Romans 4:25
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Original Language Analysis
ὃς
Who
G3739
ὃς
Who
Strong's:
G3739
Word #:
1 of 12
the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
παρεδόθη
was delivered
G3860
παρεδόθη
was delivered
Strong's:
G3860
Word #:
2 of 12
to surrender, i.e yield up, entrust, transmit
διὰ
for
G1223
διὰ
for
Strong's:
G1223
Word #:
3 of 12
through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
τὰ
G3588
τὰ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
4 of 12
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
παραπτώματα
offences
G3900
παραπτώματα
offences
Strong's:
G3900
Word #:
5 of 12
a side-slip (lapse or deviation), i.e., (unintentional) error or (wilful) transgression
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
7 of 12
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ἠγέρθη
was raised again
G1453
ἠγέρθη
was raised again
Strong's:
G1453
Word #:
8 of 12
to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e., rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from
διὰ
for
G1223
διὰ
for
Strong's:
G1223
Word #:
9 of 12
through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
τὴν
G3588
τὴν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
10 of 12
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Cross References
1 John 2:2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world.2 Corinthians 5:21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.Galatians 1:4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:1 Peter 3:18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:1 Peter 2:24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.Ephesians 5:2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.Revelation 1:5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,1 Corinthians 15:17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.Matthew 20:28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.Romans 8:3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Historical Context
This verse contains what scholars recognize as an early Christian credal formula, possibly pre-Pauline. The parallelism (delivered/raised, our offenses/our justification) suggests liturgical origin. For Jewish Christians, the claim that the crucified Messiah's death was 'for our offenses' fulfilled Isaiah 53's Suffering Servant. For Gentile Christians, it established that Jesus's death was not tragic failure but purposeful sacrifice. The resurrection proved both the Father's acceptance of the Son's work and the efficacy of His atonement.
Questions for Reflection
- How do Christ's death and resurrection work together to accomplish justification, and what would be missing if we had one without the other?
- Why does Paul frame both Christ's death and resurrection with the passive voice ('was delivered,' 'was raised'), and what does this reveal?
- How does this verse's emphasis on Christ's resurrection 'for our justification' fulfill the chapter's theme of God giving life to the dead?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Paul concludes with a compact creedal statement about Christ's saving work. Hos paredothē (ὃς παρεδόθη, "who was delivered") uses the divine passive—God delivered up His Son (cf. 8:32, echoing Isaac's near-sacrifice). The preposition dia ta paraptōmata hēmōn (διὰ τὰ παραπτώματα ἡμῶν, "because of our trespasses") indicates cause: Christ was delivered to death on account of our sins, as their punishment and payment. Paraptōma (παράπτωμα) means false step, deviation from the path—our violations of God's law.
The second clause provides the positive side: ēgerthē dia tēn dikaiōsin hēmōn (ἠγέρθη διὰ τὴν δικαίωσιν ἡμῶν, "He was raised because of our justification"). Again dia (διά) with accusative indicates purpose or result: the resurrection accomplished or vindicated our justification. Christ's death paid sin's penalty; His resurrection declares the payment accepted, the work finished, and believers justified. Both death and resurrection are necessary—the cross without resurrection would be martyrdom without vindication, the empty tomb without atonement would be powerless for salvation. Together they constitute the gospel that justifies all who believe, as Abraham believed.