For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Parallel translations
- WEB For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.
- KJV For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
- NKJV For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
- NASB For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
- NLT Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
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
Through Adam's disobedience many were made sinners; through Christ's obedience many will be made righteous. Our standing depends on our representative.
Overview
Paul contrasts the disobedience of 'the one man' Adam, which constituted many as sinners, with the obedience of 'the one,' Christ, which constitutes many as righteous. This points to Christ's whole life and especially his obedient death as the basis of believers' righteousness. The verse is a key text for understanding how Christ's righteousness is reckoned to those who are his.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Rom 5:18So then, just as one trespass brought condemnation for all men, so also one act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men.
- 2 Cor 5:21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
- Phil 2:8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.
- Rom 5:12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.
- Eph 1:6to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
- Rom 5:15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many!
- Isa 53:10–12Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
- Dan 9:24Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to stop their transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
- Rev 7:9–17After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
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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 5:19 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.