7:6. But now we are loosed from the law of death wherein we were detained; so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7:7. What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? God forbid! But I do not know sin, but by the law. For I had not known concupiscence, if the law did not say: Thou shalt not covet.
7:8. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Sin taking occasion… Sin, or concupiscence, which is called sin, because it is from sin, and leads to sin, which was asleep before, was weakened by the prohibition: the law not being the cause thereof, nor properly giving occasion to it: but occasion being taken by our corrupt nature to resist the commandment laid upon us.
7:9. And I lived some time without the law. But when the commandment came, sin revived,
7:10. And I died. And the commandment that was ordained to life, the same was found to be unto death to me.
7:11. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, seduced me: and by it killed me.
7:12. Wherefore the law indeed is holy: and the commandment holy and just and good.
7:13. Was that then which is good made death unto me? God forbid! But sin, that it may appear sin, by that which is good, wrought death in me: that sin, by the commandment, might become sinful above measure.
That it may appear sin, or that sin may appear, viz… To be the monster it is, which is even capable to take occasion from that which is good, to work death.