? Das sei ferne! Aber die Sünde, auf daß sie erscheine, wie sie Sünde ist, hat sie mir durch das Gute den Tod gewirkt, auf daß die Sünde würde überaus sündig durchs Gebot.
Is dan het goede mij de dood geworden? Dat zij verre. Maar de zonde is mij de dood geworden; opdat zij zou openbaar worden zonde te zijn; werkende mij door het goede den dood; opdat de zonde boven mate werd zondigende door het gebod.
Ciò che è buono diventò dunque morte per me? Così non sia; ma è il peccato che m’è divenuto morte, onde si palesasse come peccato, cagionandomi la morte mediante ciò che è buono; affinché, per mezzo del comandamento, il peccato diventasse estremamente peccante.
To tedy dobre stałoż mi się śmiercią? Nie daj tego Boże! I owszem grzech, aby się pokazał być grzechem, sprawił mi śmierć przez dobre, żeby się stał nader grzeszącym on grzech przez ono przykazanie.
Итак, неужели доброе сделалось мне смертоносным? Никак; но грех, оказывающийся грехом потому, что посредством доброго причиняет мне смерть, так что грех становится крайне грешен посредством заповеди.
既然如此，那良善的 是叫 我 死嗎？斷乎不是！叫我死的乃是 罪。但罪藉著 那良善的 叫 我 死，就 顯出 真是罪，叫 罪 因著 誡命 更顯出是 惡 極了。
Was then that which is good, death to me? In no way. But the purpose was that sin might be seen to be sin by working death to me through that which is good; so that through the orders of the law sin might seem much more evil.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Romans 7:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Paul is not blaming the law for death. The verse answers a potential objection: if the law is good (v.12), can it bring death? Paul denies this emphatically: “May it never be!” As Adam Clarke notes, the law was given “that sin might appear, might be set forth in its own colors.” Barnes argues that sin “might develop its true nature,” while Calvin writes that the law shows “the enormity of sin.” The law itself is holy, but sin uses it as an instrument. The Greek purpose clause hina phanēi hamartia (in order that sin might be shown to be sin) indicates God’s design to expose sin. The concluding phrase kath’ huperbolēn hamartōlos (“exceeding sinful”) is, as Vincent points out, an adverbial phrase meaning “according to excess,” driving home that sin’s true character emerges fully only when confronted by the commandment. Sin works death, but the law is not the cause; it is the stage on which sin’s corruption becomes unmistakable.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The law is good and not to blame for death; sin is the active agent that uses the commandment to produce death and reveal its own exceeding evil.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The blame for death | Christians agree that the law is not the cause of death; sin is the responsible agent. | Some traditions emphasize the law as an instrument that sin uses, while others focus on the law's power to provoke sin (e.g., stirring up covetousness). Both agree the law remains holy. |
| The purpose of the law | All affirm that the law exposes and reveals sin's true nature. | The debate concerns whether this is the law's primary function or if it also provides a rule of life for believers (tertius usus legis). |
| The phrase 'exceedingly sinful' | The phrase kath' huperbolēn hamartōlos conveys an extreme degree of sinfulness. | Some interpret this as subjective awareness (the sinner recognizes sin's depth), others as objective guilt (sin's actual heinousness). Both are held within orthodox Christianity. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul is in the middle of a sustained defense of the law. In Romans 7, he anticipates a charge that his gospel undermines the law. A Jewish objector might reason: if the law brings death (v.10), it cannot be good. Paul counters by distinguishing the law from sin. This verse sits after his declaration that the law is “holy, just, and good” (v.12). The immediate context shows sin using the commandment as an occasion (v.8, 11), awakening dormant covetousness. In Jewish thought, the law was life-giving (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). But Paul’s own experience as a Pharisee taught him that the law, through human weakness, becomes an occasion for sin. The phrase “through the commandment” recalls the tenth commandment, “You shall not covet,” which stirred up rather than quelled desire. The cultural background includes the belief that sin is an active, enslaving power (v.14). This was not a Jewish doctrine in the same form; Paul develops it to explain why the law cannot justify. The verse also anticipates Romans 8:3, where God does what the law could not do: condemn sin in the flesh. The purpose of the law, then, is not to bring death but to reveal sin for what it is, a malignant force that turns good into poison. This prepares the reader for the need for a Savior.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Romans 7:13. The Greek text is well established, and the few minor manuscript differences do not affect the meaning.
Reception History
This verse has played a central role in Christian teaching on the purpose of the law. Early church fathers like Augustine used it to argue that the law cannot justify and that its role is to convict of sin. In the Reformation, Luther and Calvin drew on it to articulate the distinction between law and gospel. The verse has been cited in Reformed confessions regarding the “third use of the law” and in Methodist theology as a basis for preaching the law to awaken repentance. Across traditions, it remains a key text for understanding why God gave a holy law to sinful people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The law is not the problem, sin is. Paul rejects the idea that the good law becomes death. The blame lies with sin, which uses the law as a weapon.
- The law exposes sin’s true nature. The first purpose clause shows that sin must be revealed as sin. The law is the spotlight.
- The law makes sin “exceedingly sinful.” The second purpose clause shows that sin becomes even more clearly evil through the commandment. The law does not create sin; it magnifies its guilt.
Five-point outline
- Paul raises the objection: does good become death?
- He responds with strong denial: “May it never be!”
- He identifies sin as the active agent that works death.
- The law functions as the instrument through which sin does its deadly work.
- The double purpose: sin is exposed as sin, and sin is seen as exceedingly sinful.
Illustration hooks
- A medical test: A scan does not cause cancer; it reveals it. The law is like the scan, showing the disease that is already there.
- A speed limit sign: It does not create the urge to speed, but it often provokes rebellion in a lawless heart.
- A mirror: Shows the dirt on your face but does not put it there. The law mirrors the soul’s condition.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “If reading the Bible makes me feel condemned, is that God’s fault?”
- “Why does God give commands He knows I cannot keep?”
- “What is the point of the law if it only shows me how sinful I am?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse defends the law from the charge that it causes death. Paul shows that sin is the real culprit, and the law is the instrument God uses to expose sin’s hideous nature. As you discuss, help the group see both the law’s goodness and sin’s true character.
Discussion questions
- Read Romans 7:13. What objection is Paul answering, and how does he frame it?
- Why does Paul use such a strong denial (“May it never be!”)? What does that tell you about his view of the law?
- What does it mean for sin to “appear sin” through the law? How does the law reveal what sin really is?
- How does sin “work death” through something good (the law)? Can you think of examples where good things are twisted into harmful ones?
- What difference does it make to know that the law is holy, just, and good, even when it condemns us?
- How does this verse help you understand the purpose of God’s commands in your life?
- In what way does this passage point ahead to the gospel solution in Romans 8?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Romans 5:20 | The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly, |
| Romans 7:8 | But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead. |
| Romans 7:11 | for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. |
| Romans 8:3 | For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, |
| Galatians 3:21 | Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law. |
| James 1:13 | Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. |
| James 1:15 | Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that the law's purpose is not to make a person holy but to expose sin's true, deadly nature. By confronting a person's conscience, the commandment stirs up dormant sin and reveals it as radically evil, so that a person can no longer deceive themselves about their condition.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator insists that the law itself is good and not the cause of death. Sin is the agent that seizes the holy commandment as an opportunity, thereby revealing its own true character as utterly sinful. The law’s sacredness actually magnifies the evil of the sin that perverts it.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The notes stress that the law itself is good and did not cause death. Instead, sin hijacked the good commandment to produce death, and in doing so sin was fully exposed and shown to be exceedingly sinful. The law's role is to reveal sin's true, terrible character.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists that the law is not the cause of death; sin is. The law only serves as an occasion that sin seizes, working death in the conscience to reveal sin's true nature. This shows that sin, not the good law, is the source of death and is made to appear exceeding sinful.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek phrase translated as "exceeding" literally means "according to excess." The noun behind it, hyperbole, means a casting beyond, and the English word hyperbole is a direct transcription of it.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley insists the good law itself did not cause death; sin used the law to produce death. The commandment did not create sin but exposed and inflamed the inbred sin already present, making it far more sinful and the guilt far greater.