What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.

这样，我们可说什么呢？律法是罪吗？断乎不是！只是非因律法，我就不知何为罪。非律法说“不可起贪心”，我就不知何为贪心。

这样，我们要怎么说呢？律法是罪吗？绝对不是！但是，若不是藉着律法，我就不知何为罪；若不是律法说“不可贪心”，我就不知何为贪心。

这样，我们要怎么说呢？律法是罪吗？绝对不是！但是，若不是藉着律法，我就不知何为罪；若不是律法说“不可贪心”，我就不知何为贪心。

那么，我们可以说律法本身是罪吗？当然不是！没有律法，我们就不知道什么是罪。律法若不说“不可贪心”，我就不知道什么是贪心。

这样，我们可以说什么呢？难道律法是罪吗？绝对不是。不过，如果不是藉着律法，我就不知道什么是罪；如果不是律法说“不可贪心”，我就不知道什么是贪心。

那么，我们要怎么说呢？难道律法是罪吗？绝对不是！然而，要不是藉着律法，我就不知道什么是罪。如果律法没有说“不可贪心”，我就不知道什么是贪心；

這樣，我們可說甚麼呢？律法是罪嗎？斷乎不是！只是非因律法，我就不知何為罪。非律法說「不可起貪心」，我就不知何為貪心。

這樣，我們要怎麼說呢？律法是罪嗎？絕對不是！但是，若不是藉着律法，我就不知何為罪；若不是律法說「不可貪心」，我就不知何為貪心。

這樣，我們要怎麼說呢？律法是罪嗎？絕對不是！但是，若不是藉着律法，我就不知何為罪；若不是律法說「不可貪心」，我就不知何為貪心。

那麼，我們可以說律法本身是罪嗎？當然不是！沒有律法，我們就不知道什麼是罪。律法若不說「不可貪心」，我就不知道什麼是貪心。

這樣，我們可以說甚麼呢？難道律法是罪嗎？絕對不是。不過，如果不是藉著律法，我就不知道甚麼是罪；如果不是律法說“不可貪心”，我就不知道甚麼是貪心。

這樣，我們可怎麼說呢？律法是罪麼？斷乎不是。不過、若不是由於律法，我就不知道罪是甚麼。若不是律法說：「你不可貪慾」，我就不知道貪慾是甚麼。

那麼，我們要怎麼說呢？難道律法是罪嗎？絕對不是！然而，要不是藉著律法，我就不知道什麼是罪。如果律法沒有說「不可貪心」，我就不知道什麼是貪心；

然則將何言耶、律豈罪乎、非也、非由律則我未嘗知罪、如律不言毋欲、則我不知欲、

然則何以言之、律法豈惡之因乎、曰、不然、非法無以見惡、蓋律法不禁欲、吾末由識欲、

然則何言、律法即罪乎、非也、然非由律法、我不識罪、律法若不云勿貪、則我不識貪、

於此吾人更有何說？將謂法即罪乎？無是理也！法非罪、乃所以燭吾之罪耳。法若不曰「毋淫、」則吾將不知淫之為淫矣。

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said,“ You shall not covet.”

What should we say then? That the law is sinful? Not at all! Yet I wouldn’t have known what sin was unless the law had told me. The law says,“ Do not want what belongs to other people.”( Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21) If the law hadn’t said that, I would not have known what it was like to want what belongs to others.

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said,“ You shall not covet.”

Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said,“ You must not covet.”

What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! But I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.

What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Far from it! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said,“ You shall not covet.”

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said,“ You shall not covet.”

What 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:

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.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! Certainly, I would not have known sin except through the law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else if the law had not said,“ Do not covet.”

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said,“ You shall not covet.”

For no one will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.

And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.

Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Do not covet your neighbor’s wife or desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

For the law produces wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.

Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

The commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and whatever other commandment— all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself.

The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up.The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous.They are more desirable than gold— than an abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey, which comes from the honeycomb.In addition, Your servant is warned by them; there is great reward in keeping them.Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.

But if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? I use a human argument: Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?

But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints.

Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Therefore, did what is good cause my death? Absolutely not! On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.

One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing— a very beautiful woman.

I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your command is without limit.

When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Babylon, 200 silver shekels, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, I coveted them and took them. You can see for yourself. They are concealed in the ground inside my tent, with the money under the cloak.”

He then told them,“ Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”

They covet fields and seize them; they also take houses. They deprive a man of his home, a person of his inheritance.

But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor, has found?

I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us and bore fruit for death.

Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.For everything that belongs to the world— the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle— is not from the Father, but is from the world.

Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.

Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying,“ Give me your vineyard so I can have it for a vegetable garden, since it is right next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”But Naboth said to Ahab,“ I will never give my fathers’ inheritance to you.”So Ahab went to his palace resentful and angry because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him. He had said,“ I will not give you my fathers’ inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and didn’t eat any food.

not with lustful desires, like the Gentiles who don’t know God.

For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.

What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!