Devine Scripture

Romans 7:9

What does Romans 7:9 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 7:9 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 7:9 means

“I was alive apart from the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.” Before the commandment truly confronted his conscience, Paul felt secure—“alive.” But when the commandment arrived with clarity and power, sin “came to life,” revealing itself, and he recognized himself as condemned—“I died.” The experience is not about the law newly existing, but about its effective entrance into personal awareness. The result is spiritual death’s reality felt and known. Thus, the law does not rescue; it unmasks. The awakened sinner discovers that measured by God’s standard, he stands guilty and lifeless, needing a deliverer beyond himself.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And there was a time when I was living without the law: but when the law gave its orders, sin came to life and put me to death;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And I was alive apart from law once, and the command having come, the sin revived, and I died;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And I lived some time without the law. But when the commandment came, sin revived,

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

But I was alive without law once; but the commandment having come, sin revived, but I died.

Context

Building on verse 8’s description of sin seizing the commandment, verse 9 narrates the subjective effect: a false sense of life ends when the law’s true demand pierces the heart. Verses 10–11 will reinforce that the commandment’s intended path to life became a path to death because of sin’s deceit, not because of any flaw in the command. This prepares for verse 12’s vindication of the law and verse 13’s statement that the law’s role is to make sin appear in its true, exceeding sinfulness.

v.8but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin is dead.

v.9This passage

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

Cross references

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

  • Psalms 40:12

    For innumerable evils have compassed me about; Mine iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; And my heart hath failed me.

  • Luke 10:25

    And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

  • Romans 7:6

    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.

  • Luke 18:21

    And he said, All these things have I observed from my youth up.

  • Matthew 19:20

    The young man saith unto him, All these things have I observed: what lack I yet?

  • Romans 7:11

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

Related questions readers ask

Keep reading

Want to dig deeper? Explore Romans 7

Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Romans 7.

Keep exploring

Follow this verse across Scripture

Topics, devotionals, original-language word studies, and figures connected to Romans 7:9.

Browse every hub

BibleTopicsBible answersDevotionalsFamous passagesWord studiesPeoplePlacesVerses for…Reading plansCommentary