(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Parallel translations
- WEB For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law.
- KJV (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
- BSB For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law.
- NASB for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not counted against anyone when there is no law.
- NLT Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Sin existed before the Mosaic law, though it was not formally charged without law. Sin and its effects predate the giving of the law.
Overview
Paul notes that sin was present in the world from Adam to Moses, even though sin is 'not charged' as transgression where there is no explicit law. His point is that death still reigned in that period, showing sin's deadly presence apart from the law. This supports his argument that humanity's problem stems from Adam, not merely from breaking the Mosaic law.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Rom 4:15For the law produces wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
- 1 Cor 15:56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
- 1 Jn 3:4Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.
- Gen 4:7–11If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”
- Gen 38:7Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. Yahweh killed him.
- Gen 38:10The thing which he did was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and he killed him also.
- Gen 18:20Yahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
- Gen 13:13Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh.
- Gen 19:4But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter.
- Gen 6:11The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
- Gen 6:5–6Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil.
- Gen 8:21Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma. Yahweh said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. I will never again strike every living thing, as I have done.
- 1 Jn 3:14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.
- Gen 19:32Come, let’s make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s family line.”
- Gen 19:36Thus both of Lot’s daughters were with child by their father.
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 5:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.