Romans 5:18 (WEB)

Passage

So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life.

Nearby Context

Romans 5:16 The gift is not as through one who sinned: for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification.

Romans 5:17 For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:18 So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life.

Romans 5:19 For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:20 The law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "justified", "condemn", "through", "trespass", "condemned", "even", "righteousness", and "life". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "justified" and "condemn", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "For if by the trespass of the..." into verse 19's "For as through the one man s...", so "justified" and "condemn" 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 "justified" and "condemn" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.