Through Faith, Tribulation Produces Hope
THEREFORE being declared righteous by means of faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom we also have access, by means of faith, to this grace wherein we stand fast, and boast in the hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only this, but we boast in the tribulations also: knowing that tribulation results in endurance;
4 And steadfastness, proving of faith; and, proving of faith, hope:
5 And this hope does not disappoint; because the love of God is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
Christ Died in Our Place
6 ¶ For when we were yet without moral strength, at that time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely would anyone die in place of a righteous man: yet, perhaps in place of a good man some might even dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates his love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 How much more then, now being declared righteous by means of his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
11 And not only this, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Death by Adam, Life by Christ
12 ¶ Therefore, as by one man sin entered into the world (and death through sin); and thus death passed to all men (for that all have sinned).
13 For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not recorded where there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression (who is the archetype of him that was to come).
15 But the transgression is not (in this way), as the gracious gift. For if through the transgression of one many died, how much more by the kindness of God, and the gift by grace, through one man, Jesus Christ, has it abounded to the many.
16 And the gift is not in the same manner as the one that sinned: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the gracious gift (apart from being of many offences) to justification.
17 For if by his transgression death reigned through the one; much more, (to those that receive the abundance of his kindness and the gift of his righteousness) life now reigns through the one Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as through the transgression of one: to all men came condemnation; and thus, through the righteousness of one: to all men came justification unto life.
19 For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous.
Grace Reigns through Righteousness
20 ¶ The law entered for the purpose of multiplying the transgression; so that where sin multiplied, grace might multiply so much more abundantly.
21 So that, as sin reigned through death; thus grace reigns through righteousness unto life eternal, through Jesus Christ our Lord.