Romans 5:17 (DRB)

Passage

For if by one man's offence death reigned through one; much more they who receive abundance of grace and of the gift and of justice shall reign in life through one, Jesus Christ.

Nearby Context

Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also the gift. For if by the offence of one, many died: much more the grace of God and the gift, by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one sin, so also is the gift. For judgment indeed was by one unto condemnation: but grace is of many offences unto justification.

Romans 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned through one; much more they who receive abundance of grace and of the gift and of justice shall reign in life through one, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:18 Therefore, as by the offence of one, unto all men to condemnation: so also by the justice of one, unto all men to justification of life.

Romans 5:19 For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners: so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made just.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "grace", "man's", "offence", "death", "reigned", "through", "much", and "receive". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "grace" and "man's", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "And not as it was by one..." into verse 18's "Therefore as by the offence of one...", so "grace" and "man's" 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 "grace" and "man's" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.