Devine Scripture

Romans 5:7

What does Romans 5:7 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 5:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 5:7 means

Human love has limits: it is rare for someone to lay down his life for a merely righteous person, and even for a notably good person such sacrifice is only occasional and hesitant. This honest assessment prepares us to appreciate the immeasurable difference in God’s love. By reminding us how uncommon human self-sacrifice is, Paul clears the ground for the glory of the gospel. If people scarcely die for the deserving, what can be said when Christ dies for the undeserving? The comparison heightens the wonder: God’s love is not a slightly better version of ours; it is of another kind, marked by generosity to the unworthy.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Now it is hard for anyone to give his life even for an upright man, though it might be that for a good man someone would give his life.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for scarcely for a righteous man will any one die, for for the good man perhaps some one also doth dare to die;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For scarce for a just man will one die: yet perhaps for a good man some one would dare to die.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For scarcely for [the] just [man] will one die, for perhaps for [the] good [man] some one might also dare to die;

Context

Following the statement that Christ died for the ungodly (v6), Paul contrasts human patterns of love to set up the sharper revelation of divine love. This verse functions as a foil, preparing for v8’s declaration that God demonstrated love by Christ’s death for sinners. With that proof established, Paul will reason from the greater to the lesser: if God has already done the hardest thing, He will certainly complete salvation—saving from wrath and keeping reconciled people to the end (vv9–11).

v.6For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly.

v.7This passage

v.8But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Cross references

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

  • 2 Samuel 18:27

    And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.

  • Romans 16:4

    who for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles:

  • 2 Samuel 23:14

    And David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

  • John 15:13

    Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

  • 1 John 3:16

    Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

  • Acts 11:24

    for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

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