Romans 5:13 (DBY)

Passage

(for until law sin was in [the] world; but sin is not put to account when there is no law;

Nearby Context

Romans 5:11 And not only [that], but [we are] making our boast in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom now we have received the reconciliation.

Romans 5:12 For this [cause], even as by one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death; and thus death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 5:13 (for until law sin was in [the] world; but sin is not put to account when there is no law;

Romans 5:14 but death reigned from Adam until Moses, even upon those who had not sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is [the] figure of him to come.

Romans 5:15 But [shall] not the act of favour [be] as the offence? For if by the offence of one the many have died, much rather has the grace of God, and the free gift in grace, which [is] by the one man Jesus Christ, abounded unto the many.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "world", "until", and "account". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "world" and "until", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "For this cause even as by one..." into verse 14's "but death reigned from Adam until Moses...", so "world" and "until" 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 "world" and "until" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.