Devine Scripture

Romans 5:12

What does Romans 5:12 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 5:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 5:12 means

Paul introduces the Adam-Christ framework: through one man, Adam, sin entered the world, and death through sin; thus death spread to all because all sinned. He teaches that humanity shares both the consequence and reality of sin. Death’s universality is evidence of sin’s universal reach. The phrase “all sinned” connects our fate with Adam’s representative act and our own participation in a fallen condition. This sets the stage for comparing two heads of humanity: Adam, whose trespass brings condemnation and death, and Jesus Christ, whose righteous act brings justification and life. Understanding the breadth of the problem magnifies the grace that meets it in the gospel.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:—

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:—

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For this reason, as through one man sin came into the world, and death because of sin, and so death came to all men, because all have done evil:

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

because of this, even as through one man the sin did enter into the world, and through the sin the death; and thus to all men the death did pass through, for that all did sin;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world and by sin death: and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For this [cause], even as by one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death; and thus death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Context

This verse begins a long comparison that explains why all die and how grace triumphs. Paul states the entry of sin and death through Adam and the spread of death to all. Because the sentence is complex, he pauses in vv13–14 to clarify the role of the law and to show that death reigned even before Moses, proving Adam’s representative role. After that clarification, he contrasts Adam’s trespass with Christ’s gift (vv15–17) and then gives summary parallels (vv18–19).

v.11and not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

v.12This passage

v.13for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Genesis 3:19

    in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

  • 1 John 1:8

    If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

  • Genesis 3:22

    And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever—

  • 1 Corinthians 15:21

    For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

  • Genesis 3:6

    And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.

  • Romans 6:23

    For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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