Romans 5:16 (ASV)

Passage

And not as through one that sinned, [so] is the gift: for the judgment [came] of one unto condemnation, but the free gift [came] of many trespasses unto justification.

Nearby Context

Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam`s transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come.

Romans 5:15 But not as the trespass, so also [is] the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many.

Romans 5:16 And not as through one that sinned, [so] is the gift: for the judgment [came] of one unto condemnation, but the free gift [came] of many trespasses unto justification.

Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, [even] Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:18 So then as through one trespass [the judgment came] unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness [the free gift came] unto all men to justification of life.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "condemn", "through", "sinned", "gift", "judgment", "came", "condemnation", and "free". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "condemn" and "through", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "But not as the trespass so also..." into verse 17's "For if by the trespass of the...", so "condemn" and "through" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "condemn" and "through" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.