The Meaning of Romans 7:13 Explained

Romans 7:13

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Romans 7:13 Mean?

Study Notes

sin/sinful
Sin.
grace
Grace (in salvation). ( Romans 5:2 ); ( Romans 5:15-21 ); ( Romans 11:5-6 ); ( Romans 3:24 ).
( See Scofield John 1:17 ).
sin
"Sin" in Romans 6, 7 is the nature in distinction from "sins," which are manifestations of that nature.
Compare ( 1 John 1:8 ) with ( 1 John 1:10 ), where this distinction also appears.
grace
Grace (in salvation). ( Romans 5:2 ); ( Romans 5:15-21 ); ( Romans 11:5-6 ); ( Romans 3:24 ).
( See Scofield John 1:17 ).

Verse Meaning

Paul next explained the Law"s relationship to death. The responsibility for death belongs to sin, not the Law (cf. Romans 6:23). Sin"s use of something good, the Law, to bring death shows its utter sinfulness (cf. Genesis 3:1).

Context Summary

Romans 7:1-13 - The Law Makes Sin Known
To make his meaning clear the Apostle now enters upon a parable drawn from domestic life. He says that we are married to the Law as our first husband, and seek, through union with it, to bring forth fruit unto God. Every convert earnestly endeavors, in the first impulse of the new life, to be good and to form, by incessant effort, a life that is pleasing to God. Like Cain we bring the fruit of the ground, extorted from the soil by the sweat of the brow.
But we are soon disappointed in the result. Our laborious care ends in failure. Sinful desires are too masterful. As Luther said, "The old Adam is too strong for the young Melanchthon." Then we see that the Cross has put death between us and our painful effort. We learn that the marriage contract which bound us to our first husband, the Law, has been dissolved. We are set free to enter into marriage union with the blessed Lord, and He, by His indwelling Spirit, effects in us what our own energies have failed to produce. We are joined to Him that was raised up from the dead, and bring forth fruit unto God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 7

1  No law has power over a man longer than he lives
4  But we are dead to the law
7  Yet is not the law sin;
12  but holy, just and good;
16  as I acknowledge, who am grieved because I cannot keep it

Greek Commentary for Romans 7:13

Become death unto me? [εμοι εγενετο τανατοσ]
Ethical dative εμοι — emoi again. New turn to the problem. Admitting the goodness of God‘s law, did it issue in death for me? Paul repels (μη γενοιτο — mē genoito) this suggestion. It was sin that (But sin, αλλα η αμαρτια — alla hē hamartia) “became death for me.” [source]
That it might be shown [ινα πανηι]
Final clause, ινα — hina and second aorist passive subjunctive of παινω — phainō to show. The sinfulness of sin is revealed in its violations of God‘s law. By working death to me (μοι κατεργαζομενη τανατον — moi katergazomenē thanaton). Present middle participle, as an incidental result. Might become exceedingly sinful Second aorist middle subjunctive of γινομαι — ginomai with ινα — hina in final clause. On κατ υπερβολην — kath' huperbolēn see note on 1 Corinthians 12:31. Our hyperbole is the Greek υπερβολη — huperbolē The excesses of sin reveal its real nature. Only then do some people get their eyes opened. [source]
By working death to me [μοι κατεργαζομενη τανατον]
Present middle participle, as an incidental result. [source]
Might become exceedingly sinful [γενηται κατ υπερβολην αμαρτωλος]
Second aorist middle subjunctive of γινομαι — ginomai with ινα — hina in final clause. On κατ υπερβολην — kath' huperbolēn see note on 1 Corinthians 12:31. Our hyperbole is the Greek υπερβολη — huperbolē The excesses of sin reveal its real nature. Only then do some people get their eyes opened. [source]
Exceeding [καθ ' ὑπερβολὴν]
An adverbial phrase. Lit., according to excess. The noun ὑπερβολή means a casting beyond. The English hyperbole is a transcription. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 7:13

Romans 9:11 Purpose according to election [ἡ κατ ' ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις]
For πρόθεσις purposesee on the kindred verb προέθετο , Romans 3:25, and compare Romans 8:28. The phrase signifies a purpose so formed that in it an election was made. The opposite of one founded upon right or merit. For similar phrases see Acts 19:20; κατὰ κράτος accordingto might, mightily; Romans 7:13, καθ ' ὑπερβολὴν accordingto excess, exceedingly. See note. [source]
Romans 7:24 Out of the body of this death [εκ του σωματος του τανατου τουτου]
So the order of words demands. See Romans 7:13 for “death” which finds a lodgment in the body (Lightfoot). If one feels that Paul has exaggerated his own condition, he has only to recall 1 Timothy 1:15 when he describes himself a chief of sinners. He dealt too honestly with himself for Pharisaic complacency to live long. [source]
2 Corinthians 4:7 Excellency [ὑπερβολὴ]
Lit., a throwing beyond. Hence preeminence, excellence. See on exceeding, Romans 7:13. Rev. renders exceeding greatness. The reference is to the fullness of power apparent in the apostolic ministry. [source]
Galatians 3:19 Because of transgressions [τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν]
In order to set upon already existing sins the stamp of positive transgression of law. Comp. Romans 4:5; Romans 5:13. Note the article, the transgressions, summing them up in one mass. Not, in order to give the knowledge of sins. This, it is true, would follow the revelation of sins as transgressions of law (Romans 3:20; Romans 7:13); but, 1. the phrase because of transgressions does not express that thought with sufficient definiteness. If that had been his meaning, Paul would probably have written τῆς ἀπιγνώσεως τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν onaccount of the knowledge of transgressions. 2. He meant to describe the office of the law as more than giving the knowledge of sins. Its office was, in revealing sin as positive transgression, to emphasize the objective, actual, contrary fact of righteousness according to the divine ideal, and to throw sin into contrast with that grand ideal. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 7:13 mean?

That which then [is] good to me has become death Never may it be But - sin in order that it might be shown to be through that which [is] good to me is working out death so that might become beyond excess sinful the commandment
Τὸ οὖν ἀγαθὸν ἐμοὶ ἐγένετο θάνατος μὴ γένοιτο ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτία ἵνα φανῇ διὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μοι κατεργαζομένη θάνατον ἵνα γένηται καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν ἁμαρτωλὸς τῆς ἐντολῆς

Τὸ  That  which 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀγαθὸν  [is]  good 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἀγαθός 
Sense: of good constitution or nature.
ἐμοὶ  to  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἐγένετο  has  become 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
θάνατος  death 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θάνατος 
Sense: the death of the body.
μὴ  Never 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μή 
Sense: no, not lest.
γένοιτο  may  it  be 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Optative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἁμαρτία  sin 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἁμαρτία  
Sense: equivalent to 264.
ἵνα  in  order  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
φανῇ  it  might  be  shown  to  be 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φαίνω  
Sense: to bring forth into the light, cause to shine, shed light.
διὰ  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
τοῦ  that  which  [is] 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀγαθοῦ  good 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ἀγαθός 
Sense: of good constitution or nature.
μοι  to  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
κατεργαζομένη  is  working  out 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: κατεργάζομαι  
Sense: to perform, accomplish, achieve.
θάνατον  death 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: θάνατος 
Sense: the death of the body.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
γένηται  might  become 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
καθ’  beyond 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
ὑπερβολὴν  excess 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ὑπερβολή  
Sense: a throwing beyond.
ἁμαρτωλὸς  sinful 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἁμαρτωλός  
Sense: devoted to sin, a sinner.
ἐντολῆς  commandment 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἐντολή  
Sense: an order, command, charge, precept, injunction.

What are the major concepts related to Romans 7:13?

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