For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Parallel translations
- WEB For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die.
- BSB Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
- NKJV For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
- NASB For one will hardly die for a righteous person; though perhaps for the good person someone would even dare to die.
- NLT Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
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
People rarely die even for a righteous or good person. Human sacrifice has its limits, setting the stage for God's greater love.
Overview
Paul observes that it is hard to find anyone willing to die for a righteous person, though perhaps someone might dare to die for a truly good one. He cites the rarity of human self-sacrifice to heighten the contrast with God's love. This prepares the way for the stunning truth of the next verse, that Christ died for sinners.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 15:13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
- 1 Jn 3:16Hereby 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.
- Rom 16:4Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
- Acts 11:24For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
- 2 Sam 18:27And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
- Ps 112:5A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
- 2 Sam 23:14–17And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
- 2 Sam 18:3But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 5:7 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.