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Romans 7:1–6, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
Romans 7:1–6
Death with Christ Releases People for Spirit-Borne Fruit
Death with Christ changes jurisdiction so people can bear fruit in the Spirit.
The law binds a person only while that person lives. Paul uses a marriage analogy: death releases a spouse from that bond so that a new union is not adultery. Believers have died to the law through the body of Christ in order to belong to the raised one and bear fruit for God. While in the flesh, sinful passions working through the law bore fruit for death; now they serve in the newness of the Spirit, not the oldness of the letter.
The analogy illustrates a change of lordship. It does not command remaining with an abusive spouse, and it does not treat marriage itself as a trap. Fruit is Spirit-borne life, not a demand to endure harm.
How this should shape us
Live as someone whose old jurisdiction has ended, and let the Spirit grow actual fruit—honesty, repair, care—in ordinary rooms. If a marriage is abusive, get help and safety; this analogy is not a chain.
Teach it back
Explain Romans 7:1–6 in your own words. Include its place in Romans, its movement, one material uncertainty, and one misuse the context rules out.
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Go deeper
The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.
Where careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties
Where do careful interpreters disagree?
Best judgment: Law may mean Mosaic Torah, condemning jurisdiction, or a wider principle; the marriage analogy changes correspondences and cannot bear a complete marriage ethic.
How certain? probableResearch trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Romans 7:1–6, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, and base text for original-language discussion.
Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Rom.txt, 7:1–6
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, material variants, and interpretive alternatives.
NET Bible official Romans chapter print view, 7:1–6, translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Supports: Complete evangelical Protestant whole-letter exposition, historical setting, argument flow, and theological synthesis.
Mathis, 'Romans,' introduction and commentary section covering 7:1–6, with bibliography and endnotes
Supports: Catholic exegetical orientation, salvation-history frame, concise verse notes, and faith-new-life synthesis.
USCCB, Romans introduction and chapter notes covering 7:1–6
Supports: Jewish historical context, Paul-within-Judaism alternatives, diatribe restraint, and anti-supersessionist controls.
Nanos, Jewish Annotated New Testament, first edition print pp. 253-286, introduction and annotations on 7:1–6
Sources for This Section
These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: Romans 7:1–6, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, and base text for original-language discussion.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Rom.txt, 7:1–6
Open the Romans Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible - Romans with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005-2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, material variants, and interpretive alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible official Romans chapter print view, 7:1–6, translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open NET Romans 7 notesmodern open commentary
Romans
Donny Ray Mathis II
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: Complete evangelical Protestant whole-letter exposition, historical setting, argument flow, and theological synthesis.
Exact location: Mathis, 'Romans,' introduction and commentary section covering 7:1–6, with bibliography and endnotes
Open source ↗modern catholic translation notes
The Letter to the Romans: introduction and chapter notes
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2010-2026 online edition
Supports: Catholic exegetical orientation, salvation-history frame, concise verse notes, and faith-new-life synthesis.
Exact location: USCCB, Romans introduction and chapter notes covering 7:1–6
Open source ↗modern jewish annotated new testament
Romans introduction and annotations in The Jewish Annotated New Testament
Mark D. Nanos; edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler
Oxford University Press, 2011
Supports: Jewish historical context, Paul-within-Judaism alternatives, diatribe restraint, and anti-supersessionist controls.
Exact location: Nanos, Jewish Annotated New Testament, first edition print pp. 253-286, introduction and annotations on 7:1–6
Open source ↗