Romans 7 · Verse 4

Romans 7:4

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Romans 7:4, King James Version

Romans 7:4 in other translations

BSB	Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
WEB	Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might produce fruit to God.
ASV	Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
YLT	So that, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of the Christ, for your becoming another's, who out of the dead was raised up, that we might bear fruit to God;
DARBY	So that, my brethren, ye also have been made dead to the law by the body of the Christ, to be to another, who has been raised up from among the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
BBE	In the same way, my brothers, you were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, even to him who came again from the dead, so that we might give fruit to God.
Webster	Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit to God.

What does Romans 7:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. Wherefore ... ye also are become dead--rather, "were slain." to the law by the body of Christ--through His slain body. The apostle here departs from his usual word "died," using the more expressive phrase "were slain," to make it clear that he meant their being "crucified with Christ" (as expressed in Ro 6:3-6, and Ga 2:20). that ye should be married to another, even to him that is--"was." raised from the dead--to the intent. that we should bring forth fruit unto God--It has been thought that the apostle should here have said that "the law died to us," not "we to the law," but that purposely inverted the figure, to avoid the harshness to Jewish ears of the death of the law [Chrysostom, Calvin, Hodge, Philippi, &c.]. But this is to mistake the apostle's design in employing this figure, which was merely to illustrate the general principle that "death dissolves legal obligation." It was essential to his argument that we, not the law, should be the dying party, since it is we that are "crucified with Christ," and not the law. This death dissolves our marriage obligation to the law, leaving us at liberty to contract a new relation--to be joined to the Risen One, in order to spiritual fruitfulness, to the glory of God [Beza, Olshausen, Meyer, Alford, &c.]. The confusion, then, is in the expositors, not the text; and it has arisen from not observing that, like Jesus Himself, believers are here viewed as having a double life--the old sin-condemned life, which they lay down with Christ, and the new life of acceptance and holiness to which they rise with their Surety and Head; and all the issues of this new life, in Christian obedience, are regarded as the "fruit" of this blessed union to the Risen One. How such holy fruitfulness was impossible before our union to Christ, is next declared.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 4. Wherefore. This verse contains an application of the illustration in the two preceding. The idea there is, that death dissolves a connexion from which obligation resulted. This is the single point of the illustration, and consequently there is no need of inquiring whether by the wife the apostle meant to denote the old man, or the Christian, etc. The meaning is, as death dissolves the connexion between a wife and her husband, and of course the obligation of the law resulting from that connexion, so the death of the Christian to the law dissolves that connexion, so far as the scope of the argument here is concerned, and prepares the way for another union, a union with Christ, from which a new and more efficient obligation results. The design is to show that the new connexion would accomplish more important effects than the old.

Ye also are become dead to the law. Rom 6:3, Rom 6:4, Rom 6:8. The connexion between us and the law is dissolved, so far as the scope of the apostle's argument is concerned. He does not say that we are dead to it, or released from it as a rule of duty, or as a matter of obligation to obey it; for there neither is, nor can be, any such release; but we are dead to it as a way of justification and sanctification. In the great matter of acceptance with God, we have ceased to rely on the law, having become dead to it, and having embraced another plan.

By the body of Christ. That is, by his body crucified; or, in other words, by his death. Comp. Eph 2:15, "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity," etc.; that is, by his death. Col 1:22, "In the body of his flesh through death," etc.; Rom 2:14, 1Pet 2:24, "Who bare our sins in his own body on the tree." The sense is, therefore, that by the death of Christ as an atoning sacrifice; by his suffering for us that which would be sufficient to meet the demands of the law; by his taking our place, he has released us from the law as a way of justification, freed us from its penalty, and saved us from its curse. Thus released, we are at liberty to be uffited to the law of him who has thus bought us with h is blood.

That ye should be married to another. That you might be united to another, and come under his law. This is the completion of the illustration in Rom 7:2,3. As the woman that is freed from the law of her husband by his death, when married again comes under the authority of another, so we who are made free from the law and its curse by the death of Christ, are brought under the new law of fidelity and obedience to him with whom we are thus united. The union of Christ and his people is not unfrequently illustrated by the most tender of all earthly connexions--that of a husband and wife, Eph 5:23-30, Rev 21:9, "I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife;" Rev 19:7.

Even to him who is raised, etc. See the force of this explained, Rom 6:8.

That we should bring forth fruit unto God. That we should live a holy life. This is the point and scope of all this illustration. The new connexion is such as will make us holy. It is also implied that the tendency of the law was only to bring forth fruit unto death, Rom 6:5 and that the tendency of the gospel is to make man holy and pure. Comp. Gal 5:22,23.

(l) "fruit unto God" Gal 5:22

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 4 Wherefore, my brethren - This is a parallel case. You were once under the law of Moses, and were bound by its injunctions; but now ye are become dead to that law - a modest, inoffensive mode of speech, for, The law, which was once your husband, is dead; God has determined that it shall be no longer in force; so that now, as a woman whose husband is dead is freed from the law of that husband, or from her conjugal vow, and may legally be married to another, so God, who gave the law under which ye have hitherto lived, designed that it should be in force only till the advent of the Messiah; that advent has taken place, the law has consequently ceased, and now ye are called to take on you the yoke of the Gospel, and lay down the yoke of the law; and it is the design of God that you should do so. That ye should be married to another - who is raised from the dead - As Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, the object of God in giving the law was to unite you to Christ; and, as he has died, he has not only abolished that law which condemns every transgressor to death, without any hope of a revival, but he has also made that atonement for sin, by his own death, which is represented in the sacrifices prescribed by the law. And as Jesus Christ is risen again from the dead, he has thereby given the fullest proof that by his death he has procured the resurrection of mankind, and made that atonement required by the law. That we should bring forth fruit unto God - we, Jews, who believe in Christ, have, in consequence of our union with him, received the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit; so that we bring forth that fruit of holiness unto God which, without this union, it would be impossible for us to produce. Here is a delicate allusion to the case of a promising and numerous progeny from a legitimate and happy marriage.

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 7:4 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.

Ὥστε,HōsteLikewise,G5620

ἀδελφοίadelphoibrothersG80

μου,mouof mine,G3165

καὶkaialsoG2532

ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771

ἐθανατώθητεethanatōthētewere put to deathG2289

τῷtōto theG3588

νόμῳnomōlawG3551

διὰdiathroughG1223

τοῦtoutheG3588

σώματοςsōmatosbodyG4983

τοῦtou<the>G3588

ΧριστοῦChristouof ChristG5547

εἰςeisforG1519

τὸto<the>G3588

γενέσθαιgenesthaito belongG1096

ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771

ἑτέρῳ,heterōto another,G2087

τῷtōto the [One]G3588

ἐκekout fromG1537

νεκρῶνnekrōn[the] deadG3498

ἐγερθέντι,egerthentihaving been raised,G1453

ἵναinaso thatG2443

καρποφορήσωμενkarpophorēsōmenwe may bear fruitG2592

τῷtō<the>G3588

θεῷ.theōto God.G2316

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

Cross references for Romans 7:4

1 Peter 2:24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Isaiah 54:5
For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
Ephesians 5:23-27
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, …
Romans 8:2
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Galatians 2:19-20
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Romans 7:6
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Ephesians 2:15
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Galatians 5:18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Galatians 3:13
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Colossians 1:22
In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Romans 6:22
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

ye also.
6; 6:14; 8:2; Ga 2:19,20; 3:13; 5:18; Eph 2:15; Col 2:14,20
the body.
Mt 26:26; Joh 6:51; 1Co 10:16; Heb 10:10; 1Pe 2:24
that ye.
Ps 45:10-15; Isa 54:5; 62:5; Ho 2:19,20; Joh 3:29; 2Co 11:2
Eph 5:23-27; Re 19:7; 21:9
that we.
6:22; Ps 45:16; Joh 15:8; Ga 5:22,23; Php 1:11; 4:17; Col 1:6,10

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

Context

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.
Romans 7:4
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Romans 7:5
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Read all of Romans 7

Romans 7:4 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Así también vosotros, hermanos míos, estáis muertos á la ley por el cuerpo de Cristo, para que seáis de otro, á saber, del que resucitó de los muertos, á fin de que fructifiquemos á Dios.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	C’est pourquoi, mes frères, vous aussi, vous avez été mis à mort à la loi par le corps du Christ, pour être à un autre, à celui qui est ressuscité d’entre les morts, afin que nous portions du fruit pour Dieu.
German Elberfelder 1871	Also seid auch ihr, meine Brüder, dem Gesetz getötet worden durch den Leib des Christus, um eines anderen zu werden, des aus den Toten Auferweckten, auf daß wir Gott Frucht brächten.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Itaque fratres mei, et vos mortificati estis legi per corpus Christi: ut sitis alterius, qui ex mortuis resurrexit, ut fructificemus Deo.