Romans 5:15-20
Context5:15 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,
1 tn Grk “but not as the transgression, so also [is] the gracious gift.”
2 sn Here the one man refers to Adam (cf. 5:14).
3 tn Grk “and not as through the one who sinned [is] the gift.”
4 tn The word “transgression” is not in the Greek text at this point, but has been supplied for clarity.
5 tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.
6 tn Or “falls, trespasses,” the same word used in vv. 15, 17, 18, 20.
7 sn Here the one man refers to Adam (cf. 5:14).
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.
9 tn Grk “[it is] unto condemnation for all people.”
10 tn Here ἀνθρώπους (anqrwpou") has been translated as a generic (“people”) since both men and women are clearly intended in this context.
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.
12 sn One transgression refers to the sin of Adam in Gen 3:1-24.
13 sn The one righteous act refers to Jesus’ death on the cross.
14 tn Grk “righteousness of life.”
15 sn Here the one man refers to Adam (cf. 5:14).
16 tn Grk “the many.”
17 sn One man refers here to Jesus Christ.
18 tn Grk “the many.”
19 tn Grk “slipped in.”
20 tn Or “trespass.”