Bible Strands
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.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Roman church to conclude his argument on Adam and Christ, explaining how grace supersedes the law's role in increasing trespass.
The words — ὥσπερ (hōsper) means just as, and ἐβασίλευσεν (ebasileusen) means reigned, structuring the verse as a direct parallel between two ruling powers.
The thread — The text connects to Romans 5:14 where death reigned under Adam, Titus 2:11 where grace appears, and John 1:16 where believers receive grace upon grace.
Why it lands — The text states that grace rules through righteousness to produce eternal life via Jesus Christ, requiring a reader to acknowledge grace as the active, reigning force replacing sin's dominion.
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
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Cross-references
- Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone.
- John 1:16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
- 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.
- Romans 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
- Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
- Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.
- 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 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
- John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.