Romans 5 · Verse 16

Romans 5:16

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 is of many offences unto justification.

Romans 5:16, King James Version

Romans 5:16 in other translations

BSB	Again, the gift is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment that followed one sin brought condemnation, but the gift that followed many trespasses brought justification.
WEB	The gift is not as through one who sinned; for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift followed many trespasses to justification.
ASV	And not as through one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses unto justification.
YLT	and not as through one who did sin is the free gift, for the judgment indeed is of one to condemnation, but the gift is of many offences to a declaration of ‘Righteous,'
DARBY	And shall not as by one that has sinned be the gift? For the judgment was of one to condemnation, but the act of favour, of many offences unto justification.
BBE	And the free giving has not the same effect as the sin of one: for the effect of one man's sin was punishment by the decision of God, but the free giving had power to give righteousness to wrongdoers in great number.
Webster	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 is of many offenses to justification.

What does Romans 5:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

16. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift--"Another point of contrast may be mentioned." for the judgment--"sentence." was by one--rather, "was of one," meaning not "one man," but, as appears from the next clause, "one offense." to condemnation, but the free gift--"gift of grace." is of many offences unto justification--a glorious point of contrast. "The condemnation by Adam was for one sin; but the justification by Christ is an absolution not only from the guilt of that first offense, mysteriously attaching to every individual of the race, but from the countless offenses it, to which, as a germ lodged in the bosom of every child of Adam, it unfolds itself in his life." This is the meaning of "grace abounding towards us in the abundance of the gift of righteousness." It is a grace not only rich in its character, but rich in detail; it is a "righteousness" not only rich in a complete justification of the guilty, condemned sinner; but rich in the amplitude of the ground which it covers, leaving no one sin of any of the justified uncancelled, but making him, though loaded with the guilt of myriads of offenses, "the righteousness of God in Christ."

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 16. And not, etc. This is the second point in which the effects of the work of Christ differ from the sin of Adam. The first part (Rom 5:15) was, that the evil consequences flowed from the sin of one MAN, Adam; and that the benefits flowed from the work of one MAN, Jesus Christ. The point in this verse is, that the evil consequences flowed from one CRIME, one act of guilt; but that the favours had respect to MANY ACTS of guilt. The effects of Adam's sin, whatever they were, pertained to the one sin; the effects of the work of Christ to many sins.

By one that sinned. (διενοςαμαρτησαντος). By means of one [man] sinning; evidently meaning by one offence, or by one act of sin. So the Vulgate, and many Mss.; and the connexion shows that this is the sense.

The gift. The benefits resulting from the work of Christ.

The judgment. The sentence; the declared penalty. The word expresses, properly, the sentence which is passed by a judge. Here it means the sentence which God passed, as a judge, on Adam for the one offence, involving himself and his posterity in ruin, Gen 2:17; Gen 3:17-19.

Was by one. By one offence; or one act of sin.

Unto condemnation. Producing condemnation; or involving in condemnation. It is proved by this, that the effect of the sin of Adam was to involve the race in condemnation, or to secure this as a result that all mankind would be under the condemning sentence of the law, and be transgressors. But in what way it would have this effect the apostle does not state. He does not intimate that his sin would be imputed to them; or that they would be held to be personally guilty for it. He speaks of a broad, everywhere perceptible fact, that the effect of that sin had been somehow to whelm the race in condemnation. In what mode this was done is a fair subject of inquiry; but the apostle does not attempt to explain it.

The free gift. The unmerited favor in by the work of Christ.

Is of many offences. In relation to many sins. It differs thus from the condemnation. That had respect to one offence; this has respect to many crimes. Grace therefore abounds.

Unto justification. Rom 3:24. The work of Christ is designed to have reference to many offences, so as to produce pardon or justification in regard to them all. But the apostle here does not intimate how this is done. He simply states the fact, without attempting, in this place, to explain it; and as we know that that work does not produce its effect to justify without some act on the part of the individual, are we not hence led to conclude the same respecting the condemnation for the sin of Adam? As the work of Christ does not benefit the race unless it is embraced, so does not the reasoning of the apostle imply, that the deed of Adam does not involve in criminality and ill-desert unless there be some voluntary act on the part of each individual? However this may be, it is certain that the apostle has in neither case here explained the mode in which it is done. He has simply stated the fact, a fact which he did not seem to consider himself called on to explain. Neither has he affirmed that in the two cases the mode is the same. On the contrary, it is strongly implied that it is not the same, for the leading object here is to present not an entire resemblance, but a strong contrast between the effects of the sin of Adam and the work of Christ.

(y) "many offences" Isa 1:18

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 16 And not as it was by one that sinned - That is, the judicial act that followed Adam's sin (the sentence of death pronounced upon him, and his expulsion from paradise) took its rise from his one offense alone, and terminated in condemnation; but the free gift of God in Christ takes its rise also from the many offenses which men, in a long course of life, have personally committed; and the object of this grace is to justify them freely, and bring them to eternal life.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 5:15-19

Through one man's offence, all mankind are exposed to eternal condemnation. But the grace and mercy of God, and the free gift of righteousness and salvation, are through Jesus Christ, as man: yet the Lord from heaven has brought the multitude of believers into a more safe and exalted state than that from which they fell in Adam. This free gift did not place them anew in a state of trial, but fixed them in a state of…

Read the full comment on Romans 5:15-19 →

Romans 5:16 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.

καὶkaiAndG2532

οὐχouch[is] notG3756

ὡςhōsasG5613

δι᾽di᾽throughG1223

ἑνὸςhenosoneG1520

ἁμαρτήσαντοςhamartēsantoshaving sinnedG264

τὸtotheG3588

δώρημα·dōrēmagift;G1434

τὸtoThatG3588

μὲνmenindeedG3303

γὰρgarforG1063

κρίμαkrimajudgment [was]G2917

ἐξexofG1537

ἑνὸςhenosoneG1520

εἰςeis[was] untoG1519

κατάκριμα,katakrimacondemnation,G2631

τὸto<the>G3588

δὲdehoweverG1161

χάρισμαcharismathe giftG5486

ἐκek[is] out ofG1537

πολλῶνpollōnmanyG4183

παραπτωμάτωνparaptōmatōntrespassesG3900

εἰςeisuntoG1519

δικαίωμα.¶dikaiōmajustification.G1345

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

Cross references for Romans 5:16

Acts 13:38-39
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Isaiah 44:22
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Isaiah 1:18
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isaiah 43:25
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
1 Corinthians 11:32
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Galatians 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Timothy 1:13-16
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
James 2:10
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Genesis 3:6-19
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? …
Luke 7:47-50
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

for the.
Ge 3:6-19; Ga 3:10; Jas 2:10
but the free.
Isa 1:18; 43:25; 44:22; Lu 7:47-50; Ac 13:38,39; 1Co 6:9-11
1Ti 1:13-16

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

Context

Romans 5:15
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 of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Romans 5:16
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 is of many offences unto justification.
Romans 5:17
For 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.)

Read all of Romans 5

Romans 5:16 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Ni tampoco de la manera que por un pecado, así también el don: porque el juicio á la verdad vino de un pecado para condenación, mas la gracia vino de muchos delitos para justificación.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et n’en est-il pas du don comme de ce qui est arrivé par un seul qui a péché? car le jugement vient d’un seul en condamnation, – mais le don de grâce, de plusieurs fautes, en justification.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und ist nicht wie durch Einen, der gesündigt hat, so auch die Gabe? Denn das Urteil war von einem zur Verdammnis, die Gnadengabe aber von vielen Übertretungen zur Gerechtigkeit.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et non sicut per unum peccatum, ita et donum. Nam judicium quidem ex uno in condemnationem: gratia autem ex multis delictis in justificationem.