Romans Chapter 7 verse 21 Holy Bible

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) I find then a law.--Of the many ways of taking this difficult verse, two seem to stand out as most plausible or possible. In any case "a law" should be rather "the law." This is taken by the majority of commentators, including Bishop Ellicott, in the sense of "rule," "habitually-repeated fact." "I find this law, or this rule, that when I would do good evil is present with me." Such is my constant and regular experience. The objection to this interpretation is that it gives to the word "law" an entirely different sense from that which it bears in the context, or in any other part of St. Paul's writings. The other view is that which is maintained by Dr. Vaughan. According to this we should have to assume an anacoluthon. The Apostle begins the sentence as if he were going to say, "I find therefore the Law (the Mosaic law), when I desire to do good, unable to help me;" but he changes somewhat the form of the sentence in the latter portion, and instead of saying "I find the Law unable to help me," he says, "I find that evil is at my side." "To me" is also repeated a second time, in the Greek superfluously, for the sake of greater clearness. Or perhaps a still simpler and better explanation would be that the Apostle had intended in the first instance to say, "I find the Law, when I wish to do good, putting evil before me," and then shrank (as in Romans 7:7) from using so harsh an expression, and softened it by turning the latter half of the sentence into a passive instead of an active form--"I find the Law, when I wish to do good--that evil is put before me."Parallel Commentaries ...GreekSoἄρα (ara)ConjunctionStrong's 686: Then, therefore, since. Probably from airo; a particle denoting an inference more or less decisive.[this is] theτὸν (ton)Article - Accusative Masculine SingularStrong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.principleνόμον (nomon)Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularStrong's 3551: From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively.I have discovered:Εὑρίσκω (Heuriskō)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularStrong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.When Iἐμοὶ (emoi)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person SingularStrong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.wantθέλοντι (thelonti)Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine SingularStrong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design. to doποιεῖν (poiein)Verb - Present Infinitive ActiveStrong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.good,καλὸν (kalon)Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularStrong's 2570: Properly, beautiful, but chiefly good, i.e. Valuable or virtuous.evilκακὸν (kakon)Adjective - Nominative Neuter SingularStrong's 2556: Bad, evil, in the widest sense. Apparently a primary word; worthless, i.e. depraved, or injurious.is right there withπαράκειται (parakeitai)Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularStrong's 3873: To be at hand, be present with, rest with. From para and keimai; to lie near, i.e. Be at hand.me.ἐμοὶ (emoi)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person SingularStrong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.Jump to PreviousAmbush Close Desire Evil Find Good Hand Law Mind Nature Practise Present Principle Right Want Wants Work