οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις … ἀφορμὴν δὲ λαβοῦσα … ἐξηπάτησέν με (7:7–13)
Says Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις (ouk epithymēseis, "Do not covet," 7:7) quotes the tenth commandment in its LXX form (Exod 20:17; Deut 5:21), without its objects. Sin, ἀφορμὴν λαβοῦσα (aphormēn labousa, "seizing its opportunity," BSB) διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς, produced πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν (7:8, 11). The law is ἅγιος and the commandment ἁγία καὶ δικαία καὶ ἀγαθή (7:12).
Uncertain ἐγὼ δὲ ἔζων χωρὶς νόμου ποτέ (ezōn, imperfect, 7:9). Readings include a time before the speaker knew the commandment, Adam before the command, or Israel before Sinai. Each goes with a view of who the "I" is, so this note takes no lean. Then the commandment came, and sin ἀνέζησεν (anezēsen, "sprang to life," BSB).
Uncertain ἐξηπάτησέν με (exēpatēsen, 7:11). This note leans to an echo of Gen 3:13 LXX, ὁ ὄφις ἠπάτησέν με: a related verb with "me," a command turned to death, and Paul's ἐξηπάτησεν of the serpent and Eve (2 Cor 11:3; compare 1 Tim 2:14). The alternative is the ordinary verb for deceiving, with no allusion (16:18; 1 Cor 3:18). The echo alone does not settle who the "I" is; see note.language.Rom.5.12-Rom.5.14.gen-2-3-adam.
Uncertain ἵνα φανῇ … ἵνα γένηται καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν ἁμαρτωλὸς ἡ ἁμαρτία (7:13). This note leans to purpose, as with ἵνα in 5:20 (note.language.Rom.5.20-Rom.5.21.pareiselthen-hina): sin was exposed as sin. The alternative is result.
Implies The problem is sin using the commandment, not the law itself (7:7, 12–13).
Claims
- Says'Do not covet' (οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις, 7:7) quotes Exod 20:17 and Deut 5:21 in the LXX form; sin used the commandment to produce every kind of covetous desire; the law and the commandment are holy, righteous, and good (7:7–8, 11–12).
- UncertainWhat 'I was once alive apart from the law' (7:9) refers to: a time before the speaker knew the commandment, or Adam before the command, or Israel before Sinai; no lean, since each goes with a view of who the 'I' is.
- UncertainWhether ἐξηπάτησέν με (7:11) echoes Gen 3:13 LXX ὁ ὄφις ἠπάτησέν με (lean; a related verb with 'me'; 2 Cor 11:3; 1 Tim 2:14) or is the ordinary verb with no allusion (alternative; 16:18; 1 Cor 3:18).
- UncertainWhether the ἵνα clauses of 7:13 express purpose (lean; as in 5:20) or result (alternative).
- ImpliesThe problem is sin using the commandment, not the law itself (7:7, 12–13).
Citations
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LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Exod 20:17; Deut 5:21. LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 1 (1901), pp. 144, 353 (oldtestamentingr01swetuoft n175, n384). —
οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις
(LXX (Swete), CC BY-SA 4.0) -
LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Gen 3:13. LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 1 (1901), p. 5 (oldtestamentingr01swetuoft n36). —
ὁ ὄφις ἠπάτησέν με
(LXX (Swete), CC BY-SA 4.0) -
Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. ἀφορμή (Ro 7:8, 11) —
an occasion, incentive, opportunity
- Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. ἐξαπατάω (Ro 7:11; II Co 11:3)
- BSB public domain Rom 7:7-13
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-10-31
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