In this verse Paul compares the obedience of Christ and its results to the disobedience of Adam and its results. The particle translated so then indicates that the conclusion of the argument begun in verse 12 is now introduced. Exegetically this verse is not difficult except for the phrase rendered rather literally by the King James Version as “unto justification of life.” All commentators point out that the word rendered in the King James Version as “justification” means “acquittal” in this passage. In fact, many modern translations make this meaning explicit for their readers (for example, Revised Standard Version “leads to acquittal and life”; New English Bible “is acquittal and life”; An American Translation* “means acquittal and life”.) “Acquittal” is simply a technical term used in law to indicate that a person is set free from the jurisdiction of the court. Hence the Good News Translation renders the entire phrase as sets all men free and gives them life.

In some languages one cannot speak of “sin condemning all men” or “one righteous act setting all men free.” This cause and effect relationship must be expressed by clauses in which both “sin” and “setting free” have their corresponding subjects—for example, “just as all men were condemned because one man sinned, in the same way all men are set free because one person acted in a righteous way.”

Sets all men free may be translated as “God declares that all men are innocent,” but this is accomplished by “what one person did which was righteous.”

Gives them life may be rendered as a causative, “causes them to live.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .