The big picture
Romans 5 opens in verse 1 with “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have…”, and closes in verse 21 with “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness…” Repeated or prominent terms include Christ, death, gift, grace, Jesus. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Romans · King James Version · 21Romans 5:1-7
1–7: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our…
Romans 5:1–7 opens with “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” and reaches “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Adam’s disobedience and death contrasted with Christ’s faithful gift and a reconciled people receiving peace, with particular weight carried by hope, Christ, experience.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Romans 5:1-7
King James Version1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Romans 5:8-14
8–14: God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners…
Romans 5:8–14 opens with “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” and reaches “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Adam’s disobedience and death contrasted with Christ’s faithful gift and a reconciled people receiving peace, with particular weight carried by death, Christ, reconciled.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Naming Christ keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Romans 5:8-14
King James Version8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
12Wherefore, 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:
13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Romans 5:15-21
15–21: Not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence…
Romans 5:15–21 opens with “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be…” and reaches “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Adam’s disobedience and death contrasted with Christ’s faithful gift and a reconciled people receiving peace, with particular weight carried by gift, grace, offence.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Romans 5:15-21
King James Version15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18Therefore 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.
19For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Romans 5:1 begins with “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
Where the chapter turns
Romans 5:13 forms a natural hinge: “(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”
The final note
Romans 5:21 leaves the reader with “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Christ, death, gift, grace, Jesus, offence help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the repeated ending make readers feel?
Death becomes the chapter's persistent refrain, even as generation follows generation.
What two interruptions offer hope?
Enoch's walk with God and Lamech's hope attached to Noah.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- hath
- has
- wherefore
- for that reason
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.