Romans 5:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

NIV: To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.

NASB: for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not counted against anyone when there is no law.

CSB: In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law.

NLT: Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.

KJV: For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

NKJV: (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

In this section, Paul compares the effects of sin, from Adam, as compared to the effects of grace, from Christ. In the prior verse, he noted that it was the actions of one man which brought death and sin into the lives of all humanity.

Now, Paul seems to immediately take an aside from the main point of this section. He will pick that up again in verse 15. Here, though, he answers a question that may have popped up for some of his readers. How could there be sin before the law of Moses existed?

Paul seemed to suggest in Romans 4:15 that without the law, there is no sin, no "transgression." In context, Paul did not indicate the there was no actual sin, but only that one cannot literally "break" a law unless they are rightly subject to it. Here, Paul again clarifies that point: It's not that sin did not exist before the law of Moses. Of course, human beings have always sinned since the garden. Instead, Paul says that specific sin was not counted against specific people before the law. It was not a transgression in the sense of breaking the written words of the law; it was simply sinful humanity expressing its sinful nature: self-serving, hurtful, deceptive, and immoral.

The argument here, as in Romans 4:15, is entirely one of perspective. Humanity does not recognize sin when God does not give us something like the law: in our minds, those sins are not "counted." They are still sins, since we still ought to know better (Romans 1:18–20). The presence of the law does not turn righteousness into sin—it turns supposed ignorance into certain knowledge of our own wrongdoing.

Paul has shown that sinful nature every human being was born into resulted in separation from God and in inevitable death.

Romans 5:12–21 compares the work of Adam with the work of Christ to show how sin and death came into the world, and how God made a way to escape them. Adam, specially created by God, became the first lawbreaker when he ate from the restricted tree. He brought sin and death to all who came after him. Jesus, hung on a tree—a phrase implying crucifixion—paid for our sin, making it possible for all who believe to reign with Him in eternal life.

Romans 5 begins by describing some of the benefits that come with being declared righteous by God because of our faith in Christ. We have peace with God, and we stand in His grace. We rejoice both in the hope of God's glory and in our temporary suffering. We have hope that will not disappoint, because God has already proved His love for us. Paul then compares the work of Adam in bringing sin and death into the world with the work of Christ in dying for sin in order to offer God's free gift of grace to all who believe.

After proving that all men are guilty of sin and incapable of earning salvation, Paul explained how faith—not works—is the means by which God declares us righteous. Romans 5 begins with a powerful, joyful revelation of all that comes with being justified in God's eyes by our faith in Christ. We have peace with God. We stand in God's grace. We have hope for eternal glory and meaning in our current suffering. God has proven His love for us in the death of Christ for our sin while we were still sinners. Adam introduced sin and death to the world, and they continue. Christ, though, by dying for our sin brought God's grace to all who believe. The next chapter begins by refuting a common misconception about salvation by grace through faith.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.