Romans 5:13 BSB — MannaFest

Romans 5:13

For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

KJV

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

⋯

Commentary

4 voices

Cyril of Alexandria

EXPLANATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS (444)

The law of Moses was the power constraining the weakness of sinners. It proved to be not the answer to sin but rather a provocation to wrath. For it was necessary for transgressors to undergo the punishments prescribed by the law, and wherever there was transgression, there was also sin. So if sin brought death in its wake, it may undoubtedly be said that death, having been born of sin, was strengthened by this very thing. But when sin was taken away death was also weakened, and it disappeared along with its parent.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

For until the law sin was in the world - All, I say, had sinned, for sin was in the world long before the written law; but, I grant, sin is not so much imputed, nor so severely punished by God, where there is no express law to convince men of it.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

For until the law sin was in the world - As death reigned from Adam to Moses, so also did sin. Now, as there was no written law from Adam to that given to Moses, the death that prevailed could not be the breach of that law; for sin, so as to be punished with temporal death, is not imputed where there is no law, which shows the penalty of sin to be death.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

For until the law sin was in the world--that is during all the period from Adam "until the law" of Moses was given, God continued to treat men as sinners. but sin is not imputed where there is no law--"There must therefore have been a law during that period, because sin was then imputed"; as is now to be shown.

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

14 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ἄχρι	achri	Until	G891 →
γὰρ	gar	for	G1063 →
νόμου	nomou	[the] law	G3551 →
ἁμαρτία	hamartia	sin	G266 →
ἦν	ēn	was	G1510 →
ἐν	en	in [the]	G1722 →
κόσμῳ,	kosmō	world,	G2889 →
ἁμαρτία	hamartia	sin	G266 →
δὲ	de	however	G1161 →
οὐκ	ouk	not	G3756 →
ἐλλογεῖται	ellogeitai	is imputed	G1677 →
μὴ	mē	not	G3361 →
ὄντος	ontos	there being	G1510 →
νόμου·	nomou	law;	G3551 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
1 John 3:4
Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness.
leads to
- Romans 4:15
  because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 1 John 5:17
  All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death.
- Romans 3:20
  Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.
- Numbers 15:31
  He shall certainly be cut off, because he has despised the word of the LORD and broken His commandment; his guilt remains on him.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:21
  I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of…
Through
Romans 4:15
because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
leads to
- Galatians 3:10
  All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:56
  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Through
1 Corinthians 15:56
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
leads to
- Galatians 3:10–13
  All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

Featured studies on this passage

On Romans 5:13

Put That on Mine Account: Imputation

Open the study →

On Romans 5:13

The Two Adams — One Man, One Act, One Result — Romans 5:12–21

Open the study →

Walks through Romans 5

The Watchers' Secrets

Open the study →

Walks through Romans 5

Eve: The Mother of All Living · MannaFest

Open the study →

Walks through Romans 5

Justification by Faith: the Verdict of the Cross | MannaFest

Open the study →

Walks through Romans 5

Theological Words

Eight words that carry the Bible's theology — agape, chesed, logos, hilastērion, berith, shalom, emunah, doxa — each a door into its full workbench page.

Open the study →

About Romans

The Crucifixion — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Romans: the study guide →Read chapter 5 →The featured study →

Continue: Romans 5 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Romans

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Romans