Romans 5 11

Romans 5:11 kjv

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Romans 5:11 nkjv

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Romans 5:11 niv

Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:11 esv

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:11 nlt

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Romans 5 verses

Romans 5 11 Meaning

Romans 5:11 explains that in addition to the hope and rejoicing despite suffering, believers now boast and exult in God Himself. This deep joy and confidence come precisely because, through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have presently received the profound reality of reconciliation with God. It signifies a transition from enmity to peace and fellowship, fully accomplished and available in Christ.

Romans 5 11 Context

Romans 5:11 concludes a significant section (Romans 5:1-11) that details the present benefits and realities flowing from justification by faith. Having established "peace with God" (v. 1) and "access by faith into this grace" (v. 2), Paul describes the resulting "hope of the glory of God" (v. 2). He then moves from simply "rejoicing in hope" (v. 2) to "rejoicing in our sufferings" (v. 3), explaining how character is forged. Central to this chain of benefits is God's profound love, demonstrated in Christ dying for the ungodly (v. 6-8). The verse directly builds upon the certainty of salvation mentioned in verses 9-10, moving from God reconciling us by Christ's death (past, accomplished work) to the present reality of having received this reconciliation. The "not only so" connects this profound joy to the preceding truths—joy in hope, joy in tribulation—elevating the joy to being rooted in God Himself, made possible by our reconciled state. Historically, believers faced pressures, making this message of inner joy and reconciliation particularly powerful.

Romans 5 11 Word analysis

• And not only so, but (οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ - ou monon de, alla kai): This phrase indicates a progression and intensification. Paul moves beyond the previously mentioned benefits (peace, access, hope, even joy in suffering) to a further, even more profound spiritual reality. It signifies an additive and superior benefit, like saying, "beyond that, even more so."
• we also joy (καυχώμενοι - kauchōmenoi): The participle "joying" or "boasting" comes from the verb kauchaō, which means to exult, glory, or boast. In the New Testament, particularly in Paul's writings, boasting is usually condemned if it's in human achievement or self. However, boasting in God or in Christ is commendable (cf. 1 Cor 1:31). Here, it implies a confident, unashamed exultation that finds its proper object in God alone. It is an overflowing joy that arises from a true knowledge of God and His acts.
• in God (ἐν τῷ Θεῷ - en tō Theō): The direct object of their confident exultation. This isn't merely joy about God's acts but joy in His very being. It signifies a deeply personal relationship where God Himself is the ultimate source and focus of gladness. This is a significant distinction from boasting in hope or circumstances, moving to boasting in the Person of God.
• through our Lord Jesus Christ (διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ - dia tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou): Christ is presented as the singular means, the mediator through whom this joy in God is made possible and through whom reconciliation is achieved. There is no other access to this intimate relationship and exultation in God. This highlights Christ's indispensable role as mediator.
• by whom (διʼ οὗ - di' hou): This reinforces the role of Christ. He is not only the channel through which joy flows but also the one through whom the actual receiving of reconciliation occurs. This anaphoric reference ensures that Christ's centrality to every aspect of salvation is upheld.
• we have now received (νῦν ἐλάβομεν - nyn elabomen): The Greek word for "now," nyn, is crucial. It emphasizes the present, accomplished, and possessed nature of reconciliation. This is not a future hope but a present reality. The aorist verb elabomen (received) emphasizes a decisive past act of receiving, with continuing present effects. Believers do not merely wait for reconciliation; they have already apprehended it by faith.
• the atonement (τὴν καταλλαγήν - tēn katallagēn): The most significant term. In many older English translations, it's "atonement," but the Greek katallagē more accurately translates to "reconciliation." While "atonement" historically referred to 'at-one-ment,' restoring harmony, it later gained a more specific legal connotation of payment for sin. Katallagē emphasizes the cessation of enmity and the restoration of a relationship from a state of hostility or estrangement to peace and fellowship. It is a change in the relational status between two parties previously at odds. God, in His love, initiates and provides this reconciliation through Christ, so that humans can be brought into harmonious relationship with Him. It is God reconciling us to Himself, rather than us reconciling God to us.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And not only so, but we also joy in God": This phrase indicates an elevation and expansion of the Christian experience beyond mere peace or hope. The believer's "boasting" shifts from what is future (hope of glory) or indirect (in tribulation for its outcome) to a direct, present boasting in the very being of God. This marks the climax of Paul's list of benefits in Romans 5:1-11. It's not a proud self-boasting, but a profound exultation in the one true God, a deep satisfaction found only in Him.
• "through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement": This underscores the theological mechanism. Christ is not just an example but the active agent (through His death and resurrection) and the exclusive means through which both this God-focused joy and the actual reception of reconciliation occur. The emphasis on "now received" signifies a present, settled spiritual reality that empowers this rejoicing. The "atonement" (reconciliation) is the accomplished change in status with God, making all other benefits, and the ultimate joy, possible. It implies a change from a state of being "enemies" to "children."

Romans 5 11 Bonus section

The full weight of katallagē ("reconciliation") contrasts sharply with pagan views of appeasing angry gods or self-efforts to gain divine favor. In Romans, it is clear that God is the one who reconciles us to Himself, not vice versa. Humanity, by its sinful nature, was hostile (Rom 5:10) and utterly incapable of initiating reconciliation. God, motivated by His boundless love (Rom 5:8), unilaterally provided the means—the death of Christ. This shifts the focus from human performance to divine initiative and grace. The concept here extends beyond merely judicial pardon; it is fundamentally about restoring a relationship, making the one who was formerly an enemy now a welcomed child, able to enter God's presence and rejoice in Him without fear.

Romans 5 11 Commentary

Romans 5:11 presents the pinnacle of the benefits flowing from justification by faith, grounding the Christian's deepest joy in God Himself. This joy is distinct from rejoicing in hope or even in suffering because it focuses directly on God's person. It's a confident boasting not in one's own merit or accomplishments, but in God's unparalleled goodness and the magnificent work He has accomplished. The "not only so, but we also" clause highlights a progression, indicating that reconciliation is the capstone, the profound reality that undergirds all other blessings and elevates the believer's experience.

Central to this verse is the term katallagē, better translated as "reconciliation." This is more than merely covering sin; it is the comprehensive act by which God, in His sovereign grace, changes the status of hostile humanity to one of peace and restored relationship with Him. It's a relational term signifying the end of enmity and the establishment of harmonious fellowship. Critically, it is "received" (past tense, indicating a completed action with continuing effect) and it is "now" (emphatic, indicating a present reality, not a future promise). Believers possess this reconciliation in their current experience. This reconciliation, procured "through our Lord Jesus Christ" by His redemptive work on the cross, is the foundation for our boasting in God. The capacity to genuinely joy in God is predicated on the barrier of sin being removed and fellowship being restored through Christ, leading to a profound inner confidence and celebration.Examples of practical usage: This truth offers profound comfort during trials, reminds believers of their secured standing when facing doubt, and fuels a heart of worship for the accessible relationship with God.