Romans 5:8
in Romans 5But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
KJV
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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This verse in Romans 5
Commentary
4 notes on this verseBut God commendeth his love, etc. - συνιστησι· God hath set this act of infinite mercy in the most conspicuous light, so as to recommend it to the notice and admiration of all. While we were yet sinners - We were neither righteous nor good; but impious and wicked. See the preceding verse, and see the note on Rom 5:6.
This site's exposition
Christ died for the ungodly
on Romans 5:6-8
Christ died for the ungodly at the set time, while they had no strength. Verse 7 measures human love at its height, one man barely willing to die for a good man. Verse 8 puts God's love beside that, Christ dying for sinners.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But God recommendeth - A most elegant expression. Those are wont to be recommended to us, who were before either unknown to, or alienated from, us. While we were sinners - So far from being good, that we were not even just.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But God commendeth--"setteth off," "displayeth"--in glorious contrast with all that men will do for each other. his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners--that is, in a state not of positive "goodness," nor even of negative "righteousness," but on the contrary, "sinners," a state which His soul hateth.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| συνίστησιν | sunistesin | Demonstrates | G4921 → | 16 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑαυτοῦ | he'autou | His own | G1438 → | 322 times |
| ἀγάπην | agapen | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ἡμᾶς | hemas | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεός, | theos | God, | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἔτι | eti | still | G2089 → | 140 times |
| ἁμαρτωλῶν | hamartolon | sinners | G268 → | 47 times |
| ὄντων | onton | when being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | we | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| Χριστὸς | christos | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἀπέθανεν. | apethanen | died. | G599 → | 110 times |
συνίστησινDemonstrates
sunistesinG4921 →16 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἑαυτοῦHis own
he'autouG1438 →322 times
ἀγάπηνlove
agapenG26 →114 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἡμᾶςus
hemasG3165 →1936 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεός,God,
theosG2316 →1312 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἔτιstill
etiG2089 →140 times
ἁμαρτωλῶνsinners
hamartolonG268 →47 times
ὄντωνwhen being
ontonG1510 →2333 times
ἡμῶνwe
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ΧριστὸςChrist
christosG5547 →523 times
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
ἡμῶνus
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἀπέθανεν.died.
apethanenG599 →110 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 3:16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:9–10
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
- Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
- John 3:15
that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
- John 11:25–26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
- John 6:40
For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
- 1 John 4:9–10
Through
John 15:13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
it leads to
- John 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
- Ephesians 5:2
and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
- Romans 5:6–8
For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
- John 10:11
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Grace35 verses
Love35 verses
Salvation35 verses
On this page
Studies9
On this verse
About Romans

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament.
