so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Parallel translations
- WEB that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- KJV That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
- NKJV so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- NASB so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- NLT So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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
As sin reigned in death, grace now reigns through righteousness to eternal life in Christ. Grace has dethroned sin and brings everlasting life.
Overview
Paul concludes the Adam-Christ comparison by depicting two reigns: sin ruled through death, but now grace reigns 'through righteousness' to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ's righteous work establishes the rule of grace. This climactic verse crowns the chapter with the assurance of eternal life secured in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Titus 2:11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone.
- John 1:16–17From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
- Rom 5:14Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who did not sin in the way that Adam transgressed. He is a pattern of the One to come.
- Rom 6:14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
- Rom 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Rom 8:10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
- 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.
- Rom 5:17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive an abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
- Heb 4:16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
- 2 Pet 1:1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
- Rom 4:13For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
- 1 Jn 2:25And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life.
- 1 Pet 5:10And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.
- 1 Jn 5:11–13And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
- Rom 6:16Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?
- Rom 6:12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.
- John 10:28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.
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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 5:21 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.