Romans 5 · Verse 11

Romans 5:11

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Romans 5:11, King James Version

Romans 5:11 in other translations

BSB	Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
WEB	Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
ASV	and not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
YLT	And not only so, but we are also boasting in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom now we did receive the reconciliation;
DARBY	And not only that, but we are making our boast in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom now we have received the reconciliation.
BBE	And not only so, but we have joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we are now at peace with God.
Webster	And not only so, but we also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

What does Romans 5:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. And not only so, but we also joy--rather, "glory." in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by--"through" whom we have now received the atonement--rather, "the reconciliation" (Margin), as the same word is rendered in Ro 5:10 and in 2Co 5:18, 19. (In fact, the earlier meaning of the English word "atonement" was "the reconciliation of two estranged parties") [Trench]. The foregoing effects of justification were all benefits to ourselves, calling for gratitude; this last may be termed a purely disinterested one. Our first feeling towards God, after we have found peace with Him, is that of clinging gratitude for so costly a salvation; but no sooner have we learned to cry, Abba, Father, under the sweet sense of reconciliation, than "gloriation" in Him takes the place of dread of Him, and now He appears to us "altogether lovely!" On this section, Note, (1) How gloriously does the Gospel evince its divine origin by basing all acceptable obedience on "peace with God," laying the foundations of this peace in a righteous "justification" of the sinner "through our Lord Jesus Christ," and making this the entrance to a permanent standing in the divine favor, and a triumphant expectation of future glory! (Ro 5:1, 2). Other peace, worthy of the name, there is none; and as those who are strangers to it rise not to the enjoyment of such high fellowship with God, so they have neither any taste for it nor desire after it. (2) As only believers possess the true secret of patience under trials, so, although "not joyous but grievous" in themselves (He 12:17), when trials divinely sent afford them the opportunity of evidencing their faith by the grace of patience under them, they should "count it all joy" (Ro 5:3, 4; and see Jas 1:2, 3). (3) "Hope," in the New Testament sense of the term, is not a lower degree of faith or assurance (as many now say, I hope for heaven, but am not sure of it); but invariably means "the confident expectation of future good." It presupposes faith; and what faith assures us will be ours, hope accordingly expects. In the nourishment of this hope, the soul's look outward to Christ for the ground of it, and inward upon ourselves for evidence of its reality, must act and react upon each other (Ro 5:2 and Ro 5:4 compared). (4) It is the proper office of the Holy Ghost to beget in the soul the full conviction and joyful consciousness of the love of God in Christ Jesus to sinners of mankind, and to ourselves in particular; and where this exists, it carries with it such an assurance of final salvation as cannot deceive (Ro 5:5). (5) The justification of sinful men is not in virtue of their amendment, but of "the blood of God's Son"; and while this is expressly affirmed in Ro 5:9, our reconciliation to God by the "death of His Son," affirmed in Ro 5:10, is but a variety of the same statement. In both, the blessing meant is the restoration of the sinner to a righteous standing in the sight of God; and in both, the meritorious ground of this, which is intended to be conveyed, is the expiatory sacrifice of God's Son. (6) Gratitude to God for redeeming love, if it could exist without delight in God Himself, would be a selfish and worthless feeling; but when the one rises into the other--the transporting sense of eternal "reconciliation" passing into "gloriation in God" Himself--then the lower is sanctified and sustained by the higher, and each feeling is perfective of the other (Ro 5:11).

Ro 5:12-21. Comparison and Contrast between Adam and Christ in Their Relation to the Human Family.

(This profound and most weighty section has occasioned an immense deal of critical and theological discussion, in which every point, and almost every clause, has been contested. We can here but set down what appears to us to be the only tenable view of it as a whole and of its successive clauses, with some slight indication of the grounds of our judgment).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 11. And not only so. The apostle states another effect of justification.

We also joy in God. In Rom 5:2, he had said that we rejoice in tribulations, and in hope of the glory of God. But he here adds that we rejoice in God himself; in his existence; his attributes; his justice, holiness, mercy, truth, love. The Christian rejoices that God is such a Being as he is; and glories that the universe is under his administration. The sinner is opposed to him; he finds no pleasure in him; he fears or hates him; and deems him unqualified for universal empire. But it is one characteristic of true piety, one evidence that we are truly reconciled to God, that we rejoice in him as he is; and find pleasure in the contemplation of his perfections as they are revealed in the Scriptures.

Through our Lord, etc. By the mediation of our Lord Jesus, who has revealed the true character of God, and by whom we have been reconciled to him.

The atonement. Marg., or reconciliation. This is the only instance in which our translators have used the word atonement in the New Testament. The word frequently occurs in the Old, Ex 29:33, 36, 37, 30:10,15,16 etc. etc. As it is now used by us, it commonly means the ransom, or the sacrifice, by means of which reconciliation is effected between God and man. But in this place it has a different sense. It means the reconciliation itself between God and man; not the means by which reconciliation is effected. It denotes not that we have received a ransom, or an offering by which reconciliation might be effected; but that in fact we have become reconciled through him. This was the ancient meaning of the English word atonement --AT ONE MENT--being at one, or reconciled.

He seeks to make atonement
Between the Duke of Glo'ster-and your brothers.
Shakespeare.

The Greek word which denotes the expiatory offering by which a reconciliation is effected is different from the one here. Rom 3:25. The word used here--(καταλλαγην) is never used to denote such an offering, but denotes the reconciliation itself.

(r) "joy in God" Hab 3:18

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 We also joy (καυχωμενοι, we exult, or glory) in God, etc. - We now feel that God is reconciled to us, and we are reconciled to him: the enmity is removed from our souls; and He, for Christ's sake, through whom we have received the atonement, καταλλαγην, the reconciliation, has remitted the wrath, the punishment which we deserved: and now, through this reconciliation, we expect an eternal glory. It was certainly improper to translate καταλλαγη here by atonement, instead of reconciliation; as καταλλασσω signifies to reconcile, and is so rendered by our translators in all the places where it occurs. It does not mean the atonement here, as we generally understand that word, viz. the sacrificial death of Christ; but rather the effect of that atonement, the removal of the enmity, and by this, the change of our condition and state; from κατα, intensive, and αλλασσω to change; the thorough change of our state from enmity to friendship. God is reconciled to us, and we are reconciled to him by the death of his Son; and thus there is a glorious change from enmity to friendship; and we can exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received this reconciliation. Though boasting is forbidden to a Jew, because his is a false confidence, yet boasting is enjoined to a Christian, to one reconciled to God; for, his boasting is only in that reconciliation, and the endless mercy by which it is procured. So he that glorieth (boasteth) must glory in the Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 5:6-11

Christ died for sinners; not only such as were useless, but such as were guilty and hateful; such that their everlasting destruction would be to the glory of God's justice. Christ died to save us, not in our sins, but from our sins; and we were yet sinners when he died for us. Nay, the carnal mind is not only an enemy to God, but enmity itself, chap. 8:7; Col 1:21. But God designed to deliver from sin, and to work a…

Read the full comment on Romans 5:6-11 →

Romans 5:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οὐouNotG3756

μόνονmonononly [so]G3441

δέ,denow,G1161

ἀλλὰallabutG235

καὶkaialsoG2532

καυχώμενοιkauchōmenoiwe are rejoicingG2744

ἐνeninG1722

τῷtō<the>G3588

θεῷtheōGodG2316

διὰdiathroughG1223

τοῦtoutheG3588

κυρίουkuriouLordG2962

ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165

ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424

ΧριστοῦChristouChristG5547

δι᾽di᾽throughG1223

οὗhouwhomG3739

νῦνnunnowG3568

τὴνtēntheG3588

καταλλαγὴνkatallagēnreconciliationG2643

ἐλάβομεν.¶elabomenwe have received.G2983

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 5:11

2 Corinthians 5:18-19
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Romans 5:10
For 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.
Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Galatians 4:9
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Colossians 2:6
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Psalms 149:2
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Psalms 43:4
Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
Psalms 32:11-33:1
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
1 Samuel 2:1
And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
1 Peter 1:8
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

but we.
2:17; 3:29,30; 1Sa 2:1; Ps 32:11; 33:1; 43:4; 104:34; 149:2; Isa 61:10
Hab 3:17,18; Lu 1:46; Ga 4:9; 5:22; Php 3:1,3; 4:4; 1Pe 1:8
by whom.
Joh 1:12; 6:50-58; 1Co 10:16; Col 2:6
atonement. or, reconciliation.
10; 2Co 5:18,19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Romans 5:10
For 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.
Romans 5:11
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Romans 5:12
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:

Read all of Romans 5

Romans 5:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y no sólo esto, mas aun nos gloriamos en Dios por el Señor nuestro Jesucristo, por el cual hemos ahora recibido la reconciliación.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et non seulement cela, mais aussi nous nous glorifions en Dieu par notre seigneur Jésus Christ, par lequel nous avons maintenant reçu la réconciliation.
German Elberfelder 1871	Nicht allein aber das, sondern wir rühmen uns auch Gottes durch unseren Herrn Jesum Christum, durch welchen wir jetzt die Versöhnung empfangen haben.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Non solum autem: sed et gloriamur in Deo per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, per quem nunc reconciliationem accepimus.