Bible Strands
Romans 5:14
Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who did not sin in the way that Adam transgressed. He is a pattern of the One to come.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Christian community in Rome while structuring his argument on sin, law, and grace. He pauses to define the historical interval between the first human transgression and the giving of the Mosaic covenant.
The words — ἐβασίλευσεν (ebasileusen) translates to "reigned," and θάνατος (thanatos) translates to "death." The text states that death held dominion during the period from Adam until Moses.
The thread — The reign of death and Adam’s typological function recur in Romans 5:17 and 1 Corinthians 15:45, while Hebrews 9:27 establishes the universal appointment to die. These passages trace the same theological line from the first transgression to the promised deliverer.
Why it lands — The text states that death ruled over pre-law humanity and identifies Adam as a pattern pointing forward to Christ. It asks the reader to recognize the factual span of death’s authority and the deliberate typological link between the first man and the one to come.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 15:45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam a life-giving spirit.
- Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
- Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
- Genesis 7:22 Of all that was on dry land, everything that had the breath of life in its nostrils died.
- Romans 5:21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Romans 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.
- Genesis 19:25 Thus He destroyed these cities and the entire plain, including all the inhabitants of the cities and everything that grew on the ground.
- Hosea 6:7 But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me.
- Jonah 4:11 So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?”
- Romans 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope