Romans 5:18

18 so then as [it was] by one offence towards all men to condemnation, so by one righteousness towards all men for justification of life.

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Romans 5:18 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 5:18

Therefore as by the offence of one
Or by one offence, as before, the guilt of which is imputed to, and

[judgment came] upon all men to condemnation;
which word is used in a legal sense, and intends condemnation to eternal death, as appears from the antithesis in the text; for if "justification of life", means an adjudging to eternal life, as it certainly does, the judgment or guilt, which is unto condemnation, must design a condemnation to eternal death, the just wages of sin: and this sentence of condemnation comes upon all men, all the sons of Adam without exception, even upon the elect of God themselves; though it is not executed upon them, but on their surety, whereby they are delivered from it:

even so by the righteousness of one, [the free gift] came upon all
men to justification of life;
the righteousness of Christ being freely imputed without works, as it is to all the men that belong to the second Adam, to all his seed and offspring, is their justification of life, or what adjudges and entitles them to eternal life. The sentence of justification was conceived in the mind of God from eternity, when his elect were ordained unto eternal life, on the foot of his Son's righteousness; this passed on Christ at his resurrection from the dead, and on all his people as considered in him, when they, in consequence of it, were quickened together with him; and this passes upon the conscience of a sinner at believing, when he may, as he should, reckon himself alive unto God, and is what gives him a right and title to everlasting life and glory.

Romans 5:18 In-Context

16 And [shall] not as by one that has sinned [be] the gift? For the judgment [was] of one to condemnation, but the act of favour, of many offences unto justification.
17 For if by the offence of the one death reigned by the one, much rather shall those who receive the abundance of grace, and of the free gift of righteousness, reign in life by the one Jesus Christ:)
18 so then as [it was] by one offence towards all men to condemnation, so by one righteousness towards all men for justification of life.
19 For as indeed by the disobedience of the one man the many have been constituted sinners, so also by the obedience of the one the many will be constituted righteous.
20 But law came in, in order that the offence might abound; but where sin abounded grace has overabounded,

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Here dikaioma; the same word as translated 'justification,' ver. 16, but it cannot be so translated here. It is the accomplished subsisting righteousness answering to the one offence.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.