Romans 5 20

Romans 5:20 kjv

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Romans 5:20 nkjv

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,

Romans 5:20 niv

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

Romans 5:20 esv

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

Romans 5:20 nlt

God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant.

Romans 5 verses

Romans 5 20 Meaning

Romans 5:20 concisely states a fundamental truth about God's redemptive plan: the Mosaic Law was introduced to intensify and expose the extent of human transgression, making sin profoundly evident. However, in the very places and instances where sin became overwhelming, God's grace appeared and acted in an even more immense, overflowing, and surpassing manner. The Law highlights humanity's need for redemption, while grace provides an immeasurable solution, far exceeding the magnitude of sin.

Romans 5 20 Context

Romans 5:20 sits at the culmination of Paul's profound argument contrasting the universal reign of sin and death initiated by Adam's single trespass with the super-abounding grace and life brought through Jesus Christ's single righteous act. The preceding verses (Rom 5:12-19) lay the groundwork, establishing Adam as the source of universal condemnation and death for all humanity, and Christ as the source of universal justification and life for those in Him. Paul's core message is the radical triumph of grace.

The chapter explains that through faith, believers have peace with God, stand in grace, and boast in hope. The historical and cultural context for the original audience, primarily composed of Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians in Rome, involved grappling with the role and validity of the Mosaic Law in salvation. For centuries, the Law had been central to Jewish identity and understanding of righteousness. Paul is not denigrating the Law itself (Rom 7:12 declares it holy, righteous, and good), but rather re-situating its function within God's larger redemptive history. It was a preparatory step, revealing sin, to fully display the power and necessity of Christ's grace. This understanding would directly challenge contemporary Jewish emphasis on legal adherence for righteousness.

Romans 5 20 Word analysis

• Now (δέ - de): This Greek conjunction signals a transition or a continuation with a slightly different emphasis, often indicating a contrasting point. Here, it introduces the Law's role in relation to the previously established reign of sin through Adam.

• the law (νόμος - nomos): Refers specifically to the Mosaic Law, the covenant given to Israel at Mount Sinai. In Paul's writings, nomos signifies not merely a set of rules but a divine revelation, a comprehensive system of God's demands that exposes humanity's inability to perfectly fulfill them.

• came in (παρεισῆλθεν - pareisēlthen): A compound verb meaning "came in alongside," "slipped in," or "intervened." It implies an entrance that is subsequent to something already in existence (sin through Adam) and indicates the Law's later and additional entrance into human history. It was not the original factor but an introduced element.

• to increase (ἵνα πλεονάσῃ - hina pleonasē): The hina clause indicates purpose. The divine intention behind the Law's introduction was that trespass might "be abundant" or "become numerous/clear." It clarifies that the Law did not create sin but exposed, identified, and magnified it, bringing a clearer consciousness of it and increasing accountability.

• the trespass (τὸ παράπτωμα - to paraptōma): Literally a "false step," "a fall beside," "a deviation from the right path." It denotes a specific transgression or offense, especially a violation against a known standard or command. It is more concrete than hamartia (sin as a principle or state). Here, it refers both to Adam's original trespass and to the countless individual violations the Law made apparent.

• but where (δὲ οὗ - de hou): De again indicates a strong contrast or opposition. Hou means "where," referring not only to a spatial location but also a point, condition, or degree. It sets up a direct proportionality between the increase of sin and the super-abundance of grace.

• sin (ἁμαρτία - hamartia): Here, hamartia signifies sin in its broadest sense—the pervasive power, principle, and state of rebellion against God, inherited from Adam, which the Law illuminated in its particular transgressions (paraptoma).

• increased (ἐπλεόνασεν - epleonasen): Past tense of pleonazō, meaning "to abound" or "to be in great measure." It emphasizes that sin manifested its power and scope more fully.

• grace (ἡ χάρις - hē charis): Unmerited favor; God's generous and benevolent disposition and action towards humanity, undeserved by them. It is God's initiative of kindness, rooted in His own character, culminating in the saving work of Christ.

• abounded all the more (ὑπερεπερίσσευσεν - hypereperisseusen): A very powerful double compound verb. Hyper (over, beyond) + perisseuō (to abound, overflow, be superfluous). It means to "super-abound," "overflow exceedingly," "be lavishly excessive." This is a hyperbolic term chosen to emphasize that God's grace not merely counteracts sin but overwhelmingly surpasses it in its magnitude, efficacy, and redemptive power. It is infinitely greater.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Now the law came in to increase the trespass": This phrase explains the specific, divinely ordained, temporary purpose of the Law within salvation history. It highlights that the Law was not the first agent of sin (that was Adam), nor was it the cure for sin (that is Christ), but an intervening factor designed to expose the depth of human brokenness and specific violations, making the trespass manifest and egregious. The Law amplified humanity's guilt and demonstrated their utter inability to achieve righteousness by works.
• "but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more": This presents the stunning theological antithesis and God's ultimate answer. The "where" indicates that exactly at the point of sin's magnified presence and overwhelming reign, God's answer in "grace" burst forth with even greater force and superabundance. The intensity of "abounded all the more" emphasizes that God's grace is not merely proportionate to sin, but disproportionately, overwhelmingly greater, always capable of swallowing up and eclipsing sin's power and consequences.

Romans 5 20 Bonus section

This verse not only defines the Law's role and grace's triumph but also points to God's ultimate sovereignty over redemptive history. The "entrance" of the Law (παρεισῆλθεν) was a calculated, albeit secondary, move within God's master plan. It implies God's full control, even over elements that seem to magnify human failure, ultimately orchestrating them for a greater display of His own character.

The verse, especially with the use of "abounded all the more," anticipates and necessitates Paul's subsequent discourse in Romans 6. There, Paul addresses the potential misunderstanding that if grace super-abounds where sin increases, believers might be encouraged to sin more to experience more grace. He vehemently refutes this (Rom 6:1-2), explaining that those united with Christ have died to sin and been raised to new life, demonstrating that grace transforms, not condones, the sinner. Thus, Rom 5:20 sets up a profound ethical challenge alongside its theological revelation of God's limitless grace. It undergirds the call to holiness and righteous living as the proper response to such magnificent grace.

Romans 5 20 Commentary

Romans 5:20 acts as a pivot, brilliantly encapsulating the theological tension and resolution central to the gospel. Paul clarifies that the Law's function was never to save or to eliminate sin. Instead, its divine purpose was diagnostic: it entered the human narrative, following Adam's initial transgression, to vividly reveal and amplify the nature and magnitude of trespass. The Law did not create sin, but by clearly defining right and wrong, it made conscious acts of disobedience unmistakable and multiplied humanity's awareness of its guilt. This exposure of sin, however, served a greater purpose: to set the stage for the dramatic entrance and overwhelming triumph of God's grace.

The verse emphasizes a crucial paradox: the very proliferation and amplification of sin, brought to light by the Law, served to magnify the boundless, redemptive power of God's grace. "Where sin increased," implying the utter depths and pervasiveness of human rebellion, "grace abounded all the more." The Greek word hypereperisseusen (super-abounded) is critical here, indicating not just enough grace, but an overflowing, excessive, immeasurable supply that far outstrips the increase of sin. It is God's infinite goodness and mercy overcoming every boundary set by human failing. This understanding prevents legalism (relying on the Law for righteousness) and highlights the sheer magnitude of God's provision in Christ, ensuring that His saving power is never constrained by human depravity.

For practical application, this verse reminds us that an honest recognition of sin (fostered by God's Law or our conscience) is often the pathway to fully appreciating God's boundless grace. When we are most aware of our failings, we can experience His mercy and forgiveness in a profound and life-changing way, understanding that no sin or combination of sins can outmatch the power of His grace in Christ. It provides immense hope and assures us that God's plan is always ultimately about restoration, not condemnation.