"What I hate, that I do..."

Misleadingly quoting parts of Romans chapter 7 is widely done.

It's likely you've already encountered this.

It misleads people into thinking that slavery to sin is inescapable.

For this reason alone, it could be called the worst mistake of all Bible interpretation.

What else can one call deceiving people into thinking they are slaves to sin?

"For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin." (Romans 7:14)

"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." (7:15)

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but [how] to perform what is good I do not find." ((7:18)

"For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice." (7:19)

"I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good." (7:21)

"For I delight in the law of God according to 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. " (7:22-23)

"O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (7:24)

"So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." (7:25b)

The rest of the letter clarifies that chapter 7 describes the author's predicament as an Israelite trying to remain sin-free in the period before Jesus Christ died to pay the ransom from sin slavery.

"For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be [in the likeness] of [His] resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [Him], that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:5-6)

"But God be thanked that [though] you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18)

"But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life." (Romans 6:22)

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (Romans 8:12-14)