independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
Released from the law — the marriage analogy 7:1–6
vv. 1–3 — the axiom and the illustration: law binds only the living
1
Ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε, ἀδελφοί,independent — the diatribe question opens (cf. 6:3, 16)
γινώσκουσιν γὰρ νόμον λαλῶ,cause — parenthesis — γάρ: he may assume the answer
ὅτι ὁ νόμος κυριεύει τοῦ ἀνθρώπουcontent — the axiom — law rules the living
ἐφ' ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ;relative — ἐφ' ὅσον χρόνον — the term of jurisdiction
2
ἡ γὰρ ὕπανδρος γυνὴ τῷ ζῶντι ἀνδρὶ δέδεται νόμῳ·independent — the illustration — γάρ grounds the axiom of v. 1
ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἀνήρ,conditional — protasis — leans on the release below
κατήργηται ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ἀνδρός.independent — apodosis — the bond annulled by death
3
ἄρα οὖν ζῶντος τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μοιχαλὶς χρηματίσειindependent — verdict 1 — with the genitive absolute inside
ἐὰν γένηται ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ·conditional — trailing protasis — anchored back on the verdict
ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἀνήρ,conditional — protasis — leans on the second verdict below
ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου,independent — verdict 2 — freedom by death
τοῦ μὴ εἶναι αὐτὴν μοιχαλίδα γενομένην ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ.purpose — τοῦ μή + inf. — result: the new union no adultery
vv. 4–6 — the application: dead to the law, joined to the risen one
4
ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐθανατώθητε τῷ νόμῳ διὰ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ,independent — the application — ὥστε; the twist: it is we who died, not the law
εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι ὑμᾶς ἑτέρῳ,purpose — εἰς τό + inf. — the death aims at a new union
τῷ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγερθέντι,participial — apposition — the new husband is the risen Christ
ἵνα καρποφορήσωμεν τῷ θεῷ.purpose — the union's offspring — fruit for God (contrast v. 5)
5
ὅτε γὰρ ἦμεν ἐν τῇ σαρκί,conditional — temporal frame (ὅτε) — leans on the main clause below
τὰ παθήματα τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τὰ διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐνηργεῖτο ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶνindependent — the old regime — the law as sin's occasion
εἰς τὸ καρποφορῆσαι τῷ θανάτῳ·purpose — the grim harvest — death the dark beneficiary
6
νυνὶ δὲ κατηργήθημεν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου,independent — νυνὶ δέ — the turn of the eras (cf. 3:21)
ἀποθανόντες ἐν ᾧ κατειχόμεθα,participial — the means of release — death to the captor
ὥστε δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος καὶ οὐ παλαιότητι γράμματος.purpose — ὥστε + inf. — result: Spirit's newness, not letter's oldness
Is the law sin? — the commandment seized by sin 7:7–13
vv. 7–8 — the objection denied: the law exposed sin, sin exploited the law
7
Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν;independent — the diatribe formula (cf. 6:1)
ὁ νόμος ἁμαρτία;independent — the slander floated — verbless question
μὴ γένοιτο·independent — the recoil
ἀλλὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔγνωνindependent — the counter-thesis — the law exposes, it is not the disease
εἰ μὴ διὰ νόμου,conditional — the exception — εἰ μή, elliptical
τήν τε γὰρ ἐπιθυμίαν οὐκ ᾔδεινcause — τε γάρ — the concrete example: the tenth commandment
εἰ μὴ ὁ νόμος ἔλεγεν·conditional — trailing protasis — anchored back on the knowing
Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις.content — Exod 20:17; Deut 5:21 — the future as emphatic prohibition
8
ἀφορμὴν δὲ λαβοῦσα ἡ ἁμαρτία διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς κατειργάσατο ἐν ἐμοὶ πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν,independent — the real culprit — ἀφορμή, a military bridgehead
χωρὶς γὰρ νόμου ἁμαρτία νεκρά.cause — verbless maxim — sin dormant without the command
vv. 9–12 — the narrative: the commandment came, sin sprang to life, I died
9
ἐγὼ δὲ ἔζων χωρὶς νόμου ποτέ·independent — the 'once' — life before the commandment
ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς ἐντολῆς ἡ ἁμαρτία ἀνέζησεν,independent — the genitive absolute fronts the ambush — ἀνέζησεν
10
ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπέθανον,independent — the crash — emphatic ἐγώ against ἡ ἁμαρτία
καὶ εὑρέθη μοι ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ εἰς ζωὴν αὕτη εἰς θάνατον·independent — the tragic reversal — εἰς ζωήν … εἰς θάνατον
11
ἡ γὰρ ἁμαρτία ἀφορμὴν λαβοῦσα διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐξηπάτησέν μεcause — how the reversal happened — ἐξηπάτησεν echoes Gen 3:13
καὶ δι' αὐτῆς ἀπέκτεινεν.cause — coordinate with the deceiving — the command sin's weapon
12
ὥστε ὁ μὲν νόμος ἅγιος,independent — the verdict — μέν (its δέ answered only by v. 13's argument)
καὶ ἡ ἐντολὴ ἁγία καὶ δικαία καὶ ἀγαθή.independent — the commandment thrice praised — verbless
v. 13 — did the good kill? no — sin did, and was unmasked
13
Τὸ οὖν ἀγαθὸν ἐμοὶ ἐγένετο θάνατος;independent — the objection sharpened
μὴ γένοιτο·independent — the recoil
ἀλλὰ ἡ ἁμαρτία,independent — elliptical — the culprit named; supply 'became death'
ἵνα φανῇ ἁμαρτία,purpose — fronted before the participle it serves — sin unmasked
διὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μοι κατεργαζομένη θάνατον·participial — the modus operandi — death through the good itself
ἵνα γένηται καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ἁμαρτωλὸς ἡ ἁμαρτία διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς.purpose — the second design — καθ' ὑπερβολήν, sin's full exposure
The divided self — two laws at war 7:14–25
vv. 14–17 — sold under sin: willing one thing, doing another
14
οἴδαμεν γὰρindependent — the shared premise — οἴδαμεν frames the whole
ὅτι ὁ νόμος πνευματικός ἐστιν·content — the law cleared — it belongs to the Spirit's side
ἐγὼ δὲ σάρκινός εἰμι,independent — the antithesis — the famous present-tense ἐγώ begins
πεπραμένος ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν.participial — the slave-market perfect — πιπράσκω
15
ὃ γὰρ κατεργάζομαι οὐ γινώσκω·independent — the riddle stated — headless relative inside
οὐ γὰρ ὃ θέλω τοῦτο πράσσω,cause — the see-saw, limb 1 — οὐ … θέλω
ἀλλ' ὃ μισῶ τοῦτο ποιῶ.cause — the see-saw, limb 2 — ἀλλά answers the οὐ
16
εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ θέλω τοῦτο ποιῶ,conditional — protasis — leans on the concession below
σύμφημι τῷ νόμῳindependent — apodosis — the divided will still sides with the law
ὅτι καλός.content — verbless content — καλός without copula
17
νυνὶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ κατεργάζομαι αὐτὸindependent — the inference — νυνὶ δέ logical, not temporal
ἀλλὰ ἡ οἰκοῦσα ἐν ἐμοὶ ἁμαρτία.independent — elliptical — the indwelling tenant named
vv. 18–20 — the diagnosis repeated: the willing present, the doing absent
18
οἶδα γὰρindependent — the diagnosis resumes
ὅτι οὐκ οἰκεῖ ἐν ἐμοί, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου, ἀγαθόν·content — with the self-correction τοῦτ' ἔστιν kept inside the clause
τὸ γὰρ θέλειν παράκειταί μοι,cause — the evidence — willing present
τὸ δὲ κατεργάζεσθαι τὸ καλὸν οὔ·cause — elliptical — the verb gapped; doing absent
19
οὐ γὰρ ὃ θέλω ποιῶ ἀγαθόν,cause — the see-saw restated, limb 1 — v. 15 with ἀγαθόν named
ἀλλὰ ὃ οὐ θέλω κακὸν τοῦτο πράσσω.cause — the see-saw restated, limb 2 — with κακόν named
20
εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ θέλω τοῦτο ποιῶ,conditional — protasis — v. 16 repeated, leaning on the verdict below
οὐκέτι ἐγὼ κατεργάζομαι αὐτὸindependent — apodosis — the verdict of v. 17 in identical words
ἀλλὰ ἡ οἰκοῦσα ἐν ἐμοὶ ἁμαρτία.independent — elliptical — the refrain sealed
vv. 21–23 — the two laws at war
21
Εὑρίσκω ἄρα τὸν νόμον τῷ θέλοντι ἐμοὶ ποιεῖν τὸ καλὸνindependent — the summary — τὸν νόμον read as 'the rule/regularity', not Torah
ὅτι ἐμοὶ τὸ κακὸν παράκειται·content — epexegetic ὅτι — the 'law' defined
22
συνήδομαι γὰρ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον,cause — the first datum — joy in God's law, κατὰ τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον
23
βλέπω δὲ ἕτερον νόμον ἐν τοῖς μέλεσίν μουcause — the counter-datum — δέ pairs with v. 22 under Εὑρίσκω
ἀντιστρατευόμενον τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ νοός μουparticipial — the campaign — ἀντιστρατεύομαι, military
καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζοντά με ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τῆς ἁμαρτίαςparticipial — the outcome — αἰχμαλωτίζω, a prisoner of war
τῷ ὄντι ἐν τοῖς μέλεσίν μου.participial — attributive — the captor quartered in the members
vv. 24–25 — the cry, the thanksgiving, the verdict
24
ταλαίπωρος ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος·independent — the cry — verbless
τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου;independent — the question — deliverance sought from outside
25
χάρις δὲ τῷ θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν.independent — the answer — verbless thanksgiving, anticipating ch. 8
ἄρα οὖν αὐτὸς ἐγὼ τῷ μὲν νοῒ δουλεύω νόμῳ θεοῦ,independent — the double-service summary — kept after the thanksgiving, not transposed
τῇ δὲ σαρκὶ νόμῳ ἁμαρτίας.independent — elliptical — the δέ limb, verb gapped
Analysis. Romans 7 reads shallow and fast — nothing sinks past depth 3, because the chapter argues in short thrusts, not chained periods. Verses 1–6 are the marriage analogy: olive ἐάν protases lean forward on the verdicts beneath them (adulteress while he lives, free once he dies — the ἄρα οὖν double verdict of v. 3 at the margin), and the ὥστε application of v. 4 steps down through its purposes — belong to another, the risen one, fruit for God — before the νυνὶ δέ of v. 6 releases the whole. Verses 7–13 are diatribe again: flush-left purple questions and μὴ γένοιτο recoils, with the tenth commandment (Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις, Exod 20:17) the one quotation, three steps deep under ἔλεγεν, and the ambush narrative — sin seized a base of operations, deceived, killed — told in short main clauses with γάρ-grounds hanging beneath. Verses 14–25 put the divided self on the page: every limb of the οὐ/ἀλλά see-saw is its own line (what I want I do not practice / what I hate I do — stated in v. 15, restated in vv. 18b–19, the verdict drawn twice in the identical words of vv. 17 and 20), the εἰ δέ protases lean forward on their apodoses, and the war of vv. 22–23 hangs the two participles of the ἕτερος νόμος — waging war, taking captive — beneath the law Paul 'sees'. The cry of v. 24 is a dashed verbless line at the margin; the answer is the verbless thanksgiving of v. 25a; and the ἄρα οὖν double service closes flush-left, its flesh-limb elliptical. Choices the layout takes sides on: τὸν νόμον in v. 21 is read as 'this rule/regularity' with the ὅτι clause epexegetic, not as the Torah; the fronted ἵνα φανῇ of v. 13 is hung on ἡ ἁμαρτία though it serves the participle that follows; v. 25b is kept in its transmitted place as the sober summary after the thanksgiving, not transposed before v. 24. The identity of the ἐγώ of vv. 7–25 — Paul's pre-Christian past, Adam, Israel under the law, or the believer's continuing struggle — is deliberately left open: the layout displays the divided grammar and lets the reader adjudicate.