Adam and Christ: Death, Grace, and Righteousness
Romans 5:12-21
Rom.5.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Δια: PREP
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- ωσπερ: ADV
- δι᾽ενος: PREP
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- αμαρτια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- κοσμον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- εισηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- δια: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- αμαρτιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θανατος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ουτως: ADV
- εις: PREP
- παντας: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- ανθρωπους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θανατος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- διηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εφ᾽ω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- ημαρτον: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
Parallels
- Genesis 3:17-19 (thematic): The Fall narrative where Adam's sin brings death into the world—background event Paul presupposes when saying sin and death entered through one man.
- 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 (thematic): Paul's parallel formula: 'For as by a man came death, by a man came also the resurrection'—directly contrasts death through Adam with life through Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:45 (allusion): Contrast of 'first Adam' and 'last Adam' (life-giving)—develops the same Adam/Christ typology implied in Rom 5:12.
- Romans 5:19 (verbal): Within the same argument: 'By one man's disobedience many were made sinners'—directly links the one-man origin of sin to the universal condition Paul describes in 5:12.
- Romans 3:23 (verbal): Echo of the universality of sin ('for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God')—supports the claim that death passed to all because all sinned.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people, because all sinned.
- Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people, because all sinned.
Rom.5.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αχρι: PREP
- γαρ: PART
- νομου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αμαρτια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- κοσμω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- αμαρτια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ελλογειται: VERB,pres,pass,ind,3,sg
- μη: PART
- οντος: PART,pres,act,gen,sg,m
- νομου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Romans 4:15 (verbal): Almost identical idea and language: 'where there is no law there is no transgression'—both contrast the imputation of sin with the presence/absence of the law.
- Romans 7:7 (verbal): Paul states he would not have known sin except through the law, linking the law's role in defining and revealing sin to Rom 5:13's contrast between sin's existence and its imputation.
- Romans 3:20 (thematic): Affirms the law's function to produce knowledge of sin; complements Rom 5:13 by explaining why imputation depends on the law's revealing work.
- Galatians 3:19 (thematic): Explains the law was 'added because of transgressions,' relating to Rom 5:13's distinction between sin's presence in the world and the law's role in accounting for it.
- 1 John 3:4 (thematic): Defines sin as lawlessness (anomia), connecting the concept of sin's relation to law with Rom 5:13's concern about when sin is counted/imputed.
Alternative generated candidates
- For before the law was given, sin was in the world; yet sin is not reckoned where there is no law.
- For before the law was given, sin was in the world; yet sin is not counted where there is no law.
Rom.5.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλα: CONJ
- εβασιλευσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θανατος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- απο: PREP
- Αδαμ: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- μεχρι: PREP
- Μωυσεως: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- επι: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- μη: PART
- αμαρτησαντας: VERB,aor,act,part,acc,pl,m
- επι: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ομοιωματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- παραβασεως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- Αδαμ: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- τυπος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- μελλοντος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
Parallels
- Genesis 2:17 (allusion): God's warning that disobedience would bring death — the foundational statement linking Adam's transgression to the entrance of death which Paul presupposes.
- Romans 5:12 (structural): Immediate context: Paul explains how sin and death entered the world through one man (Adam), the premise for 5:14's claim that death reigned from Adam.
- Romans 5:18-19 (thematic): Paul's summary contrast: condemnation and death come through Adam, whereas justification and life come through Christ — develops the 'Adam/Christ' typology explicit in 5:14.
- 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 45 (verbal): Paul elsewhere contrasts 'by a man came death' and calls Adam the 'first man' and Christ the 'last Adam,' directly paralleling the idea of Adam as a type of the one to come.
- Hebrews 2:14-15 (thematic): Speaks of Christ destroying the power of death and freeing those held in bondage by fear of death — complements Paul's argument about death's reign through Adam and deliverance in Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose transgressions were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one to come.
- Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those whose transgression was not like the transgression of Adam; he is a type of the one who was to come.
Rom.5.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Αλλ᾽ουχ: CONJ
- ως: ADV
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- παραπτωμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- ουτως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- χαρισμα·ει: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- γαρ: PART
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ενος: NUM,gen,sg,m
- παραπτωματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- πολλοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- απεθανον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- πολλω: ADV
- μαλλον: ADV
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- χαρις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δωρεα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- χαριτι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ενος: NUM,gen,sg,m
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- Χριστου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- πολλους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- επερισσευσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Romans 5:12 (structural): Immediate context: introduces the contrast—through one man (Adam) sin entered and death spread to many, which sets up the comparison with the gift through Christ in 5:15.
- Romans 5:17 (thematic): Reiterates and develops the contrast: if death came through one trespass, much more will those who receive God's abundant grace reign through one Jesus Christ.
- Romans 5:18-19 (verbal): Parallel formula: 'one trespass' bringing condemnation vs. 'one act of righteousness' bringing justification and life—directly echoes the language and argument of 5:15.
- 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 (thematic): Expresses the same theological principle: 'For as by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead'—death in Adam, life in Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:45 (allusion): Refers to Adam as the first man and Christ as the 'last Adam' who becomes a life-giving spirit, echoing Romans' contrast between the effects of Adam's trespass and Christ's gift.
Alternative generated candidates
- But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if through the trespass of one the many died, much more did God's grace and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ abound to the many.
- But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one man many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by grace of the one man Jesus Christ abound to the many.
Rom.5.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ουχ: PART,neg
- ως: ADV
- δι᾽ενος: PREP,gen,sg,m
- αμαρτησαντος: VERB,aor,act,ptc,gen,m,sg
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δωρημα·το: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- μεν: PART
- γαρ: PART
- κριμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- εξ: PREP
- ενος: NUM,gen,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- κατακριμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δε: CONJ
- χαρισμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- εκ: PREP
- πολλων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- παραπτωματων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- εις: PREP
- δικαιωμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
Parallels
- Rom.5.12 (verbal): Introduces the contrast: 'through one man sin entered the world'—the basis for the condemnation from one (Adam) that 5:16 contrasts with the gift from Christ.
- Rom.5.15 (verbal): Immediate context using parallel language about the gift versus the trespass of one—helps explicate the contrast between condemnation and the free gift.
- Rom.5.18-19 (structural): Summarizes the same argument: one act brings condemnation, but Christ’s act brings justification and life—repeats the one-versus-many contrast of judgment and gift.
- Rom.3.23-24 (thematic): Frames the universal problem (all have sinned and face condemnation) and the solution (being justified freely by God's grace), echoing the condemnation/justification contrast.
- Rom.6.23 (thematic): Contrasts 'wages of sin' (condemnation) with 'the gift of God' (life in Christ), using similar gift/penalty language as in 5:16.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the gift is not as the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment that came from one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift that came from many trespasses brought justification.
- And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for the judgment that came from one trespass resulted in condemnation, but the gift that came from many trespasses results in justification.
Rom.5.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- γαρ: PART
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ενος: NUM,gen,sg,m
- παραπτωματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θανατος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εβασιλευσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- δια: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ενος: NUM,gen,sg,m
- πολλω: ADV
- μαλλον: ADV
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- περισσειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- χαριτος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- δωρεας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- δικαιοσυνης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- λαμβανοντες: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- ζωη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- βασιλευσουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- δια: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ενος: NUM,gen,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- Χριστου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Romans 5:12 (verbal): Direct parallel/contrast within the same argument: sin and death entered through one man (Adam), setting up the contrast with life and righteousness through one (Christ).
- 1 Corinthians 15:21–22 (thematic): Explicit Adam–Christ typology: death came through a man (Adam) and life/resurrection comes through a man (Christ), echoing the Adam/Christ contrast in Romans 5.17.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 (thematic): Focus on the gift/result of Christ's work: believers are made the righteousness of God in Christ—parallels the 'gift of righteousness' received by many in Rom 5.17.
- Romans 3:24–25 (verbal): Emphasis on justification and the gift of righteousness by God's grace through Christ’s redemptive work, closely related language and theme to Rom 5.17's 'abundance of grace' and 'gift of righteousness.'
- Romans 6:23 (thematic): Contrasts wages of sin (death) with God's free gift (eternal life in Christ), paralleling Rom 5.17's contrast between death reigning through Adam and life/righteousness reigning through Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- For if by the trespass of the one man death reigned through that one, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
- For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Rom.5.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Αρα: CONJ
- ουν: CONJ
- ως: ADV
- δι᾽ενος: PREP
- παραπτωματος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- εις: PREP
- παντας: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- ανθρωπους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- κατακριμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- ουτως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- δι᾽ενος: PREP
- δικαιωματος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- εις: PREP
- παντας: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- ανθρωπους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- δικαιωσιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ζωης·: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Rom.5.12 (verbal): Parallel statement about a single trespass bringing condemnation to all—provides the negative corollary to 5:18's positive claim about one act of righteousness bringing justification.
- Rom.5.19 (verbal): Direct parallel/recapitulation: contrasts one man's disobedience (many made sinners) with one man's obedience (many made righteous), echoing the language and logic of 5:18.
- 1 Cor.15.21-22 (thematic): Theme of corporate consequence from one man: 'as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive'—an analogous way of framing universal condemnation and universal life/justification.
- Rom.3.23-24 (thematic): Affirms universal sinfulness ('all have sinned') and universal availability of justification ('being justified freely by his grace')—the theological background for 5:18's claim about justification for all through one righteous act.
- Rom.5.1 (structural): Immediate rhetorical/result clause in Paul's argument: 'Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God'—connects the idea of justification (as in 5:18) to its practical outcome in believers' standing and life.
Alternative generated candidates
- So then, as one trespass led to condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act leads to justification and life for all people.
- So then, as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all people, so also one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all people.
Rom.5.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ωσπερ: ADV
- γαρ: PART
- δια: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- παρακοης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ενος: NUM,gen,sg,m
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αμαρτωλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- κατεσταθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- πολλοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- ουτως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- δια: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- υπακοης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ενος: NUM,gen,sg,m
- δικαιοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- κατασταθησονται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- πολλοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Romans 5:12 (verbal): Sets up the contrast: sin entered and spread 'through one man' (Adam), providing the verbal and theological background for the parallel 'through the one man's disobedience' in 5:19.
- Romans 5:18 (structural): Immediate parallel within the same argument: contrasts one trespass bringing condemnation with one act of righteousness bringing justification—same chiastic structure as 5:19's comparison.
- 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 (thematic): Develops the Adam/Christ typology: 'by a man came death; by a man came also the resurrection' and 'in Adam all die; in Christ all will be made alive,' echoing the 'many' affected by one man's act.
- 1 Corinthians 15:45 (allusion): Calls Christ the 'last Adam,' explicitly linking Christ's righteous/obedient role to Adam's representative role—supports Paul’s contrast of the one man's disobedience vs. the one man's obedience.
- Philippians 2:8 (thematic): Speaks of Christ's obedience 'to the point of death,' underpinning the claim in Romans that the one man's obedience effects righteousness for many.
Alternative generated candidates
- 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.
- For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
Rom.5.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- νομος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- παρεισηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ινα: CONJ
- πλεοναση: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,sg
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- παραπτωμα·ου: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- δε: CONJ
- επλεονασεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- αμαρτια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- υπερεπερισσευσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- χαρις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- Romans 5:15 (verbal): Uses parallel language contrasting the one trespass and the free gift; connects the idea of Adam’s trespass and the countervailing gift of Christ (same imagery of trespass/gift).
- Romans 5:17 (verbal): Develops the same argument: where one trespass led to condemnation, the grace and gift of Christ abound far more — a direct continuation of the contrast in v.20.
- Galatians 3:19 (structural): Explains the purpose of the law with similar wording: the law was 'added' or given 'because of transgressions,' echoing Romans' claim that the law came in relation to sin. (Greek conceptual parallel.)
- Romans 6:1-2 (thematic): Raises and answers the same objection suggested by v.20 (Does abundant grace encourage sin?): Paul answers decisively that believers must not continue in sin, addressing the moral implications of grace abounding.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 (thematic): Emphasizes the superabundance and sufficiency of God's grace ('My grace is sufficient for you'), resonating with Romans' claim that grace superabounds where sin increased.
Alternative generated candidates
- The law came in to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
- Now the law came in to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.
Rom.5.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ινα: CONJ
- ωσπερ: ADV
- εβασιλευσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- αμαρτια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θανατω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ουτως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- χαρις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- βασιλευση: VERB,pres,act,sub,3,sg
- δια: PREP
- δικαιοσυνης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- ζωην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αιωνιον: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- δια: PREP
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- Χριστου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- κυριου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
Parallels
- Romans 5:17 (verbal): Uses the same reign-imagery (βασιλεύει): contrasts death reigning through Adam's trespass with grace reigning through righteousness—directly parallels the logic and language of 5:21.
- Romans 6:14-23 (thematic): Contrasts slavery/dominion of sin and its wages (death) with life as the result of being 'under grace' and serving righteousness—develops the very contrast of reign, death, and eternal life found in 5:21.
- Romans 3:21-26 (verbal): Affirms justification and the gift of righteousness that comes by God’s grace through Christ’s redemptive act—connects the grounds by which grace 'reigns' through righteousness in 5:21.
- 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 (thematic): 'For as by a man came death, by a man came also the resurrection'—parallels the Adam/Christ motif: death contrasted with life in Christ, echoing 5:21's death vs eternal life through Jesus.
- Titus 3:7 (allusion): Speaks of being justified by God's grace so that we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life—echoes 5:21's outcome that grace reigns unto eternal life through Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- so that, as sin reigned in death, grace might also reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- So that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people, because all sinned.
For before the law was given, sin was in the world, but sin is not reckoned where there is no law.
Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose trespasses were not like Adam's transgression; he is a type of the one to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did God's grace and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ abound to the many. And the gift is not the outcome of one man's sin alone. For the judgment that arose from one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift that followed many trespasses brought justification.
For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. So then, as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act results in justification of life for all people.
For as by one man's disobedience many were constituted sinners, so by the obedience of the one many will be constituted righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
so that, as sin reigned in death, grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.