Romans 5 · Verse 8

Romans 5:8

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8, King James Version

Romans 5:8 in other translations

BSBBut God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
WEBBut God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
ASVBut God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
YLTand God doth commend His own love to us, that, in our being still sinners, Christ did die for us;
DARBYbut God commends his love to us, in that, we being still sinners, Christ has died for us.
BBEBut God has made clear his love to us, in that, when we were still sinners, Christ gave his life for us.
WebsterBut God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

What does Romans 5:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 5:6-8

6-8. For when we were yet without strength--that is, powerless to deliver ourselves, and so ready to perish. in due time--at the appointed season. Christ died for the ungodly--Three signal properties of God's love are here given: First, "Christ died for the ungodly," whose character, so far from meriting any interposition in their behalf, was altogether repulsive to the eye of God; second, He did this "when they…

Read the full comment on Romans 5:6-8 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. But God commendeth, etc. God has exhibited or showed his love in this unusual and remarkable manner.

His love. His kind feeling; his beneficence; his willingness to submit to sacrifice to do good to others.

While we were yet sinners. And of course his enemies. In this, his love surpasses all that has ever been manifested among men.

Christ died for us. In our stead; to save us from death, he took our place; and, by dying himself on the cross, saved us from dying eternally in hell.

(m) "while we were yet sinners" Jn 15:13, 1Pet 3:18, 1Jn 3:16

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 But God commendeth his love, etc. - συνιστησι· God hath set this act of infinite mercy in the most conspicuous light, so as to recommend it to the notice and admiration of all. While we were yet sinners - We were neither righteous nor good; but impious and wicked. See the preceding verse, and see the note on Rom 5:6.

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 5:8 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.

συνίστησινsunistēsinDemonstratesG4921
δὲdehoweverG1161
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἑαυτοῦhe'autouHis ownG1438
ἀγάπηνagapēnloveG26
εἰςeistoG1519
ἡμᾶςhēmasusG3165
ὁho<the>G3588
θεός,theosGod,G2316
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἔτιetistillG2089
ἁμαρτωλῶνhamartōlōnsinnersG268
ὄντωνontōnwhen beingG1510
ἡμῶνhēmōnweG3165
ΧριστὸςChristosChristG5547
ὑπὲρhuperforG5228
ἡμῶνhēmōnusG3165
ἀπέθανεν.apethanendied.G599

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

Cross references for Romans 5:8

  • John 15:13

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

  • John 3:16

    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

  • Romans 5:6

    For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

  • 1 Peter 3:18

    For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

  • 1 John 4:9-10

    In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

  • 1 John 3:16

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

  • Isaiah 53:6

    All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

  • Ephesians 2:7

    That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

  • Romans 4:25

    Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

  • Ephesians 1:6-8

    To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

  • Romans 5:20

    Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

  • 1 Timothy 1:16

    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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
commendeth.
20; 3:5; Joh 15:13; Eph 1:6-8; 2:7; 1Ti 1:16
in that.
Isa 53:6; 1Pe 3:18; 1Jo 3:16; 4:9,10

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

Context

  • Romans 5:7

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

  • Romans 5:8

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

  • Romans 5:9

    Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Read all of Romans 5

Romans 5:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas Dios encarece su caridad para con nosotros, porque siendo aún pecadores, Cristo murió por nosotros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
mais Dieu constate son amour à lui envers nous, en ce que, lorsque nous étions encore pécheurs, Christ est mort pour nous.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Gott aber erweist seine Liebe gegen uns darin, daß Christus, da wir noch Sünder waren, für uns gestorben ist.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Commendat autem caritatem suam Deus in nobis: quoniam cum adhuc peccatores essemus, secundum tempus,