Section 5:12–21

We die because of Adam but live because of Jesus

In this section Paul compared the result of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden with the result of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. Through the sin of Adam, the punishment of death came to all people whether they sinned like him or not. But through the sacrifice of Jesus, the gift of righteousness was given to all who believe.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

Adam and Christ (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Paul compared Adam and/with Jesus
-or-
The Results Of What Adam Did And What Jesus Did

Paragraph 5:12–14

5:12a

Therefore: The scholars have many opinions as to what connection Paul indicated here. The best opinion seems to be that God justified, reconciled, and saved us through Jesus (5:1–11), therefore it is God’s purpose for grace, not law, to rule our lives (5:20–21). Here are other ways to translate the Greek phrase:

So then (NET Bible)
-or-
On account of this

just as sin entered the world through one man: Paul began here to compare the entrance of sin into the world through Adam to something, but Paul did not complete the comparison. Instead he decided he needed to explain more about the result of sin entering the world (5:13–14). Then in 5:15–19 he began a slightly different comparison, contrasting the result of Adam’s sin with the result of Jesus’ righteous deed.

In some languages it would not be natural to begin a comparison and not complete it. If that is true in your language, omit the comparing word here. For example:

Sin came into the world through one man (Good News Translation)

sin entered the world: This clause speaks of sin as if it were a force that entered the world. When Adam sinned, sin became the normal condition of people because that force affected all of them. Some languages can translate the figure of speech literally and people will understand the correct meaning.

But some languages must:

• Use a different verb for the correct meaning. For example:

sin arrived to the world
-or-
Sin is in the world because of one person
-or-
sin has covered the world

• Explain the meaning of the figure of speech. For example:

sin came into the world ⌊like a force/power⌋
-or-

⌊the ways of⌋ sin began in the world

sin: This word refers to doing something that God said is wrong to do, or not doing something that God said they should do. See how you translated this word in 3:9 or 4:8.

through one man: The one man is Adam (5:14). In some languages it is more natural to name him here. For example:

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world (New Living Translation (2004))

Also, this phrase is emphasized in the Greek clause by being first in the clause.

5:12b

death through sin: This phrase implies “entered the world” from 5:12a. In some languages the implied phrase must be included. For example:

death ⌊came into the world⌋ through sin

This clause also speaks of death as if it were a force. When Adam sinned, death became the normal condition of people because that force affected all of them. See how you translated “entered the world” in 5:12a.

death: Some languages must use a verb for the word death. For example:

dying
-or-
he died

5:12c

so also: The conjunction so introduces a result of Adam’s sin.

death was passed on to all men: This clause indicates that each person would die. It is also a figure of speech. Some languages can translate the figure of speech literally and people will understand the correct meaning.

But some languages must:

• use a different verb for the correct meaning. For example:

death came to all people (New International Version (2011))
-or-
death arrived to all people
-or-
there is death in the world

• translate the meaning of the figure of speech. For example:

that was the beginning of people dying
-or-
everyone would die

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.