⁵ [^LFor] When we were ·ruled by [controlled by; living in; ^Lin] ·our sinful selves [our sinful nature; ^Tthe flesh], sinful ·desires [passions] stirred up by the law were at work ·in our bodies [or within us; ^Lin our members/parts], so the things we did ·were bringing us [^Lproduced fruit leading to] death. ⁶ But now we have been freed from the law, since we have died to that which ·held us like prisoners [controlled us; ^Lheld us]. So now we serve God in a new way ·with [by means of; in the power of] the Spirit, and not in the old way ·with written rules [or of the written law; ^Lof the letter].

Our Fight Against Sin

⁷ ·You might think I am saying that sin and the law are the same thing [^LWhat, then, shall we say? Is the law sin?]. ·That is not true [Absolutely not!; May it never be!; 6:15]. But the law was the only way I could learn what sin meant. I would never have known what it means to ·want to take something belonging to someone else [selfishly desire; covet] if the law had not said, “You must not ·want to take your neighbor’s things [selfishly desire; covet; Ex. 20:17; Deut. 5:21].”