Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Original Language Analysis
διὰ
Wherefore
G1223
διὰ
Wherefore
Strong's:
G1223
Word #:
1 of 30
through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
διὰ
Wherefore
G1223
διὰ
Wherefore
Strong's:
G1223
Word #:
4 of 30
through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
ἡ
G3588
ἡ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 30
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
εἰς
into
G1519
εἰς
into
Strong's:
G1519
Word #:
9 of 30
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
10 of 30
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
κόσμον
the world
G2889
κόσμον
the world
Strong's:
G2889
Word #:
11 of 30
orderly arrangement, i.e., decoration; by implication, the world (including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively (morally))
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
13 of 30
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
διὰ
Wherefore
G1223
διὰ
Wherefore
Strong's:
G1223
Word #:
14 of 30
through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
τῆς
G3588
τῆς
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
15 of 30
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
17 of 30
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
θάνατος
death
G2288
θάνατος
death
Strong's:
G2288
Word #:
18 of 30
(properly, an adjective used as a noun) death (literally or figuratively)
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
19 of 30
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
εἰς
into
G1519
εἰς
into
Strong's:
G1519
Word #:
21 of 30
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
24 of 30
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
θάνατος
death
G2288
θάνατος
death
Strong's:
G2288
Word #:
25 of 30
(properly, an adjective used as a noun) death (literally or figuratively)
ἐφ'
for
G1909
ἐφ'
for
Strong's:
G1909
Word #:
27 of 30
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
Cross References
Romans 5:19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.Romans 3:23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;James 1:15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.Genesis 2:17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.Psalms 51:5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.Genesis 3:19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.Genesis 3:6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.Romans 5:21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.Ezekiel 18:4Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Historical Context
Paul assumes Genesis 1-3 as literal history—Adam as historical first man whose fall had cosmic consequences. This was Jewish theological consensus but would challenge Greco-Roman philosophical notions of humanity's innate goodness or cyclic history without decisive historical turning points. The doctrine of the Fall explained humanity's universal moral failure and misery, providing the necessary backdrop for understanding salvation through the Second Adam.
Questions for Reflection
- How does federal headship under Adam (being represented by him and affected by his sin) help you understand representation under Christ?
- What contemporary ideologies deny original sin—and how does that denial affect views of human nature and salvation?
- If death proves universal human sinfulness, what does Christ's resurrection prove about those united to Him?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin—Paul begins the crucial Adam-Christ typology extending through verse 21. The διὰ τοῦτο (dia touto, 'wherefore/therefore') connects to preceding arguments about justification and introduces comparison: as one man (Adam) brought condemnation, one Man (Christ) brings justification. The historical entrance of ἁμαρτία (hamartia, 'sin') through Adam establishes universal human guilt; death (θάνατος, thanatos) follows as sin's penalty (Genesis 2:17, 3:19).
And so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (καὶ οὕτως εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὁ θάνατος διῆλθεν, ἐφ' ᾧ πάντες ἥμαρτον)—the phrase ἐφ' ᾧ (eph' hō) is debated: 'because/in that/in whom all sinned.' Whether in Adam (federal headship) or by personal sin ratifying Adamic guilt, Paul's point stands: death's universality proves sin's universality. This verse grounds the doctrine of original sin—humanity's solidarity in Adam's transgression and consequent corruption.