But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes that our service to God is now a "newness of spirit," not just following rules. This isn't about abandoning the law as a moral guide, but about a transformation where we obey not out of obligation, but from an inner impulse empowered by God's Spirit, flowing from a transformed heart.
But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is explaining how believers are now freed from the condemnation of the Law through Christ's death, drawing on the analogy of a wife being released from her husband upon his death. This freedom isn't a license to sin, but rather a transition from serving sin under the Law's pressure to serving God with a new, Spirit-empowered life. He will go on to contrast this new way of serving with the "old way" of the letter, which he explored in the preceding verses.
We’ve been released from the law, but how? It wasn’t just a gentle letting go. It involved a powerful death that sets us free.
Paul uses strong imagery here. We are "delivered" from the law, not simply freed from an outdated rulebook. This deliverance comes through death—our death in Christ. Just as a wife is released from her husband when he dies (Romans 7:2-3), we are released from the law's authority over us because we died with Christ.
This isn't about the law dying, but us dying to the law. It’s a profound shift: the law that once held us captive no longer has dominion over us because our union with Christ in His death means we are no longer under its binding claim.
The law had its own way of operating, but now, because of Christ, our service looks completely different. What’s the big difference?
Paul contrasts two modes of service: "newness of spirit" and "oldness of the letter." This isn't just a minor upgrade; it's a fundamental transformation.
The Oldness of the Letter: This refers to an outward, rule-based obedience. It's about following the written commands without necessarily having the heart changed. It’s external, often driven by obligation or fear, and ultimately unable to produce true righteousness or life (as we saw in Romans 7:5).
The Newness of Spirit: This is service empowered by the Holy Spirit. It comes from a renewed heart, driven by love for God and a desire to please Him. It’s internal, vibrant, and life-giving. This is the kind of service that the Gospel and the Spirit enable, flowing from a restored relationship with God.
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Understand the original words
katargeō · Greek Verb
To be set free from a previous state of bondage or legal obligation. In a theological sense, it refers to the believer's liberation from the condemning power and requirements of the Mosaic Law through union with Christ.
nomos · Greek Noun
In this context, it refers to the Mosaic Law as a system of regulations that demanded obedience and exposed human failure, serving as a tutor to lead humanity to Christ. It is a divine standard that reveals God's holiness.
This verse speaks to a fundamental shift initiated by Christ's death and resurrection. The historical context shows Israel's long struggle with living under the Law, often resulting in bondage to sin and condemnation. Paul here declares that through Christ, believers are freed from the Law's coercive power, enabling them to serve God out of love and new life in the Spirit, not out of fearful obligation.
c. 1446 BC
Giving of the Law at Mount Sinai
God gives the Mosaic Law to Israel through Moses, establishing a covenant relationship based on obedience to these commands.
c. 1000 BC - 586 BC
Period of the Judges and Divided Monarchy
Israel experiences cycles of disobedience, judgment, and repentance, with periods of significant apostasy and unfaithfulness to the Law.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling many Israelites. This event underscores the consequences of failing to keep the Law.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great permits the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, re-establishing a focus on the Law.
c. 400 BC - 100 BC
Second Temple Period
Judaism continues, with varying degrees of adherence to the Law and increasing emphasis on scribal interpretation and tradition.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is crucified, an event Paul understands as fulfilling the Law and enabling believers to 'die' to its power.
c. 50-60 AD
Paul's Ministry and Writing of Romans
The Apostle Paul, having experienced transformation through Christ, writes his letter to the Romans, explaining the theological implications of Christ's work for Jews and Gentiles.
This passage describes the 'fruit of the Spirit,' which directly contrasts with the 'old way of the letter' mentioned in Romans 7:6, illustrating the internal transformation that enables a new way of serving God.
2 Corinthians 3:6This verse explicitly contrasts 'the letter' which kills with 'the Spirit' which gives life, echoing the core message of Romans 7:6 about serving in the newness of the Spirit versus the oldness of the written code.
Romans 6:13This verse talks about presenting 'yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life,' which parallels the idea in Romans 7:6 of being released from bondage and serving in a new way.
John 4:23-24Jesus' teaching that true worship is 'in spirit and in truth' directly supports the concept in Romans 7:6 of serving in 'newness of spirit' rather than by mere outward adherence to rules.
barnesRomans 7:6: "But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter."
But now - Under the gospel. This verse states the consequences of the gospel, in distinction from the effects of the Law. The way in which this is accomplished, the apostle illustrates more at length in Romans 8 with which this verse is properly connected. The remainder of Romans 7 is occupied in illustrating the statement in…
bengelRomans 7:6: "But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter."
Romans 7:6 . Ἀποθανόντες , being dead ) So Romans 7:4 , ye became dead , said of that party, which corresponds to the wife: comp. Galatians 2:19 . I have shown in der Antwort wegen des N. T. p . 55. A. 1745, that Chrysostom also read ἀποθανόντες , not ἀποθανόντος .[68]— ᾡ ) A plain construction in this sense: we have been set…
The verse emphasizes that our service to God is now a "newness of spirit," not just following rules. This isn't about abandoning the law as a moral guide, but about a transformation where we obey not out of obligation, but from an inner impulse empowered by God's Spirit, flowing from a transformed heart.
Paul is explaining how believers are now freed from the condemnation of the Law through Christ's death, drawing on the analogy of a wife being released from her husband upon his death. This freedom isn't a license to sin, but rather a transition from serving sin under the Law's pressure to serving God with a new, Spirit-empowered life. He will go on to contrast this new way of serving with the "old way" of the letter, which he explored in the preceding verses.
Paul is explaining how believers are now freed from the condemnation of the Law through Christ's death, drawing on the analogy of a wife being released from her husband upon his death. This freedom isn't a license to sin, but rather a transition from serving sin under the Law's pressure to serving God with a new, Spirit-empowered life. He will go on to contrast this new way of serving with the "old way" of the letter, which he explored in the preceding verses.
"But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code." — The verse emphasizes that our service to God is now a "newness of spirit," not just following rules. This isn't about abandoning the law as a moral guide, but about a transformation where we obey not…
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Last reviewed October 2026