Devine Scripture

Romans 7:2

What does Romans 7:2 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 7:2 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 7:2 means

Using marriage as a common legal example, Paul notes that a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives. That bond is real, moral, and enforceable. Yet if the husband dies, the law itself recognizes a change of status: she is released from that binding ordinance. Death, therefore, does not disgrace the law; it brings its earlier claim to a rightful close. The picture is not about changing moral standards or minimizing fidelity. Rather, it illustrates how death can legitimately free someone from a previously binding covenant, without faulting the law or the woman for recognizing the new, lawful situation that death creates.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For the woman who has a husband is placed by the law under the power of her husband as long as he is living; but if her husband is dead, she is free from the law of the husband.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for the married woman to the living husband hath been bound by law, and if the husband may die, she hath been free from the law of the husband;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For the woman that hath an husband, whilst her husband liveth is bound to the law. But if her husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For the married woman is bound by law to her husband so long as he is alive; but if the husband should die, she is clear from the law of the husband:

Context

Verse 2 immediately follows the general rule of verse 1 and gives it a concrete shape through a marriage scenario. Paul is not giving a full doctrine of marriage here; he is using a familiar legal case to make a single point about the effect of death. Verse 3 will complete the illustration by contrasting adultery with lawful remarriage in light of death. The illustration stands as a bridge to verse 4, where Paul applies this legal logic to believers’ relationship to the law through the death of Christ and their new union with Him.

v.1Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth?

v.2This passage

v.3So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man.

Cross references

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

  • Genesis 2:23

    And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:4

    The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:39

    A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

  • Numbers 30:7

    and her husband hear it, and hold his peace at her in the day that he heareth it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.

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