Romans 7:7

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Cross-reference

Romans 7:13 Historical context

Romans 7:13 explains the law exposes sin's true nature, making it 'exceedingly sinful' — reinforcing that the law reveals sin, not causes it.

Romans 7:11 Historical context

In Romans 7:11, sin uses the commandment to deceive and kill — showing how the law becomes an occasion for sin's deadly work.

Romans 7:5 Parallel

Romans 7:5 says the law aroused sinful passions — the same dynamic: the law reveals and even stirs sin, setting up Paul's defense of the law.

Romans 7:12 Parallel

Romans 7:12 concludes that the law is holy, righteous, and good—directly affirming the point Paul makes about the law not being sin.

Romans 13:9 Citation

Romans 13:9 quotes the same commandment 'You shall not covet' — directly linking the specific law Paul uses to illustrate sin's knowledge.

Romans 6:15 Parallel

Romans 6:15 echoes the same question about law and sin — if not under law, should we sin? It reinforces the tension between law and grace here.

Romans 3:20 Parallel

Romans 3:20 declares 'by the law is the knowledge of sin' — a concise summary of the same principle Paul is explaining here.

Romans 8:7 Parallel

Romans 8:7 describes the flesh's hostility to God's law, explaining why the law cannot save despite its goodness—the flesh is opposed to it.

Romans 2:12 Parallel

Romans 2:12 adds that the law judges those under it, complementing Paul's point that the law reveals sin by showing its legal consequence.

Romans 3:31 Parallel

Romans 3:31 asserts that faith upholds the law, reinforcing Paul's claim in Romans 7:7 that the law is not sinful but good.

Romans 4:15 Parallel

Romans 4:15 explains that law brings wrath and defines transgression, showing the law's dual role of revealing sin and bringing judgment.

Deuteronomy 5:21 repeats the same 'do not covet' command, showing its central role in the law.

Ephesians 5:3 lists covetousness alongside other sins, reinforcing that it must be absent among believers.

1 Corinthians 15:56 states 'the strength of sin is the law' — directly linking the law's role in empowering sin, echoing Paul's point here.

Luke 12:15 Parallel

Luke 12:15 warns against covetousness, echoing the same prohibition and linking it to life's true value.

Matthew 5:28 expands coveting to lustful looks, showing that the command covers inner desires, not just actions.

Micah 2:2 Parallel

Micah 2:2 condemns those who covet fields and seize them, showing how covetousness leads to oppression.

Exodus 20:17 is the very commandment Paul quotes — the prohibition against coveting that reveals sin.

1 Kings 21:1-4 recounts Ahab coveting Naboth's vineyard, exemplifying the destructive desire the law forbids.

Acts 20:33 Parallel

Acts 20:33 shows Paul himself not coveting, providing a positive example of obedience to the command.

Galatians 2:19 states that through the law Paul died to the law, showing the law's purpose leads to death and then freedom—extending the argument from Romans 7:7.

1 John 3:4 Parallel

1 John 3:4 defines sin as lawlessness, directly supporting Paul's point that through the law comes knowledge of sin.

James 2:9 Parallel

James 2:9 states that showing favoritism convicts one as a transgressor of the law, reinforcing that law defines sin.

Galatians 3:24 shows the law as a tutor leading to Christ, complementing how the law exposes sin so we seek grace.

Galatians 3:21 echoes the rhetorical denial that law opposes God's promises, reinforcing that law is not sin but reveals it.

In Galatians 3:19, the same question about the law's purpose is answered: it was added because of transgressions, showing the law reveals sin.

Colossians 3:5 equates greed with idolatry, directly calling for the death of covetousness—the very sin the law exposes in Romans 7:7.

Psalm 19:8 Parallel

Psalm 19:8 praises the Law as right and enlightening, affirming its goodness—complementary to Romans 7:7's claim that the Law itself is not sinful.

1 John 2:16 Parallel

1 John 2:16's 'lust of the eyes' directly parallels the coveting forbidden by the tenth commandment, specifying the source of such desires.

1 Kings 21:3 depicts Naboth's refusal to sell his inheritance, a direct instance of Ahab's coveting that violates the command mentioned in Romans 7:7.

Luke 18:20 Parallel

Luke 18:20 lists commandments that, like 'do not covet,' reveal sin, echoing the law's function Paul describes.