Romans 5:15-21

5:15 But the gracious gift is not like the transgression. ¹  For if the many died through the transgression of the one man, ²  how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ multiply to the many! 5:16 And the gift is not like the one who sinned. ³  For judgment, resulting from the one transgression, ⁴  led to condemnation, but ⁵  the gracious gift from the many failures ⁶  led to justification. 5:17 For if, by the transgression of the one man, ⁷  death reigned through the 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!

5:18 Consequently, ⁸  just as condemnation ⁹  for all people ¹⁰  came ¹¹  through one transgression, ¹²  so too through the one righteous act ¹³  came righteousness leading to life ¹⁴  for all people. 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man ¹⁵  many ¹⁶  were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man ¹⁷  many ¹⁸  will be made righteous. 5:20 Now the law came in ¹⁹  so that the transgression ²⁰  may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more, 5:21 so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[5:15]  ¹ tn Grk “but not as the transgression, so also [is] the gracious gift.”

[5:15]  ² sn Here the one man refers to Adam (cf. 5:14).

[5:16]  ³ tn Grk “and not as through the one who sinned [is] the gift.”

[5:16]  ⁴ tn The word “transgression” is not in the Greek text at this point, but has been supplied for clarity.

[5:16]  ⁵ tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.

[5:16]  ⁶ tn Or “falls, trespasses,” the same word used in vv. 15, 17, 18, 20.

[5:17]  ⁷ sn Here the one man refers to Adam (cf. 5:14).

[5:18]  ⁸ tn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what he has been arguing.

[5:18]  ⁹ tn Grk “[it is] unto condemnation for all people.”

[5:18]  ¹⁰ tn Here ἀνθρώπους (anqrwpou") has been translated as a generic (“people”) since both men and women are clearly intended in this context.

[5:18]  ¹¹ tn There are no verbs in the Greek text of v. 18, forcing translators to supply phrases like “came through one transgression,” “resulted from one transgression,” etc.

[5:18]  ¹² sn One transgression refers to the sin of Adam in Gen 3:1-24.

[5:18]  ¹³ sn The one righteous act refers to Jesus’ death on the cross.

[5:18]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “righteousness of life.”

[5:19]  ¹⁵ sn Here the one man refers to Adam (cf. 5:14).

[5:19]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “the many.”

[5:19]  ¹⁷ sn One man refers here to Jesus Christ.

[5:19]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “the many.”

[5:20]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “slipped in.”

[5:20]  ²⁰ tn Or “trespass.”