New American Bible
2002 11 11
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Chapter 5
1
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by
faith, we have peace 2 with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ,
2
through whom we have gained access (by faith)
to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
3
Not only that, but we even boast of our
afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance,
4
and endurance, proven character, and proven
character, hope,
5
and hope does not disappoint, because the love
of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has
been given to us.
6
For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
7
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a
just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to
die. 3
8
But God proves his love for us in that while we
were still sinners Christ died for us.
9
How much more then, since we are now justified
by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath.
10
Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
11
Not only that, but we also boast of God through
our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
12
4 Therefore, just as through one person sin
entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch
as all sinned 5
-
13
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the
world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
14
But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over
those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the
type of the one who was to come.
15
But the gift is not like the transgression. For
if by that one person's transgression the many died, how much more did the
grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus Christ overflow for
the many.
16
And the gift is not like the result of the one
person's sinning. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought
condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
17
For if, by the transgression of one person,
death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the
abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life
through the one person Jesus Christ.
18
In conclusion, just as through one
transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act
acquittal and life came to all.
19
For just as through the disobedience of one
person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many
will be made righteous.
20
The law entered in 6 so that
transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the
more,
21
7 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also
might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord.
1 [1-11] Popular piety frequently
construed reverses and troubles as punishment for sin; cf
⇒ John 9:2. Paul therefore assures believers that
God's justifying action in Jesus Christ is a declaration of peace. The
crucifixion of Jesus Christ displays God's initiative in certifying humanity
for unimpeded access into the divine presence. Reconciliation is God's gift of
pardon to the entire human race. Through faith one benefits personally from
this pardon or, in Paul's term, is justified. The ultimate aim of God is to
liberate believers from the pre-Christian self as described in Romans 1-3.
Since this liberation will first find completion in the believer's
resurrection, salvation is described as future in ⇒ Romans
5:10. Because this fullness of salvation belongs to the future it is
called the Christian hope. Paul's Greek term for hope does not, however,
suggest a note of uncertainty, to the effect: "I wonder whether God really
means it." Rather, God's promise in the gospel fills believers with
expectation and anticipation for the climactic gift of unalloyed commitment in
the holy Spirit to the performance of the will of God. The persecutions that
attend Christian commitment are to teach believers patience and to strengthen
this hope, which will not disappoint them because the holy Spirit dwells in
their hearts and imbues them with God's love (⇒ Romans
5:5).
2 [1] We have peace: a number of
manuscripts, versions, and church Fathers read "Let us have peace";
cf ⇒ Romans 14:19.
3 [7] In the world of Paul's time the
good person is especially one who is magnanimous to others.
4 [12-21] Paul reflects on the sin of
Adam (⇒ Genesis 3:1-13) in the light of the
redemptive mystery of Christ. Sin, as used in the singular by Paul, refers to
the dreadful power that has gripped humanity, which is now in revolt against
the Creator and engaged in the exaltation of its own desires and interests. But
no one has a right to say, "Adam made me do it," for all are culpable
(⇒ Romans 5:12): Gentiles under the demands of the
law written in their hearts (⇒ Romans 2:14-15), and
Jews under the Mosaic covenant. Through the Old Testament law, the sinfulness
of humanity that was operative from the beginning (⇒ Romans
5:13) found further stimulation, with the result that sins were
generated in even greater abundance. According to ⇒ Romans
5:15-21, God's act in Christ is in total contrast to the disastrous
effects of the virus of sin that invaded humanity through Adam's crime.
5 [12] Inasmuch as all sinned: others
translate "because all sinned," and understand v 13 as a
parenthetical remark. Unlike ⇒ Wisdom 2:24, Paul
does not ascribe the entry of death to the devil.
6 [12-20] The law entered in: sin had
made its entrance (12); now the law comes in alongside sin. See the notes on
⇒ Romans 1:18-32; ⇒ 5:12-
21. Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more: Paul declares that
grace outmatches the productivity of sin.
7 [21] Where sin increased, grace
overflowed all the more: Paul declares that grace outmatches the productivity
of sin.
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