9. Before I knew about the law, I was alive. But then the commandment came. Sin came to life, and I died.
10. I found that the commandment that was supposed to bring life actually brought death.
11. When the commandment gave sin the opportunity, sin tricked me. It used the commandment to put me to death.
12. So the law is holy. The commandment also is holy and right and good.
13. Did what is good cause me to die? Not at all! Sin had to be recognized for what it really is. So it produced death in me through what was good. Because of the commandment, sin became totally sinful.
14. We know that the law is holy. But I am not. I have been sold to be a slave of sin.
15. I don't understand what I do. I don't do what I want to do. Instead, I do what I hate to do.
16. I do what I don't want to do. So I agree that the law is good.
17. As it is, I am no longer the one who does these things. It is sin living in me that does them.
18. I know there is nothing good in my sinful nature. I want to do what is good, but I can't.
19. I don't do the good things I want to do. I keep on doing the evil things I don't want to do.
20. I do what I don't want to do. But I am not really the one who is doing it. It is sin living in me.
21. Here is the law I find working in me. When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
22. Deep inside me I find joy in God's law.