1 Therefore, since we are
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we
stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not
only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering
produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character
produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has
been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given
to us.
6 For while we were still weak,
at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will
anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person
someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in
that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely
then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved
through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we
were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely,
having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than
that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom
we have now received reconciliation. 12 Therefore, just as sin came into
the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death
spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world
before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14 Yet
death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins
were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who
was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the
many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the
grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus
Christ, abounded for the many. 16 And the free gift is not like the
effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass
brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings
justification. 17 If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised
dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the
abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion
in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore just as one
man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of
righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19 For just as by
the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one
man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 But law came in,
with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased,
grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, just as sin exercised dominion
in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification
leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
CONTINUE |