Romans 7 · Verse 2

Romans 7:2

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Romans 7:2, King James Version

Romans 7:2 in other translations

BSB	For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.
WEB	For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband.
ASV	For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband.
YLT	for the married woman to the living husband hath been bound by law, and if the husband may die, she hath been free from the law of the husband;
DARBY	For the married woman is bound by law to her husband so long as he is alive; but if the husband should die, she is clear from the law of the husband:
BBE	For the woman who has a husband is placed by the law under the power of her husband as long as he is living; but if her husband is dead, she is free from the law of the husband.
Webster	For the woman who hath a husband, is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband is dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

What does Romans 7:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 7:2-3

2-3. if her husband be dead--"die." So Ro 7:3.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 2. For the woman. This verse is a specific illustration of the general principle in Rom 7:1, that death dissolves those connexions and relations which make law binding in life. It is a simple illustration; and if this had been kept in mind, it would have saved much of the perplexity which has been felt by many commentators, and much of their wild vagaries in endeavouring to show that "men are the wife, the law the former husband, and Christ the new one;" or that "the old man is the wife, sinful desires the husband, sins the children." Beza. (See Stuart.) Such expositions are sufficient to humble us, and to make us mourn over the puerile and fanciful interpretations which even wise and good men often give to the Bible.

Is bound by the law, etc. See the same sentiment in 1Cor 7:39.

To her husband. She is united to him; and is under his authority as the head of the household. To him is particularly committed the headship of the family, and the wife is subject to his law, in the Lord, Eph 5:22,23.

She is loosed, etc. The husband has no more authority. The connexion from which obligation resulted is dissolved.

(h) "For the woman" 1Cor 7:39

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 2 For the woman which hath a husband - The apostle illustrates his meaning by a familiar instance. A married woman is bound to her husband while he lives; but when her husband is dead she is discharged from the law by which she was bound to him alone.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 7:1-6

So long as a man continues under the law as a covenant, and seeks justification by his own obedience, he continues the slave of sin in some form. Nothing but the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, can make any sinner free from the law of sin and death. Believers are delivered from that power of the law, which condemns for the sins committed by them. And they are delivered from that power of the law which stirs up and…

Read the full comment on Romans 7:1-6 →

Romans 7:2 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἡhēTheG3588

γὰρgarforG1063

ὕπανδροςhupandrosmarriedG5220

γυνὴgunēwomanG1135

τῷtōto theG3588

ζῶντιzōntilivingG2198

ἀνδρὶandrihusbandG435

δέδεταιdedetaihas been boundG1210

νόμῳ·nomōby law;G3551

ἐὰνeanifG1437

δὲdehoweverG1161

ἀποθάνῃapothanēshall dieG599

ὁhotheG3588

ἀνήρ,anērhusband,G435

κατήργηταιkatērgētaishe has been clearedG2673

ἀπὸapofromG575

τοῦtoutheG3588

νόμουnomoulawG3551

τοῦtouof theG3588

ἀνδρός.androshusband.G435

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 7:2

Genesis 2:23-24
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
1 Corinthians 7:4
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
1 Corinthians 7:39
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
Numbers 30:7-8
And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the Lord shall forgive her.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the woman.Rather, a woman. The apostle here illustrates the position laid down in the preceding verse by a familiar instance.
Ge 2:23,24; Nu 30:7,8; 1Co 7:4,39

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Romans 7:1
Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
Romans 7:2
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
Romans 7:3
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Read all of Romans 7

Romans 7:2 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque la mujer que está sujeta á marido, mientras el marido vive está obligada á la ley; mas muerto el marido, libre es de la ley del marido.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Car la femme qui est soumise à un mari, est liée à son mari par la loi, tant qu’il vit; mais si le mari meurt, elle est déliée de la loi du mari.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn das verheiratete Weib ist durchs Gesetz an den Mann gebunden, solange er lebt; wenn aber der Mann gestorben ist, so ist sie losgemacht von dem Gesetz des Mannes.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Nam quæ sub viro est mulier, vivente viro, alligata est legi: si autem mortuus fuerit vir ejus, soluta est a lege viri.