2 Corinthians 5:21
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It's so easy to read this and just nod along, but look closely: Paul doesn't say God treated Jesus as if He were a sinner. He says God made Jesus to be sin – a profound, active exchange. This means Jesus didn't just absorb our sin; He became it, so that we, the imperfect, could become the very righteousness of God in Him.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is explaining the incredible exchange that happened on the cross: Jesus, who was perfectly sinless, was treated as if he were sin itself. This wasn't a random act, but God's intentional plan so that believers could be declared righteous in God's sight, not because of their own actions, but because of Christ's sacrifice. This forms the core of his argument about reconciliation with God, leading into the plea for people to accept this divine offer.
Have you ever felt like you're paying for someone else's mistake? This verse flips that idea on its head in the most profound way imaginable.
Paul is talking about the cross of Jesus. God the Father, in His infinite wisdom and love, made His perfect Son, Jesus, to be sin.
What Does 'To Be Sin' Mean?
This doesn't mean Jesus suddenly committed sin. No, the verse explicitly states Jesus 'knew no sin.' Instead, this is a divine imputation – God treated Jesus as if He were sinful. He bore the full weight, penalty, and curse of all the sin humanity has ever committed or will commit.
It's like a cosmic exchange. All our sin, the rebellion, the impurity, the brokenness, was laid upon Him. He became the embodiment of sin in the eyes of God's perfect justice.
What if the very thing God requires – perfect righteousness – is now something He gives you? This verse reveals an unbelievable gift.
The incredible result of Jesus becoming sin is that we can become the righteousness of God. This isn't about us trying harder or achieving a perfect record.
A Gift, Not an Achievement
Because Jesus took our sin, and because we place our faith in Him, God declares us righteous. This 'righteousness of God' is the perfect standard of God's character, now credited to our account through Christ.
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It means when God looks at you, He sees the perfect obedience and sacrifice of Jesus. You are declared holy, blameless, and acceptable, not because of your own doing, but because of what Christ has done for you. It's a status, a gift that transforms our standing before Him.
Understand the original words
hamartia · Greek Noun
A legal and moral state of being blameless before God. It refers to the standing a person has when they are declared righteous through faith in Jesus Christ, based on His finished work rather than their own deeds.
dikaiosyne · Greek Noun
A term representing a state of moral perfection or holiness, and in the context of the Gospel, it signifies the legal standing of being "right" with God. It describes both the perfect character of God and the imputed gift of standing that He grants to believers through Christ.
This passage from Isaiah powerfully foreshadows the suffering servant who would bear the sin of many, directly echoing the substitutionary atonement described in 2 Corinthians.
Romans 3:21-26Paul explains here how God's justice is revealed through Jesus' sacrifice, providing justification for all who believe, which complements the idea of us becoming God's righteousness.
1 Peter 2:22-24Peter highlights Jesus' sinless life and his bearing of our sins on the cross, reinforcing the profound exchange that occurred for our salvation.
Galatians 3:13This verse directly states that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, underscoring the 'he made him to be sin' aspect.
It's so easy to read this and just nod along, but look closely: Paul doesn't say God treated Jesus as if He were a sinner. He says God made Jesus to be sin – a profound, active exchange. This means Jesus didn't just absorb our sin; He became it, so that we, the imperfect, could become the very righteousness of God in Him.
Paul is explaining the incredible exchange that happened on the cross: Jesus, who was perfectly sinless, was treated as if he were sin itself. This wasn't a random act, but God's intentional plan so that believers could be declared righteous in God's sight, not because of their own actions, but because of Christ's sacrifice. This forms the core of his argument about reconciliation with God, leading into the plea for people to accept this divine offer.
Paul is explaining the incredible exchange that happened on the cross: Jesus, who was perfectly sinless, was treated as if he were sin itself. This wasn't a random act, but God's intentional plan so that believers could be declared righteous in God's sight, not because of their own actions, but because of Christ's sacrifice. This forms the core of his argument about reconciliation with God, leading into the plea for people to accept this divine offer.
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." — It's so easy to read this and just nod along, but look closely: Paul doesn't say God treated Jesus as if He were a sinner. He says God made Jesus to be sin – a profound, active exchange. This m…
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Last reviewed October 2026
