6. But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
7. Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”
8. But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.
9. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life,