Romans 5:16 (KJV)

Passage

And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

Nearby Context

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

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

Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

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

Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "condemn", "sinned", "gift", "judgment", "condemnation", "free", "offences", and "justification". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "condemn" and "sinned", 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 offence so also..." into verse 17's "For if by one man s offence...", so "condemn" and "sinned" 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 "sinned" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.