Romans 5:18
What does Romans 5:18 mean?
A plain-English look at Romans 5:18 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Romans 5:18 means
Paul summarizes: through one trespass, judgment came to all men leading to condemnation; through one act of righteousness, the free gift came to all men leading to justification of life. He speaks of two representative acts with universal scope: Adam’s disobedience brings a sentence upon humanity; Christ’s righteous act—His obedience culminating in the cross—provides justification that results in life. The phrase “to all men” reflects the breadth of the provision in Christ, while the chapter’s focus shows it is effective for those who receive the gift (v17). The key point is parallelism with a decisive difference: Christ’s achievement overturns Adam’s ruin and brings life where death reigned.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Therefore 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949So then, as the effect of one act of wrongdoing was that punishment came on all men, even so the effect of one act of righteousness was righteousness of life for all men.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862So, then, as through one offence to all men <FI>it is<Fi> to condemnation, so also through one declaration of `Righteous' <FI>it is<Fi> to all men to justification of life;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Therefore, as by the offence of one, unto all men to condemnation: so also by the justice of one, unto all men to justification of life.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890so then as [it was] by one offence towards all men to condemnation, so by one righteousness towards all men for justification of life.
Context
This verse condenses the contrasts developed since v12. After detailing grace’s superiority (vv15–17), Paul sets the Adam-Christ parallel in a balanced form. He will immediately reinforce the principle in v19 by focusing on the persons’ obedience and disobedience. The flow then moves to the role of the law (v20), explaining why trespass multiplied and how grace exceeded it, and finally to the purpose statement in v21: grace reigning through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
v.17For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ.
v.18This passage
v.19For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
- Romans 5:15
But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many.
- John 1:7
The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.
- Acts 13:39
and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
- 1 Timothy 2:4
who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.
- Romans 5:12
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:—
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