ROM 5:12-21

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin, death, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned —

13for until the law, sin was in the world. But sin is not charged where there is no law.

14Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression — who is a type of the one to come.

15But the gracious gift is not like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one, the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflow to the many.

16And the gift is not like what came through one who sinned. For the judgment from one trespass resulted in condemnation, but the gracious gift from many trespasses resulted in justification.

17For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.

18So then, as through one trespass there was condemnation for all men, so also through one act of righteousness there was justification of life for all men.

19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one the many will be made righteous.

20Now the law came in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more,

21so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Roman world, the concept of corporate identity was deeply ingrained. Families, cities, and nations were understood as collective entities, where the actions of one representative figure could shape the destiny of the whole. This idea resonates with Paul’s argument in Romans 5:12-21, where Adam is portrayed as the representative head of humanity, whose disobedience brought sin and death to all. For Jewish listeners, this would evoke the Genesis narrative, where Adam’s transruption in Eden had cosmic consequences. Gentile listeners, familiar with Greco-Roman myths of ancestral curses and collective guilt, would also grasp the idea of one person’s actions affecting many. Paul contrasts Adam with Christ, presenting Jesus as the new representative whose obedience brings life and justification. The term '' (judgment) underscores the legal and relational consequences of Adam’s sin, while '' (gift) highlights the unmerited grace of Christ’s act. This framing would resonate with both Jewish and Gentile audiences, who understood the interplay of individual and corporate responsibility in their cultural and religious contexts.

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How other translations render this

ROM 5:12

KJV: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
BSB: Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.
Koinōnos: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin, death, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned —

ROM 5:13

KJV: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
BSB: For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law.
Koinōnos: for until the law, sin was in the world. But sin is not charged where there is no law.

ROM 5:14

KJV: Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
BSB: Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who did not sin in the way that Adam transgressed. He is a pattern of the One to come.
Koinōnos: Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression — who is a type of the one to come.

ROM 5:15

KJV: But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
BSB: But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did Godʼs grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many!
Koinōnos: But the gracious gift is not like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one, the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflow to the many.

ROM 5:16

KJV: And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
BSB: Again, the gift is not like the result of the one manʼs sin: The judgment that followed one sin brought condemnation, but the gift that followed many trespasses brought justification.
Koinōnos: And the gift is not like what came through one who sinned. For the judgment from one trespass resulted in condemnation, but the gracious gift from many trespasses resulted in justification.

ROM 5:17

KJV: For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
BSB: For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive this abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Koinōnos: For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.

ROM 5:18

KJV: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
BSB: So then, just as one trespass brought condemnation for all men, so also one act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men.
Koinōnos: So then, as through one trespass there was condemnation for all men, so also through one act of righteousness there was justification of life for all men.

ROM 5:19

KJV: For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
BSB: For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Koinōnos: For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one the many will be made righteous.

ROM 5:20

KJV: Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
BSB: The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
Koinōnos: Now the law came in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more,

ROM 5:21

KJV: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
BSB: so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Koinōnos: so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

ROM 5:12

man:The word translated 'man' here is a generic term for a human being, encompassing both male and female, and is often used in contrast to gods.

ROM 5:14

likeness:The term used here for 'likeness' refers to an image or a close resemblance, suggesting a parallel or correspondence in form or nature.

ROM 5:16

judgment [was]:The word translated 'judgment' carries the sense of a legal decision or verdict, implying a formal and authoritative pronouncement.

ROM 5:19

disobedience:The word translated 'disobedience' implies an unwillingness to hear or a deliberate refusal to comply, rather than simply a failure to obey.