Romans 5:20-21
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The law didn't just appear; it "entered beside" sin, meaning it was deliberately brought into God's plan alongside the sin that was already there. This wasn't to create sin, but to expose its true depth and increase our awareness of our own guilt. This, in turn, sets the stage for grace to be even more astonishingly abundant in contrast.
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is continuing his deep dive into how Adam's one sin brought condemnation to all humanity, contrasting it with the overwhelming grace that comes through Jesus Christ. He explains that the Mosaic Law, while revealing God's standard, actually served to expose and increase people's awareness of their sin, rather than eliminating it. This sets the stage to emphasize that God's grace didn't just meet sin's level; it far surpassed it, offering redemption and life.
Ever feel like rules just make you want to break them? The Bible says there's a reason for that!
Paul explains that the Law didn't create sin, but it dramatically revealed it. Think of it like a bright light suddenly switched on in a dusty room. The dust was always there, but the light made it impossible to ignore.
What happens when the problem seems bigger than any possible solution? The Gospel's answer is astonishing!
The incredible truth here is that God's grace doesn't just match the increase of sin; it 'abounded all the more.' This isn't a slight edge; it's an overwhelming victory.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
nomos · Greek Noun
The divine revelation of God's holy standard, which functions to expose human sinfulness and highlight the need for a Savior.
hamartia · Greek Noun
A deviation from the law of God, either by commission of evil or omission of good, resulting in separation from God and spiritual ruin. It is both an act and a governing power that enslaves humanity apart from Christ.
basileuō · Greek Verb
To exercise royal authority, rule, or hold dominion; in the context of Paul's theology, it refers to the controlling influence or power that a master exerts over its subjects.
thanatos · Greek Noun
The cessation of life, the consequence of sin, and the state of separation from the presence of God; it represents the ultimate penalty for human rebellion against the Creator.
charis · Greek Noun
The unmerited, gracious favor of God toward the undeserving, which provides salvation, transformation, and empowerment through Christ, standing in stark contrast to works or merit.
dikaiosynē · Greek Noun
The state of being in conformity with God's moral law and standard, achieved not by human effort but imputed to the believer through faith in Jesus Christ, allowing for right standing before God.
zōē aiōnios · Greek Noun phrase
The unending life in fellowship with God, which begins at the moment of salvation and continues into eternity, made possible only through the work of the Savior.
Iēsous Christos · Greek Proper Noun
The second person of the Trinity, the Messiah (Anointed One) and the unique Son of God who died as a substitute for sinners and rose again, serving as the sole mediator between God and man.
The context of Romans 5 reveals a historical unfolding: the Law, given by God, starkly revealed sin's extent, but Christ's arrival brought a grace that abounded even more powerfully over sin and death.
c. 1446 BC
Giving of the Law at Sinai
God gives the Mosaic Law to the Israelites through Moses, outlining commandments, rituals, and judgments. This marks a significant escalation in the revelation of God's standards for humanity.
c. 1446 BC - c. AD 30— this verse
The Era of the Law
This period spans from the giving of the Law to the coming of Christ. The Law's presence heightens the awareness of sin and trespass, yet doesn't provide the ultimate solution.
c. AD 30
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is crucified, an event that becomes the pivotal point for God's redemptive plan. His sacrifice is seen as the ultimate act of grace to overcome sin's dominion.
c. AD 30 - c. AD 62
The Age of Grace
Following Christ's resurrection, the era of grace begins. The Gospel proclaims that God's grace, through Christ, far surpasses the abundance of sin and its consequences.
The Mosaic Law, given through Moses, revealed the extent of human sinfulness by clearly defining God's righteous standards, which highlighted how much people transgressed, thus demonstrating the 'increase of trespass' mentioned in Romans.
Galatians 3:19This passage directly addresses the purpose of the law, stating it was 'added because of transgressions' until the offspring of Abraham should come, echoing Paul's point that the law's function was to expose sin.
1 Timothy 1:15-16Paul describes himself as the 'foremost' sinner, yet received mercy, illustrating the theme that where sin abounded (like in Paul's zealous persecution of the church), grace abounded all the more through Christ.
John 1:16This verse highlights the abundance of grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ, directly paralleling the 'grace abounded all the more' in Romans 5:20 as the ultimate answer to humanity's sin.
Romans 7:7-13Paul elaborates on how the law, particularly the commandment 'You shall not covet,' acted to reveal sin and provoke sinful desire, explaining the mechanism by which the law caused trespass to increase.
henryRomans 5:20-21: "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:"
5:20,21 By Christ and his righteousness, we have more and greater privileges than we lost by the offence of Adam. The moral law showed that many thoughts, tempers, words, and actions, were sinful, thus transgressions were multiplied. Not making sin to abound the more, but discovering the sinfulness of it, even as the letting in a clearer light into a room, discovers the…
clarkeRomans 5:20: "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:"
The law entered that (ἱνα) the offense might abound - After considering various opinions concerning the true meaning of this verse, (see under Romans 5:12 (note)), I am induced to prefer my own, as being the most simple. By law I understand the Mosaic law. By entering in, παρεισηλθεν, or, rather, coming in privily, see Galatians 2:4 , (the only place where it occurs besid…
The law didn't just appear; it "entered beside" sin, meaning it was deliberately brought into God's plan alongside the sin that was already there. This wasn't to create sin, but to expose its true depth and increase our awareness of our own guilt. This, in turn, sets the stage for grace to be even more astonishingly abundant in contrast.
Paul is continuing his deep dive into how Adam's one sin brought condemnation to all humanity, contrasting it with the overwhelming grace that comes through Jesus Christ. He explains that the Mosaic Law, while revealing God's standard, actually served to expose and increase people's awareness of their sin, rather than eliminating it. This sets the stage to emphasize that God's grace didn't just meet sin's level; it far surpassed it, offering redemption and life.
Paul is continuing his deep dive into how Adam's one sin brought condemnation to all humanity, contrasting it with the overwhelming grace that comes through Jesus Christ. He explains that the Mosaic Law, while revealing God's standard, actually served to expose and increase people's awareness of their sin, rather than eliminating it. This sets the stage to emphasize that God's grace didn't just meet sin's level; it far surpassed it, offering redemption and life.
"Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." — The law didn't just appear; it "entered beside" sin, meaning it was deliberately brought into God's plan alongside the sin that was already there. This wasn't to create sin, but to expose its true de…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
