New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996

Romans 5

1 We have been made right with God because of our faith. Now we have peace with him because of our Lord Jesus Christ. Reference

Faith

Romans 15:13 Romans 4:5

Peace

John 16:33 Colossians 1:20 John 14:27 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Isaiah 54:13

References Jesus

Romans 6:23

Righteousness

Isaiah 32:17 Romans 14:17

2 Through faith in Jesus we have received God's grace. In that grace we stand. We are full of joy because we expect to share in God's glory. Reference

Faith

Ephesians 3:12 John 5:24

Glory

2 Corinthians 4:17

Grace

2 Thessalonians 2:16

Hope

Romans 12:12 Hebrews 3:6

Parallel theme

Ephesians 2:18 1 Corinthians 15:1 John 10:9

References God

1 Peter 3:18

3 And that's not all. We are full of joy even when we suffer. We know that our suffering gives us the strength to go on. Reference

Glory

2 Corinthians 4:17 Ephesians 3:13

Parallel theme

James 1:12 1 Peter 3:14 Luke 21:19 Acts 5:41

4 The strength to go on produces character. Character produces hope. Reference

Hope

Psalm 71:14 Romans 15:4

Parallel theme

James 1:12 1 Peter 5:10

5 And hope will never let us down. God has poured his love into our hearts. He did it through the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us. Reference

Holy

Acts 2:33 Ephesians 1:13 Ephesians 4:30

Hope

Philippians 1:20 Job 27:8

Love

1 John 4:19 Galatians 5:22

Parallel theme

2 Timothy 1:12

Spirit

Galatians 4:6 2 Corinthians 1:22

6 At just the right time Christ died for ungodly people. He died for us when we had no power of our own. Reference

Parallel theme

Colossians 2:13 Romans 4:25 Hebrews 9:26

References Christ

Romans 5:8 1 Thessalonians 5:9

References God

Romans 5:10 Titus 2:12 Romans 4:5 1 Timothy 1:9 Galatians 4:4

7 It is unusual for anyone to die for a godly person. Maybe someone would be willing to die for a good person. Reference

Good

Acts 11:24

Parallel theme

1 John 3:16 Romans 16:4 John 15:13

8 But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Reference

Love

John 15:13 John 3:16 1 John 3:16

Parallel theme

Romans 4:25

References Christ

Romans 5:6 Ephesians 2:7 1 Timothy 1:16

Sin

1 Peter 3:18 Isaiah 53:6 Romans 5:20

9 The blood of Christ has made us right with God. So we are even more sure that Jesus will save us from God's anger. Reference

Blood

Ephesians 2:13 Hebrews 9:22 Hebrews 9:14 1 John 1:7

Judgment

1 Thessalonians 1:10

Parallel theme

Romans 8:1 John 5:24

Righteousness

Romans 1:18 Romans 5:1 Romans 8:30

10 Once we were God's enemies. But we have been brought back to him because his Son has died for us. Now that God has brought us back, we are even more secure. We know that we will be saved because Christ lives. Reference

Parallel theme

Romans 8:32 Revelation 1:18 Leviticus 6:30 Daniel 9:24 John 14:19

References God

Ephesians 2:16 Romans 8:7 Romans 8:34

Salvation

Hebrews 7:25

11 And that is not all. We are full of joy in God because of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of him, God has brought us back to himself. Reference

Parallel theme

Psalm 149:2 1 Peter 1:8

References God

Romans 5:10 Isaiah 61:10 Psalm 43:4 Galatians 4:9

References Lord

Philippians 4:4 Psalm 104:34 1 Samuel 2:1

12 Sin entered the world because one man sinned. And death came because of sin. Everyone sinned, so death came to all people. Reference

Parallel theme

Genesis 2:17 Genesis 3:19 Genesis 3:6

Sin

Romans 5:19 Romans 6:23 Romans 3:23 James 1:15 Psalm 51:5 Romans 5:21 Ezekiel 18:4

13 Before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not judged when there is no law. Reference

Parallel theme

Genesis 38:7 Genesis 38:10

Word

Romans 4:15 1 Corinthians 15:56 1 John 3:4

14 Death ruled from the time of Adam to the time of Moses. Death ruled even over those who did not sin as Adam did. He broke God's command. But he also became a pattern of the One who was going to come. Reference

Kingdom

Romans 5:17 Romans 5:21

Parallel theme

1 Corinthians 15:45 Hebrews 9:27 Romans 8:22 Genesis 7:22 Romans 8:20 Genesis 19:25 Genesis 4:8 Jonah 4:11

15 God's gift is different from Adam's sin. Many people died because of the sin of that one man. But it was even more sure that God's grace would also come through one man. That man is Jesus Christ. God's gift of grace was more than enough for the whole world. Reference

Grace

Ephesians 2:8

Parallel theme

Romans 5:12 Isaiah 53:11

References God

1 John 5:11 2 Corinthians 9:15

References Jesus

Romans 6:23

16 The result of God's gift is different from the result of Adam's sin. God judged one sin. That brought guilt. But after many sins, God's gift made people right with him. Reference

Sin

Isaiah 1:18 Isaiah 44:22 Isaiah 43:25

17 One man sinned, and death ruled because of his sin. But we are even more sure of what will happen because of what the one man, Jesus Christ, has done. Those who receive the rich supply of God's grace will rule with Christ in his kingdom. They have received God's gift and have been made right with him. Reference

Kingdom

2 Timothy 2:12 Revelation 22:5 Revelation 20:4 Revelation 20:6

Parallel theme

Romans 5:12 1 Corinthians 15:49 John 10:10 Genesis 3:6 Revelation 3:21

Righteousness

Isaiah 61:10

18 One man's sin brought guilt to all people. So also one right act made all people right with God. And all who are right with God will live. Reference

Parallel theme

1 Corinthians 15:22 Romans 5:12 Romans 5:15 Hebrews 2:9 John 1:7 John 12:32

Righteousness

Romans 5:19 Acts 13:39 Romans 4:25 2 Peter 1:1

19 Many people were made sinners because one man did not obey. But one man did obey. That is why many people will be made right with God. Reference

Creation

Ephesians 1:6

Parallel theme

Philippians 2:8 Romans 5:15

Righteousness

2 Corinthians 5:21 Romans 5:18

Sin

Romans 5:12

20 The law was given so that sin would increase. But where sin increased, God's grace increased even more. Reference

Grace

Romans 6:1 Romans 6:14 Matthew 9:13

Parallel theme

John 10:10

Sin

Psalm 25:11 Luke 7:47 Isaiah 1:18 John 15:22 Ezekiel 16:52

Word

Romans 4:15

21 Sin ruled because of death. So also grace rules in the lives of those who are right with God. The grace of God brings eternal life because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done. Reference

Grace

Titus 2:11 Romans 6:14 Romans 5:17 1 Peter 5:10

Kingdom

Romans 5:14

Righteousness

Romans 8:10 Romans 6:16

Sin

Romans 6:23 Romans 5:12

Chapter Summary

Romans 5 explains the results of being made right with God through faith, showing that believers now have peace with God, stand in His grace, possess a confident hope of sharing His glory, and can even find spiritual strength through suffering because God's love has been demonstrated through Christ's death for sinners.

Paul explains that Christian hope is not based on easy circumstances, because suffering can produce endurance, character, and hope, while the Holy Spirit assures believers that God's love is already working within them.

The strongest proof of this love is that Christ died for people while they were still sinners, meaning that God's love does not begin after people become worthy but reaches them while they are still weak, sinful, and separated from Him.

Paul then describes salvation as reconciliation, explaining that people who were once separated from God can now have peace with Him because of Jesus' death and resurrection, giving believers confidence that God's saving work will continue.

The second half of the chapter introduces one of Paul's most important comparisons: Adam and Christ.

Paul explains that sin entered humanity through Adam, bringing death and condemnation, but God's grace came through Christ and provides righteousness and life, meaning that Jesus' obedience begins to reverse the damage caused by Adam's disobedience.

The Law came later and made humanity's sin more clearly known, but Paul emphasizes that God's grace is greater than the power of sin, so where sin increased, grace increased even more.

The chapter therefore moves from peace with God ? suffering and hope ? Christ's sacrificial love ? reconciliation ? Adam's sin ? Christ's obedience ? grace and eternal life, showing that God's saving work in Christ is much greater than the human problem created by sin.

Historical Context

Romans 5 was written in the first century AD, probably around AD 56–58, when Paul was explaining the Gospel to a Christian community in Rome made up of both Jewish and Gentile believers.

Paul's use of Adam would have been especially meaningful to Jewish readers because Adam's story comes from the opening chapters of Genesis and provides the biblical foundation for understanding humanity's entrance into sin and death.

Paul's comparison between Adam and Christ is important because he presents Jesus as a new representative of humanity whose obedience brings life where Adam's disobedience brought death.

The chapter also reflects the difficult circumstances faced by many early Christians, who could experience rejection, social pressure, hardship, and suffering because of their faith, making Paul's teaching that suffering can produce endurance and hope especially practical.

The idea of reconciliation would also have been easy for people living in the Roman world to understand because relationships between individuals, families, communities, and political groups could be damaged by conflict and then restored through an act of peace.

Paul applies this idea to humanity's relationship with God, explaining that through Christ, people who were once separated from God can now have peace and restored fellowship with Him.

The central message of Romans 5 is that God's grace is greater than humanity's sin.

Adam's disobedience brought sin and death into the human story, but Christ's obedience brings the possibility of righteousness, reconciliation, and eternal life.

Paul therefore wants believers to understand that being right with God is not merely about having their past forgiven; it also means that they now stand in God's grace, possess hope, experience His love, and look forward to eternal life.

Even suffering can become part of this journey because God can use difficult experiences to develop endurance, character, and stronger hope.

The chapter ends with a powerful contrast: sin may have entered through Adam and ruled through death, but God's grace now rules through righteousness and leads to eternal life through Jesus Christ.

New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996

Romans 5

Chapter Summary

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