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Scripture · New Testament

Romans 7:18

Romans 7:18 is verse 18 of Romans chapter 7, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

BSB source and public domain terms

King James Version

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

World English Bible

For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.

Read in context

Romans 7:16–20 · Berean Standard Bible

16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good.

17 In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

19 For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.

20 And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Read all of Romans 7

Greek words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Genesis 6:5

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.

Genesis 8:21

When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.

Job 14:4

Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!

Job 15:14

What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

Job 15:15

If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,

Job 15:16

how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?

Job 25:4

How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure?

Psalms 51:5

Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

Isaiah 64:6

Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

Matthew 15:19

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.

Mark 7:21

For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

Mark 7:22

greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness.

Mark 7:23

All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

Luke 11:13

So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Ephesians 2:1

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

Ephesians 2:2

in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

Ephesians 2:3

All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.

Ephesians 2:4

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

Ephesians 2:5

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

Titus 3:3

For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

1 Peter 4:2

Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God.

Romans 7:5

For when we lived according to the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, bearing fruit for death.

Romans 7:25

Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 8:3

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,

Romans 8:4

so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:5

Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:6

The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,

Romans 8:7

because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Romans 8:8

Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.

Romans 8:9

You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Romans 8:10

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

Romans 8:11

And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

Romans 8:12

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.

Romans 8:13

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Romans 13:14

Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

John 3:6

Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:19

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;

Galatians 5:20

idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,

Galatians 5:21

and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:24

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Romans 7:15

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do.

Romans 7:19

For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.

Psalms 119:5

Oh, that my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes!

Psalms 119:32

I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart.

Psalms 119:40

How I long for Your precepts! Revive me in Your righteousness.

Psalms 119:115

Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God.

Psalms 119:116

Sustain me as You promised, that I may live; let me not be ashamed of my hope.

Psalms 119:117

Uphold me, and I will be saved, that I may always regard Your statutes.

Psalms 119:173

May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.

Psalms 119:176

I have strayed like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.

Galatians 5:17

For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Philippians 2:13

For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.

Philippians 3:12

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

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