SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:21
Así que, queriendo yo hacer el bien, hallo esta ley: Que el mal me es propio.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 7:21
Verse 21. I find then a law] I am in such a condition and state of soul, under the power of such habits and sinful propensities, that when I would do good-when my will and reason are strongly bent on obedience to the law of God and opposition to the principle of sin, evil is present with me, kakon parakeitai, evil is at hand, it lies constantly before me. That, as the will to do good is constantly at hand, ver. 18, so the principle of rebellion exciting me to sin is equally present; but, as the one is only will, wish, and desire, without power to do what is willed, to obtain what is wished, or to perform what is desired, sin continually prevails. The word nomov, law, in this verse, must be taken as implying any strong or confirmed habit, sunhqeia, as Hesychius renders it, under the influence of which the man generally acts; and in this sense the apostle most evidently uses it in chap. vii. 23.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. I find then a law , etc..] This is to be understood either of the corruption of nature, which he found by experience to be in him; and which, because of its force, power, and prevalence it sometimes had in him, he calls a law; it forcibly demanding compliance with its lusts; and is the same with what he calls evil, and which the Jews so frequently style [rh rxy the evil imagination, by which they mean the corruption of nature; and one of the seven names, and the first of them, by which it is called, they tell us f129 , is, [r , evil; the very name it goes by here, and which they say God calls it, ( Genesis 6:5); and well may it be so called, since it is originally, naturally, and continually evil; it is evil in its nature and consequences; it is the source and spring of all evil: that when I would do good ; says the apostle, as soon as any good thought arises in me, any good resolution is entered into by me, or I am about to do anything that is good, evil , the vitiosity of nature, is present with me , and hinders me; it came into the world with me, and it has continued with me ever since; it cleaves close unto me, it lies very nigh me, and whenever there is any motion to that which is good, it starts up, which seemed to lie asleep before, and exerts itself, so that I cannot do the good I would. The Jews say f130 , there are twbbl yt , two hearts in man, the good imagination, and the evil imagination. The apostle here speaks as of two wills in regenerate men, one to good, and another to evil: or this may be understood of the law of God, which he found agreed with his mind, willing that which is good, though sin lay so near to him; or he found that willing that which was good was the law of God, very agreeable to it; and that the law was on his side, favouring him, encouraging him to that which is good, though sin kept so close to him; to which sense agree the following words.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 18-22 - The more pure and holy the heart is, it will have the more quic feeling as to the sin that remains in it. The believer sees more of the beauty of holiness and the excellence of the law. His earnest desire to obey, increase as he grows in grace. But the whole good on which his will is fully bent, he does not do; sin ever springing up in him through remaining corruption, he often does evil, though against the fixed determination of his will. The motions of sin within grieved the apostle. If by the striving of the flesh against the Spirit, was mean that he could not do or perform as the Spirit suggested, so also, by the effectual opposition of the Spirit, he could not do what the fles prompted him to do. How different this case from that of those who make themselves easy with regard to the inward motions of the fles prompting them to evil; who, against the light and warning of conscience, go on, even in outward practice, to do evil, and thus, with forethought, go on in the road to perdition! For as the believer i under grace, and his will is for the way of holiness, he sincerel delights in the law of God, and in the holiness which it demands according to his inward man; that new man in him, which after God is created in true holiness.
Greek Textus Receptus
ευρισκω 2147 5719 V-PAI-1S αρα 686 PRT τον 3588 T-ASM νομον 3551 N-ASM τω 3588 T-DSM θελοντι 2309 5723 V-PAP-DSM εμοι 1698 P-1DS ποιειν 4160 5721 V-PAN το 3588 T-ASN καλον 2570 A-ASN οτι 3754 CONJ εμοι 1698 P-1DS το 3588 T-NSN κακον 2556 A-NSN παρακειται 3873 5736 V-PNI-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
21. A law. With the article, the law. The constant rule of experience imposing itself on the will. Thus in the phrases law of faith, works, the spirit. Here the law of moral contradiction.When I would (tw qelonti emoi). Lit., as Rev., to me who would, or to the wishing me, thus emphasizing the I whose characteristic it is to wish, but not to do.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
7:21 {The law} (ton nomon). The principle already set forth (ara, accordingly) in verses #18,19. this is the way it works, but there is no surcease for the stings of conscience.
