Romans 5:14 (GNV)

Passage

But death reigned from Adam to Moses, euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like maner of that transgression of Adam, which was the figure of him that was to come.

Nearby Context

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sinne entred into ye world, and death by sinne, and so death went ouer all men: in who all men haue sinned.

Romans 5:13 For vnto the time of the Law was sinne in the worlde, but sinne is not imputed, while there is no lawe.

Romans 5:14 But death reigned from Adam to Moses, euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like maner of that transgression of Adam, which was the figure of him that was to come.

Romans 5:15 But yet the gift is not so, as is the offence: for if through the offence of that one, many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man Iesus Christ, hath abounded vnto many.

Romans 5:16 Neither is the gift so, as that which entred in by one that sinned: for the fault came of one offence vnto condemnation: but the gift is of many offences to iustification.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "death", "reigned", "adam", "moses", "euen", "ouer", "sinned", and "after". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "death" and "reigned", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "For vnto the time of the Law..." into verse 15's "But yet the gift is not so...", so "death" and "reigned" 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 "death" and "reigned" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.