Romans 7:6
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)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse emphasizes that our service to God is now driven by the Holy Spirit, not just by following external rules. It's a shift from a dead, rule-based obedience to a vibrant, Spirit-led life that flows from the heart.
Having just described the struggles of living under the law in a state of sin, Paul pivots to the freedom believers now have in Christ. He explains that through Christ's death and our union with it, we are no longer bound to the law's condemnation. This new relationship means we now serve God through the Spirit's power, not by trying to follow external rules with a sinful nature.
Ever feel like you're caught in a cycle of trying to be good, but it just doesn't stick? This verse reveals a radical shift that frees us from that struggle.
Paul uses powerful imagery to explain our freedom. We've been 'delivered from the law.' This isn't about ignoring God's commands, but about being released from its power to condemn and control us.
Think of it like this: the law, in its role as a strict master, has been dealt a fatal blow through our union with Christ's death. We 'died to that which held us captive.' This means its legalistic demands and its power to accuse us based on our failures no longer hold sway over us. Our identity is no longer tied to our performance under the law, but to Christ's finished work.
If we're free from the law, does that mean we can do whatever we want? Absolutely not! This verse gives us the key to genuine, vibrant service.
The freedom we've received isn't a license to sin, but a pathway to a completely different way of living and serving God. Paul contrasts two modes of service:
The Old Way of the Written Code (the Letter): This refers to trying to obey God based on external rules and regulations alone. It's about outward actions, often driven by obligation, fear, or a desire to earn God's favor. This way was characteristic of the Old Testament system, and it's a path that ultimately leads to frustration because it relies on our own flawed strength.
The New Way of the Spirit: This is service empowered by the Holy Spirit. It flows from an internal transformation, a new heart, and a love for God that motivates us. Our obedience becomes a joyful response to God's grace, not a rigid adherence to rules. It's about walking in the new life God has given us, led and empowered by His Spirit.
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 passage describes the Law as a guardian holding us until Christ came, after which we are no longer under its guardianship, paralleling the idea of being delivered from the Law's control.
2 Corinthians 3:6This verse directly contrasts the 'letter' which kills with the 'Spirit' which gives life, echoing Paul's point about serving in the new way of the Spirit, not the old way of the letter.
Romans 6:1-4These verses explain that through our union with Christ in his death and resurrection, we are set free from sin's dominion, which is a foundational concept for understanding our release from the Law's bondage.
Hebrews 8:13This verse speaks of the Old Covenant as growing obsolete and ready to vanish away, providing a context for understanding why believers are no longer bound by its 'old way of the letter'.
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 driven by the Holy Spirit, not just by following external rules. It's a shift from a dead, rule-based obedience to a vibrant, Spirit-led life that flows from the heart.
Having just described the struggles of living under the law in a state of sin, Paul pivots to the freedom believers now have in Christ. He explains that through Christ's death and our union with it, we are no longer bound to the law's condemnation. This new relationship means we now serve God through the Spirit's power, not by trying to follow external rules with a sinful nature.
Having just described the struggles of living under the law in a state of sin, Paul pivots to the freedom believers now have in Christ. He explains that through Christ's death and our union with it, we are no longer bound to the law's condemnation. This new relationship means we now serve God through the Spirit's power, not by trying to follow external rules with a sinful nature.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Romans 7:6 is available in the Sola app.
"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 driven by the Holy Spirit, not just by following external rules. It's a shift from a dead, rule-based obedience to a vibrant, Spirit-led life that…
