Lectionary Calendar
Monday, April 13th, 2026
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Bible in Basic English

Romans 7:12

But the law is holy, and its orders are holy, upright, and good.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Good and Evil;   Justification;   Law;   Scofield Reference Index - Flesh;   Law of Moses;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible, the;   Law;   Word;   Word, God's;   The Topic Concordance - Carnality;   Commandment;   Goodness;   Holiness;   Justice;   Law;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Law of God, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Law;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Goodness;   Law;   Sin;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Command, Commandment;   Death, Mortality;   Galatians, Theology of;   Law;   Legalism;   Paul the Apostle;   Sanctification;   Sin;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Law;   Sin;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Law;   Sin;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Custodian;   Death;   Good;   Law, Ten Commandments, Torah;   Romans, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Justification, Justify;   Law;   Man;   Romans, Epistle to the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Commandment;   Goodness (Human);   Holiness Purity;   Interpretation;   Law;   Liberty;   Presence (2);   Regeneration;   Righteous, Righteousness;   Righteousness;   Romans Epistle to the;   Sin;   Sin (2);  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Holiness;   Justification;   Law in the New Testament;   Pauline Theology;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Yeẓer Ha-Ra';  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.
King James Version (1611)
Wherefore the Law is holy, and the Commandement holy, and iust, and good.
King James Version
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
English Standard Version
So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
New American Standard Bible
So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
New Century Version
So the law is holy, and the command is holy and right and good.
Amplified Bible
So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Legacy Standard Bible
So, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Berean Standard Bible
So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.
Contemporary English Version
Still, the Law and its commands are holy and correct and good.
Complete Jewish Bible
So the Torah is holy; that is, the commandment is holy, just and good.
Darby Translation
So that the law indeed [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Easy-to-Read Version
Now the law is holy, and the command is holy and right and good.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore the Lawe is holy, and that commandement is holy, and iust, and good.
George Lamsa Translation
Wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Good News Translation
So then, the Law itself is holy, and the commandment is holy, right, and good.
Lexham English Bible
So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Literal Translation
So indeed the Law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
American Standard Version
So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the mitzvah holy, and righteous, and good.
International Standard Version
So then, the law itself is holy, and the commandment is holy, just, and good.Psalm 19:8; 1 Timothy 1:8;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
The law therefore is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Murdock Translation
Wherefore, the law is holy; and the commandment is holy, and righteous, and good.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherfore the lawe is holy, and the commaundement holy, & iust and good.
English Revised Version
So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
World English Bible
So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Weymouth's New Testament
So that the Law itself is holy, and the Commandment is holy, just and good.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the lawe is hooli, and the comaundement is hooli, and iust, and good.
Update Bible Version
So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
New English Translation
So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.
New King James Version
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
New Living Translation
But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
New Life Bible
The Law is holy. Each one of the Laws is holy and right and good.
New Revised Standard
So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So that, the law, indeed, is holy, and the commandment, holy, and righteous and good.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore the law indeed is holy: and the commandment holy and just and good.
Revised Standard Version
So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wherfore the lawe is holy and the commaundement holy iust and good.
Young's Literal Translation
so that the law, indeed, [is] holy, and the command holy, and righteous, and good.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The lawe in dede is holy, and the commaundement holy, iust and good.
Mace New Testament (1729)
wherefore the law is holy; and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Simplified Cowboy Version
There is nothing wrong with the Code. It is good and holy.

Contextual Overview

7 What then is to be said? is the law sin? in no way. But I would not have had knowledge of sin but for the law: for I would not have been conscious of desire if the law had not said, You may not have a desire for what is another's. 8 But sin, taking its chance through that which was ordered by the law, was working in me every form of desire: because without the law sin is dead. 9 And there was a time when I was living without the law: but when the law gave its orders, sin came to life and put me to death; 10 And I made the discovery that the law whose purpose was to give life had become a cause of death: 11 For I was tricked and put to death by sin, which took its chance through the law. 12 But the law is holy, and its orders are holy, upright, and good. 13 Was then that which is good, death to me? In no way. But the purpose was that sin might be seen to be sin by working death to me through that which is good; so that through the orders of the law sin might seem much more evil.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the law: Romans 7:14, Romans 3:31, Romans 12:2, Deuteronomy 4:8, Deuteronomy 10:12, Nehemiah 9:13, Psalms 19:7-12, Psalms 119:38, Psalms 119:86, Psalms 119:127, Psalms 119:137, Psalms 119:140, Psalms 119:172, 1 Timothy 1:8

the commandment: Romans 7:7

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 18:3 - right in the sight Job 33:27 - right Psalms 19:8 - is pure Psalms 33:4 - the word Psalms 111:8 - are done Psalms 119:47 - which Psalms 119:62 - thy Psalms 119:128 - I esteem Proverbs 30:5 - word Isaiah 42:21 - he will Hosea 8:12 - written Hosea 14:9 - for Romans 7:16 - I consent 2 Corinthians 3:7 - was Ephesians 6:1 - for James 1:25 - the perfect James 4:11 - speaketh evil of the law 2 Peter 2:21 - holy 1 John 5:3 - and

Cross-References

Genesis 7:4
For after seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, for the destruction of every living thing which I have made on the face of the earth.
Genesis 7:17
And for forty days the waters were over all the earth; and the waters were increased so that the ark was lifted up high over the earth.
Exodus 24:18
And Moses went up the mountain, into the cloud, and was there for forty days and forty nights.
Deuteronomy 9:9
When I had gone up into the mountain to be given the stones on which was recorded the agreement which the Lord made with you, I was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights without taking food or drinking water.
Deuteronomy 9:18
And I went down on my face before the Lord, as at the first, for forty days and forty nights, without taking food or drinking water, because of all your sin, in doing evil in the eyes of the Lord and moving him to wrath.
Deuteronomy 10:10
And I was in the mountain, as at the first time, for forty days and forty nights; and again the ears of the Lord were open to my prayer, and he did not send destruction on you.
1 Kings 19:8
So he got up and took food and drink, and in the strength of that food he went on for forty days and nights, to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Matthew 4:2
And after going without food for forty days and forty nights, he was in need of it.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore the law is holy,.... This is a conclusion or inference drawn from the preceding discourse, in commendation of the law; that standing clear of any charge or imputation of sin, as being the cause of it. This epithet the apostle gives to the law is what the Jews frequently give it; worthy are the Israelites, say they h,

"to whom is given אורייתא קדישא "the holy law"; in which they study day and night.''

By "the law" is meant the whole body of the precepts of it in general; and by

the commandment, either the same, or everyone of the commandments in particular, and especially that which is cited, "thou shall not covet". Some have thought that the three properties of it design the threefold division of the law; and suppose that by that which is "holy" is meant the ceremonial law, which sanctified to the purifying of the flesh; by that which is "just", the judicial law, which pointed out to the Jewish commonwealth what was right and wrong; and by that which is "good", the moral law in all its precepts: but nothing is more certain, than that the moral law is only spoken of in this context, which may be said to be

holy, because of its author, the holy God, from whom nothing can come but what is holy; and because of the matter of it, it is a transcript of the holy nature of God, a declaration of his holy will; it requires holiness both of heart and life; it forbids whatever is unholy, and commands nothing but what is holy; it teaches men to live holy, sober, righteous, and godly lives. It may be truly called

just, or righteous, as it demands perfect obedience to all its precepts, or it will not admit of it as a righteousness; as it pronounces guilty, curses and condemns for every disobedience of it; as it deals impartially with persons the transgressors of it; and as it acquits believers upon the foot of the righteousness of Christ, the fulfilling end of it. It is rightly called

good, from the author of it, God, from whom every good thing comes, and nothing else; from the matter of it, and from the use of it both to saints and sinners.

h Zohar in Gen. fol. 48. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore - So that. The conclusion to which we come is, that the Law is not to be blamed, though these are its effects under existing circumstances. The source of all this is not the Law, but the corrupt nature of man. The Law is good; and yet the position of the apostle is true, that it is not adapted to purify the heart of fallen man. Its tendency is to excite increased guilt, conflict, alarm, and despair. This verse contains an answer to the question in Romans 7:7, “Is the law sin?”

Is holy - Is not sin; compare Romans 7:7. It is pure in its nature.

And the commandment - The word “commandment” is here synonymous with the Law. It properly means what is enjoined.

Holy - Pure.

Just - Righteous in its claims and penalties. It is not unequal in its exactions.

Good - In itself good; and in its own nature tending to produce happiness. The sin and condemnation of the guilty is not the fault of the Law. If obeyed, it would produce happiness everywhere. See a most beautiful description of the law of God in Psalms 19:7-11.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 7:12. Wherefore the law is holy — As if he had said, to soothe his countrymen, to whom he had been showing the absolute insufficiency of the law either to justify or save from sin: I do not intimate that there is any thing improper or imperfect in the law as a rule of life: it prescribes what is holy, just, and good; for it comes from a holy, just, and good God. The LAW, which is to regulate the whole of the outward conduct, is holy; and the COMMANDMENT, Thou shalt not covet, which is to regulate the heart, is not less so. All is excellent and pure; but it neither pardons sin nor purifies the heart; and it is because it is holy, just, and good, that it condemns transgressors to death.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile