[Will Kinney]

Romans 7:15 "For that which I do I allow not"

Another word in the King James Bible that is frequently criticized as being an erroneous translation is found in Romans 7:15 where we read: "For that which I do I ALLOW NOT: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I."

The Bible critics tell us the Greek words "ou ginosko" should be translated as "I KNOW not" or "I do not UNDERSTAND". The NKJV, NASB, NIV say: "For what I am doing, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do." Several other versions say: "For what I do, I KNOW not."

First of all, it is readily admitted that the verb "ginosko" usually means "to know", but as with most words in English and in Greek or Hebrew, single words can have a multiplicity of meanings depending on the varying contexts. Not only is the King James Bible reading of "that which I do I allow not" not an error, but it is far more accurate and does not create a contradiction.

Other Bible translations both foreign and English, as well as some commentators and lexicons agree with the meaning found in the King James Bible of Romans 7:15. Liddell and Scott's unabridged Greek- English lexicon, and the abridged edition of 1887 both tell us that the Greek verb ginosko can have the meaning of "to determine, to decree that, or to decide upon".

Barnes' Notes on the New Testament comments on Romans 7:15: "I allow not. I do not approve; I do not wish it; the prevailing bent of my inclinations and purposes is against it. Greek, "I know not." See the margin. The word know, however, is sometimes used in the sense of approving. Revelation 2:24, "Which have not known [approved] the depths of Satan." Compare Psalms 101:4, "I will not know a wicked person." Jeremiah 1:5. "

John Gill comments: For that which I do, I allow not…"The apostle having cleared the law from the charge of being the cause either of sin or death, and taken the blame to himself, proceeds to give an account of the struggle and combat he found in himself between the flesh and spirit; "that which I do, I allow not". That which he did was evil, since he allowed not of it; but this is to be understood not of any notorious crime committed by him, nor of a sinful course of life... but of internal lusts, the workings of corruptions in his heart, and which are real actions of the mind, together with the various frailties and infirmities of life: when that apostle says that what he did, (ginwskw) , "I know not": his meaning is, not that he was utterly ignorant of them, of their nature and operations; that he was insensible of their motions, and unconcerned about them; for his sense of them, and concern for them, are expressed by him in the strongest terms, "I know", "I find", "I see", "O wretched man"… (Romans 7:18,21,23,24) ... rather, "I do not approve" of them, I dislike, abhor, and detest them; I cannot excuse or palliate them, but must condemn them; so words of knowledge in the Hebrew language are expressive of love, liking, and approbation; see (Psalms 1:6) (Hosea 8:4) (Genesis 18:19) ; on which last text, "I know him", says Jarchi, "it is the language of love", or a phrase expressive of strong affection; and so here, I know not, I do not like, love, and approve of these things, or I do not "allow" of them, and indulge myself in them, I loathe them and myself for them."

Adam Clarke comments: " What I am continually labouring at I allow not, ou ginwskw, I do not acknowledge to be right, just, holy, or profitable."

Agreeing with the King James Bible reading of "For that which I do I ALLOW NOT" are the Bishops' Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible of 1599, Daniel Mace's 1729 translation, Webster's 1833 translation, the Italian Riveduta 1927 (Perché io NON APPROVO quello che faccio).

Rotherham's 1902 Emphasized Bible, based on the Alexandrian texts like the NASB, NIV, agrees with the meaning found in the King James Bible saying: "For, that which I am working out, I DO NOT APPROVE, - for not, what I wish, the same I practise, but, what I hate, the same I do."

John Wesley's 1755 translation agrees with the KJB meaning: "For that which I do I APPROVE NOT; for what I would, I do not, but what I hate, that I do.

Darby's 1870 translation is similar to the KJB with: "For that which I do, I DO NOT OWN; for not what I will, this I do; but what I hate, this I practise."

Young's 'literal" translation has: "for that which I work, I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE; for not what I will, this I practise, but what I hate, this I do." To "acknowledge" here means to admit or approve of something.

The translations like the NKJV, NIV, NASB, RSV and others that translate this phrase as "that which I do I DO NOT UNDERSTAND" (or KNOW) again miss the point and create a contradiction in the context of Romans chapter Seven. Paul clearly 'KNEW" and "understood" what was happening to him and why. He explains it in great detail saying such things as: "For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin"; "now it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not...it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." Romans 7:14-23.

Again, the King James Bible is right and many modern versions are wrong. If those who profess to believe in the promises of God to preserve His inspired and inerrant words in a Book here on this earth, and believe that God has providentially given us the best Hebrew and Greek texts in the King James Bible, then they should be consistent in their faith. God not only directed the King James Bible translators in their selection of the correct underlying Greek and Hebrew texts, but also in the ENGLISH TRANSLATION of those texts.

It is the King James Bible that is the Final Written Authority, not the lexicons, the commentators, and certainly not your own personal opinions and preferences, or mine.

Will Kinney