Devine Scripture

Romans 7:11

What does Romans 7:11 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 7:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 7:11 means

“For sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.” Sin deceives—promising satisfaction, freedom, or life—but uses the very command that forbids evil to drive deeper rebellion and to secure condemnation. The law is the tool; sin is the murderer. The deception may whisper that forbidden desire is harmless, or that rule-keeping alone makes one righteous. Either way, the end is death. By speaking of being beguiled and slain, Paul underscores sin’s active malice and our vulnerability. The commandment makes sin’s trap visible; falling into it exposes sin’s power and our need for grace stronger than sin’s deception and guilt.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For I was tricked and put to death by sin, which took its chance through the law.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for the sin, having received an opportunity, through the command, did deceive me, and through it did slay <FI>me<Fi> ;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, seduced me: and by it killed me.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

for sin, getting a point of attack by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew [me].

Context

Verse 11 pinpoints the culprit: not the commandment but sin—deceitful and deadly—operating through the command. With blame assigned, verse 12 will pronounce the law’s goodness as God’s gift. Then verse 13 will address the question of whether the good law caused death. This line of reasoning completes Paul’s defense of the law and his indictment of sin, paving the way for the personal struggle with indwelling sin that he unfolds in verses 14–25.

v.10and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death:

v.11This passage

v.12So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • James 1:26

    If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man’s religion is vain.

  • Jeremiah 17:9

    The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?

  • Romans 7:13

    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.

  • James 1:22

    But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.

  • Romans 7:8

    but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin is dead.

  • Genesis 3:13

    And Jehovah God said unto the woman, What is this thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

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