Romans 8:7

because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Paul writes to the Roman congregation, mid-contrast between flesh and Spirit (Romans 8:5–8), establishing that the fleshly mind is not merely weak but structurally opposed to God.

The words — φρόνημα (phronēma) is a settled orientation, a way of thinking that governs everything downstream; ἔχθρα (echthra) names the relationship as a standing state of enmity, not a passing disagreement.

The thread — James 4:4 calls friendship with the world "hostility toward God," using the same root idea; 1 Corinthians 2:14 adds that the natural person "cannot" receive the Spirit's things, echoing the impossibility clause here.

Why it lands — The verse closes the door on partial compliance: the fleshly mind doesn't try and fall short, it is oriented against. A reader must identify which mind is actually directing their life.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

διότιdiotibecause τὸtothe φρόνημαphronēmamind τῆςtēsof the σαρκὸςsarkosflesh ἔχθραechthra[is] hostility εἰςeistoward θεόν·theonGod;τῷtō<the>γὰρgarfor νόμῳnomōthe law τοῦtou<the>θεοῦtheouof God οὐχouchnot ὑποτάσσεται,hupotassetaiit is subject,οὐδὲoudenor even γὰρgarfor δύναται·dunataican it [be];

King James Version

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
James 4:4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.
Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.
Romans 7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.
Colossians 1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds.
2 Timothy 3:4 traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.
Romans 8:4 so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!