Romans 7:14-24

7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual – but I am unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin. ¹  7:15 For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I do not do what I want – instead, I do what I hate. ²  7:16 But if I do what I don’t want, I agree that the law is good. ³  7:17 But now it is no longer me doing it, but sin that lives in me. 7:18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it. ⁴  7:19 For I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want! 7:20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.

7:21 So, I find the law that when I want to do good, evil is present with me. 7:22 For I delight in the law of God in my inner being. 7:23 But I see a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members. 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

Galatians 1:14-16

1:14 I ⁵  was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, ⁶  and was ⁷  extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. ⁸  1:15 But when the one ⁹  who set me apart from birth ¹⁰  and called me by his grace was pleased 1:16 to reveal his Son in ¹¹  me so that I could preach him ¹²  among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from ¹³  any human being, ¹⁴ 

Philippians 3:6-8

3:6 In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless. 3:7 But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. 3:8 More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! ¹⁵  – that I may gain Christ,

Philippians 3:1

True and False Righteousness

3:1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, ¹⁶  rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Philippians 1:13-15

1:13 The ¹⁷  whole imperial guard ¹⁸  and everyone else knows ¹⁹  that I am in prison ²⁰  for the sake of Christ, 1:14 and most of the brothers and sisters, ²¹  having confidence in the Lord ²²  because of my imprisonment, now more than ever ²³  dare to speak the word ²⁴  fearlessly.

1:15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill.

[7:14]  ¹ tn Grk “under sin.”

[7:15]  ² tn Grk “but what I hate, this I do.”

[7:16]  ³ tn Grk “I agree with the law that it is good.”

[7:18]  ⁴ tn Grk “For to wish is present in/with me, but not to do it.”

[1:14]  ⁵ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[1:14]  ⁶ tn Or “among my race.”

[1:14]  ⁷ tn Grk “was advancing beyond…nation, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) was translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[1:14]  ⁸ sn The traditions of my ancestors refers to both Pharisaic and popular teachings of this time which eventually were codified in Jewish literature such as the Mishnah, Midrashim, and Targums.

[1:15]  ⁹ tc ‡ Several important witnesses have ὁ θεός (Jo qeos) after εὐδόκησεν (eudokhsen; so א A D Ψ 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï co) while the shorter reading is supported by Ì⁴⁶ B F G 629 1505 pc lat. There is hardly any reason why scribes would omit the words (although the Beatty papyrus and the Western text do at times omit words and phrases), but several reasons why scribes would add the words (especially the need to clarify). The confluence of witnesses for the shorter reading (including a few fathers and versions) adds strong support for its authenticity. It is also in keeping with Paul’s style to refrain from mentioning God by name as a rhetorical device (cf. ExSyn 437 [although this section deals with passive constructions, the principle is the same]). NA²⁷ includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.

[1:15]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “from my mother’s womb.”

[1:16]  ¹¹ tn Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν (en) can mean either, depending on the context.

[1:16]  ¹² tn This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.

[1:16]  ¹³ tn Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.

[1:16]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “from flesh and blood.”

[3:8]  ¹⁵ tn The word here translated “dung” was often used in Greek as a vulgar term for fecal matter. As such it would most likely have had a certain shock value for the readers. This may well be Paul’s meaning here, especially since the context is about what the flesh produces.

[3:1]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[1:13]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “so that the whole imperial guard.” The ὥστε (Jwste) clause that begins v. 13 indicates two results of the spread of the gospel: Outsiders know why Paul is imprisoned (v. 13) and believers are emboldened by his imprisonment (v. 14).

[1:13]  ¹⁸ sn The whole imperial guard (Grk “praetorium”) can refer to the elite troops stationed in Rome or the headquarters of administrators in the provinces (cf. Matt 27:27; Mark 15:16; John 18:28, 33; 19:9; Acts 23:35). In either case a metonymy is involved, with the place (the praetorium) put for those (soldiers or government officials) who were connected with it or stationed in it.

[1:13]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “it has become known by the whole imperial guard and all the rest.”

[1:13]  ²⁰ tn Grk “my bonds [are].”

[1:14]  ²¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[1:14]  ²² tn Or “most of the brothers and sisters in the Lord, having confidence.”

[1:14]  ²³ tn Grk “even more so.”

[1:14]  ²⁴ tc A number of significant mss have “of God” after “word.” Although τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) is amply supported in the Alexandrian and Western texts (א A B [D*] P Ψ 048^vid 075 0278 33 81 1175 al lat co), the omission is difficult to explain as either an intentional deletion or unintentional oversight. To be sure, the pedigree of the witnesses is not nearly as great for the shorter reading (Ì⁴⁶ D² 1739 1881 Ï), but it explains well the rise of the other reading. Further, it explains the rise of κυρίου (kuriou, “of the Lord”), the reading of F and G (for if these mss had followed a Vorlage with τοῦ θεοῦ, κυρίου would not have been expected). Further, τοῦ θεοῦ is in different locations among the mss; such dislocations are usually signs of scribal additions to the text. Thus, the Byzantine text and a few other witnesses here have the superior reading, and it should be accepted as the original.