What does Romans 5:20 mean? (2024)

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ESVNow the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

NIVThe law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

NASBThe Law came in so that the offense would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

CSBThe law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more

NLTGod’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.

KJVMoreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

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In describing the impact of Adam's disobedience in the previous verse, Paul wrote that "many were made sinners." By that, he means that all who were born after Adam were born into sin. By nature, they sinned. However, Paul has also revealed that those living between Adam and Moses were not under the law. In that way, their sin was not counted against them. They still sinned, and they still died as a result of sin, but their sin was, in a sense, not measured (Romans 5:13–14).

So what happened when God gave the law to Moses? How did that change this relationship between human sin and God? It made everything much, much worse, exactly as God intended. Once God gave actual commands about what to do and what not to do in this life, human beings moved from simply being sinners by nature to becoming actual lawbreakers. The existence of God's commands criminalized their sin—our sin—at a new level. Now we were all living in blatant, open rebellion.

In that sense, sin increased. It's not necessarily that people started sinning in greater volume, it's that our sin began to be counted against us as individual acts of rebellion against the will of God. It became an even more overt disobedience to Him. In fact, as Paul reveals in a startling statement, that's one reason God gave the law to the Israelites. He wanted to increase the trespass, the lawbreaking! He wanted it to be deadly clear just how sinful human beings were.

Paul follows that with another extraordinary statement, however. As human sin increased, grace "super-increased." God's grace abounded even more. This makes logical sense and yet it is still astounding to us. God's grace—giving good to us when we have earned bad—cannot be overwhelmed by our own sinfulness. The more we sin, the more grace God gives. In the following chapter, Paul will deal with a common abuse of that idea: the claim that sin is actually good, since it provides God more opportunity to show grace.

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As a biblical scholar deeply immersed in the study of various translations and interpretations, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to shed light on the concepts and verses presented in the provided article.

The passage in question discusses the impact of the law, given to Moses by God, on the relationship between human sin and divine judgment. The article draws from multiple Bible versions, including the English Standard Version (ESV), New International Version (NIV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), Christian Standard Bible (CSB), and the New Living Translation (NLT). These translations offer nuanced perspectives on the theological implications of the law and its connection to human sin.

The central theme revolves around the idea that the law, far from diminishing sin, actually accentuates it. The argument posits that God's introduction of explicit commands elevated human disobedience to a new level, moving from a state of inherent sinfulness to overt lawbreaking. The article refers to Romans 5:13–14, where Paul explains that those living between Adam and Moses were not under the law, and their sin was not accounted for in the same way.

The English Standard Version (ESV) states, "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." This version emphasizes the role of the law in amplifying human transgressions, leading to a greater outpouring of divine grace.

The New International Version (NIV) expresses a similar sentiment, stating, "The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more." This translation underscores the purpose of the law in magnifying human wrongdoing while highlighting the abundance of God's grace in response.

The New American Standard Bible (NASB) phrases it as, "The Law came in so that the offense would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." This version reinforces the notion that the introduction of the law was intentional, resulting in an increase in both offense and grace.

The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) states, "The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more." This translation uses the term "multiply" to convey the intensification of both trespass and grace due to the law.

The New Living Translation (NLT) provides a slightly different perspective, saying, "God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant." This version focuses on the revelatory nature of the law, making people aware of their sinfulness, leading to an increase in God's abundant grace.

In essence, the article explores the paradoxical relationship between the law, sin, and grace, emphasizing that as human disobedience became more overt through the law, God's grace responded in even greater measure. This theological perspective underscores the profound nature of divine grace in the face of human sinfulness.