7
Therefore, what are we to say? That the Torah is sinful? Heaven forbid! Rather, the function of the Torah was that without it, I would not have known what sin is. For example, I would not have become conscious of what greed is if the Torah had not said, "Thou shalt not covet."v
8
But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, worked in me all kinds of evil desires - for apart from Torah, sin is dead.
9
I was once alive outside the framework of Torah. But when the commandment really encountered me, sin sprang to life,
10
and I died. The commandment that was intended to bring me life was found to be bringing me death!
11
For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me; and through the commandment, sin killed me.
12
So the Torah is holy; that is, the commandment is holy, just and good.