Released From the Law, Bound to Christ

7 Do you not know, brothers and sisters^(A)—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives?

The Law and Sin

⁷ What shall we say, then?^(A) Is the law sinful? Certainly not!^(B) Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.^(C) For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”^[a](D)

¹² So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.^(A)

²⁴ So the law was our guardian until Christ came^(A) that we might be justified by faith.^{(B) 25} Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.^(C)

¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit,^(A) you are not under the law.^(B)

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,^(A) impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.^(B) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.^(C)