Devine Scripture

Romans 7:6

What does Romans 7:6 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 7:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 7:6 means

In contrast to the old state, believers “have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held.” The legal bond that once condemned us is ended by a death—Christ’s death counted as ours. The result is a new service: “so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.” This is not a call to lawlessness but to a transformed, Spirit-empowered obedience that arises from union with Christ. The letter, by itself, commands but cannot enliven; the Spirit renews the heart to love and do God’s will. Freedom from condemnation becomes freedom to truly serve.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

But now we are free from the law, having been made dead to that which had power over us; so that we are servants in the new way of the spirit, not in the old way of the letter.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and now we have ceased from the law, that being dead in which we were held, so that we may serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But now we are loosed from the law of death wherein we were detained; so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

but now we are clear from the law, having died in that in which we were held, so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.

Context

Verse 6 completes the contrast with verse 5 by describing the believer’s new manner of life. With the law’s condemning claim ended through death with Christ, service is now rendered in a new way—animated by the Spirit rather than mere external conformity. This could raise a misunderstanding: if we are discharged from the law, is the law itself bad? Verses 7–13 address this anticipated objection, defending the law’s holiness while explaining how sin misuses the law to produce death, thereby revealing the exceeding sinfulness of sin.

v.5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

v.6This passage

v.7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet:

Cross references

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

  • Galatians 3:13

    Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

  • Philippians 3:3

    for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh:

  • 2 Corinthians 5:17

    Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.

  • Ezekiel 11:19

    And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;

  • Galatians 4:4

    but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

  • Romans 6:2

    God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?

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