At peace with God
1So then, since we have been justified by faith, we are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have gained access, by faith, into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3And not only that: we boast in our troubles too, because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4endurance produces tested character, and character produces hope. 5And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us. 6For while we were still helpless, at the right moment, Christ died for the ungodly. 7It is rare for anyone to die for a righteous person—though for a good person someone might just dare to die. 8But God proves his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9How much more, then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath to come. 10If we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son while we were enemies, how much more, now that we are reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11And not only that: we boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
One man, and then one man
12So then: through one man sin came into the world, and death came in through sin, and in this way death spread to every human being, because everyone sinned. 13Sin was in the world before the law came, but sin is not counted against anyone where there is no law. 14Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sin was not like Adam’s breaking of a command. And Adam is a pattern of the one who was to come. 15But the gift is not like the trespass. If the many died by the trespass of one man, how much more did God’s grace, and the gift that came by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ, overflow to the many. 16Nor is the gift like what came through the one man’s sin: the verdict followed a single trespass and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17If death reigned through the trespass of that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflowing grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18So, then: as one trespass brought condemnation for all people, so one act of righteousness brings justification and life for all people. 19As by one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. 20The law slipped in so that the trespass would grow; but where sin grew, grace overflowed beyond all measure, 21so that as sin reigned in death, grace too might reign through righteousness, leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
