Romans 7:5 · Bible study
Romans 7:5 Commentary: Study: Sinful Passions, the Law, and Death
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Romans 7:5: Being 'in the flesh' means sinful passions, aroused by the law, work in our bodies to bring fruit to death.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul describes the unregenerate condition where the law of God, instead of producing holiness, stirs up sinful passions that lead to death.
- Key words: 'in the flesh' (σάρξ), human nature in rebellion; 'passions' (παθήματα), stirrings of sin; 'law' (νόμος), the Mosaic law; 'members' (μέλη), body parts as instruments; 'death' (θάνατος), spiritual and eternal death.
- Main debate: Whether 'in the flesh' refers strictly to the unregenerate state or also includes those under the Mosaic system but not regenerate.
- Theological theme: The law's inability to produce righteousness because of the flesh's corruption; the necessity of the Spirit and union with Christ.
- Best use: To help believers understand why legalism fails and to deepen their appreciation for grace; to show the hopelessness of the pre-conversion state.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For when we lived according to the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, bearing fruit for death.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law worked in our members to bring out fruit to death.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for when we were in the flesh, the passions of the sins, that are through the law, were working in our members, to bear fruit to the death;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For when we were in the flesh the passions of sins, which [were] by the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit to death;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque mientras estábamos en la carne, los afectos de los pecados que eran por la ley, obraban en nuestros miembros fructificando|strong="G1519, G2592" para muerte.
Pois, quando estávamos na carne, as paixões dos pecados, que eram pela Lei, operavam nos membros do nosso corpo, a fim de frutificarem para a morte.
Car, lorsque nous étions dans la chair, les passions des péchés provoquées par la loi agissaient dans nos membres, de sorte que nous portions des fruits pour la mort.
Denn da wir im Fleisch waren, da waren die sündigen Lüste, welche durchs Gesetz sich erregten, kräftig in unsern Gliedern, dem Tode Frucht zu bringen.
Want toen wij in het vlees waren, wrochten de bewegingen der zonden, die door de wet zijn, in onze leden, om den dood vruchten te dragen.
Poiché, mentre eravamo nella carne, le passioni peccaminose, destate dalla legge, agivano nelle nostre membra per portar del frutto per la morte;
Albowiem gdyśmy byli w ciele, namiętności grzechów, które się wzniecały przez zakon, mocy dokazywały w członkach naszych ku przynoszeniu owocu śmierci.
Ибо, когда мы жили по плоти, тогда страсти греховные, обнаруживаемые законом, действовали в членах наших, чтобы приносить плод смерти;
因為 我們 屬 肉體 的時候，那 因 律法 而生的惡 慾 就在我們 肢體 中 發動，以致結成 死亡的 果子。
For when we were in the flesh, the evil passions which came into being through the law were working in our bodies to give the fruit of death.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Romans 7:5
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 Romans 7:5 describes the condition of people before they come to faith in Christ. The phrase 'in the flesh' (ἐν τῇ σαρκί) refers to an unregenerate state ruled by corrupt nature, not merely the Mosaic dispensation. As Calvin notes, to be 'in the flesh' means to be without the Spirit of God. The 'passions of sins' (τὰ παθήματα τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν) are sinful propensities or stirrings, as Barnes and Clarke both emphasize. These passions were 'through the law', the law does not create them but provokes and irritates them, like sunlight bringing out foul vapors from a dunghill, as Poole's annotation suggests. The verb 'were at work' (ἐνηργεῖτο) indicates continuous, energetic action. This activity takes place 'in our members,' the body parts used as instruments for sin (see Romans 6:13). The outcome is 'fruit to death', sinful acts that lead to spiritual and eternal death. The consensus is clear: the holy law, when brought into contact with the sinful flesh, cannot produce righteousness; it only stirs up sin and culminates in death. This is the dilemma that only union with Christ can resolve.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- The law actively stirs up rebellious passions: Clarke and others note sin's innate rebellion against prohibition, citing Romans 7:7-8 where the commandment gave sin opportunity.
- The law reveals the inherent corruption of the flesh: Calvin and others emphasize that the law exposes sin's presence and power, showing the flesh's total inability to obey God (Romans 8:7-8).
What is clear: It is undisputed that the holy law is powerless to produce righteous living because the flesh uses it as a springboard for sin; the only remedy is the Spirit's work through union with Christ.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'in the flesh' | All commentators agree it describes an unregenerate state dominated by sinful nature, not merely physical existence. | Some traditions (e.g., Wesleyan) emphasize the carnal mind as a condition even believers must be delivered from; Reformed tradition sees it as the absolute pre-conversion condition. |
| Role of the law in provoking sin | All agree the law does not create sin but arouses and irritates the sinful passions that are already present. | The mechanism: some (e.g., Clarke) stress the rebellious nature of sin that reacts against any prohibition; others (e.g., Calvin) emphasize that the law only works wrath due to the flesh's corruption. |
| The 'members' as instruments | The body and its parts are the tools through which sin acts; this is not a critique of physical existence but of how sin uses the body. | Whether the phrase 'in our members' points to a literal war within the body (Lange) or to the whole person acting out sin (Barnes). |
| The outcome 'death' | Death is the consequence of sin, both spiritual separation from God and ultimately physical death. | Whether death here refers primarily to the condemnation of the law (juridical) or the inherent outcome of sin's nature (organic cause and effect). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul has just used a marriage analogy to argue that believers have died to the law through Christ's body, freeing them to be joined to the risen Christ and bear fruit to God (Romans 7:1-4). Verse 5 now describes the condition before that union. The law in view is primarily the Mosaic law, given to Israel at Sinai. In Jewish tradition, the law was the path to life (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). But Paul, drawing on his own experience and the broader narrative of Genesis, argues that the law cannot bring life because of the flesh, the corrupt human nature inherited from Adam.
The word 'flesh' (σάρξ) does not mean the physical body as evil but refers to human existence marked by sin and separated from God. The 'members' (μέλη) are the parts of the body that sin uses as tools (Romans 6:13). Death here includes both physical death as the consequence of sin and spiritual death, separation from God. The phrase 'bearing fruit to death' deliberately contrasts with 'bearing fruit to God' in verse 4.
The law's role is paradoxical: though holy, it becomes the occasion for sin to express itself more vigorously. This understanding was shaped by Paul's own conversion and his reading of Scripture. Cross-references like Romans 4:15 ('the law produces wrath') and Romans 5:20 (law came to increase trespass) support this. The verse sets up the contrast with verse 6: 'But now we have been discharged from the law.' So the historical context is Paul's careful explanation to the Roman church, a mixed congregation of Jews and Gentiles, that the law's purpose was never to make people holy but to drive them to Christ.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentaries and lexical sources do not mention any significant textual variants for Romans 7:5. The Greek text is stable across the manuscript tradition.
Reception History
This verse has played a key role in Christian soteriology. Early church fathers like Augustine used it in debates with Pelagius to argue that the law only increases sin without grace. During the Reformation, both Luther and Calvin drew on this verse to demonstrate that the law's function is not to justify but to convict of sin. Calvin's commentary specifically highlights the impossibility of the law producing life when the Spirit is absent. In Methodist tradition, Wesley and Clarke apply the verse to the experience of the unconverted and the necessity of the new birth. The verse is also important in contemporary discussions on the relationship between law and gospel, particularly in Lutheran and Reformed circles.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Condition: In the Flesh. Paul describes a state of being dominated by sinful nature, a condition that marks every person before special grace.
- The Catalyst: The Law. The holy law, instead of producing obedience, stirs up the sinful passions. It acts like a map that points to a cliff but cannot stop the fall.
- The Catastrophe: Fruit to Death. The inevitable harvest of the unregenerate life is death, both spiritual separation from God and the final judgment.
Five-Point Outline
- Our Pre-Conversion State. 'When we were in the flesh', not just physically but morally and spiritually under sin's domain.
- The Internal Enemy. Sinful passions (παθήματα) are active propensities, not passive feelings.
- The Unwitting Middleman. The law 'through' which these passions work, the law provokes rebellion by forbidding.
- The Arena. 'Our members', the body and its faculties become instruments for unrighteousness.
- The Outcome. 'Fruit to death', the tragic harvest of a life lived apart from Christ.
Illustration Hooks
- A strict diet that makes a forbidden food almost irresistible: the law's prohibition creates desire.
- A speed limit sign on an empty road that sparks the urge to see how fast you can go: the rule provokes the rebellion.
- A child told not to touch a hot stove who then reaches for it precisely because of the warning: the command does not create the dangerous curiosity but ignites it.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Does this mean the law is bad or that God gave a harmful law?
- How can I know if I am still 'in the flesh' or have been set free by Christ?
- If the law stirs up sin, should Christians ignore the Old Testament law entirely?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows the depth of the human problem: not only are we sinful, but even God's holy law becomes an occasion for more sin. That leaves us with no hope except in Christ. Use these questions to move from observation to application.
Discussion Questions
- According to this verse, what was our condition before Christ? Why does Paul call it 'in the flesh'?
- The passions are said to be 'through the law.' In your own words, how does the law stir up sinful desires? Can you think of a personal example?
- Paul uses agricultural language: 'bringing forth fruit to death.' What does this metaphor suggest about the connection between sin and its consequences?
- Compare this verse with Romans 7:4 ('that we might produce fruit to God'). What is the only way to move from producing fruit to death to producing fruit to God?
- If the law cannot help us produce good fruit, what purpose does it serve in the Christian life? Look at Romans 7:7-12 for clues.
- How does this verse challenge the idea that we can become righteous by our own efforts or by keeping rules?
- What does this verse teach us about our daily dependence on the Spirit and on union with Christ?
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)
| Matthew 15:19 | For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. |
| John 3:6 | That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. |
| Romans 1:26 | For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. |
| Romans 3:20 | Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. |
| Romans 4:15 | For the law produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience. |
| Romans 5:20 | The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly, |
| Romans 6:13 | Also, do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. |
| Romans 6:19 | I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh; for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification. |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that the law does not create sinful passions but stirs up and inflames the corrupt desires already present in human nature. By forbidding their indulgence, it provokes those passions to active rebellion in the body, leading only to death.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that being under the law without the Spirit of Christ does not restrain sin but actually stirs it up, leaving people completely sinful and condemned. Only when Christ frees believers from the law's dominion can righteousness and life follow. The law alone cannot heal human corruption.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary draws a sharp distinction between being "in the flesh" as a pre-conversion state and being merely in the body. To be "in the flesh" means the carnal mind dominates, making the human body a vehicle for sin. The commentator stresses that the law does not create but energizes these sinful passions.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
For when we were in ye flesh, the affections of sinnes, which were by the Law, had force in our members, to bring foorth fruit vnto death.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill clarifies that being "in the flesh" does not mean living under the old covenant, since many under that law were spiritually alive. Instead, it refers to an unregenerate state where sin's inner desires are stirred up and increased by the law's prohibition. The law itself is holy, but human corruption twists it into a trigger for sinful passions.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that the law itself, by prohibiting sin, irritates and stirs up our inward corruption rather than subduing it. In our unregenerate state, these awakened passions work through the body's members to produce actions that yield only death, showing the hopelessness of holy fruit apart from union with Christ.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists the marriage figure is a strict legal analogy, not an allegory. Believers are violently made dead to the law through Christ's body, a death inflicted by the law's own administration. The law remains potent for those still under it, but Christians are liberated into the ever-renewing service of the Spirit.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights a double deliverance: believers are freed not only from the law's curse and condemnation for sin but also from its power to stir up and provoke the sin that lives within them. This twofold release, secured through Christ's death, is why sin should no longer reign.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that being "in the flesh" describes the carnal state before believing in Christ. The law does not cause sin but accidentally stirs it up, and these stirred-up sins then spread throughout every part of a person.