Study Desk

Peace and Hope

Therefore, since we have been justified^(a) through faith,^(b) we^[a] have peace^(c) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,^(d)

through whom we have gained access^(e) by faith into this grace in which we now stand.^(f) And we^[b] boast in the hope^(g) of the glory of God.

Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings,^(h) because we know that suffering produces perseverance;⁽ⁱ⁾

perseverance, character; and character, hope.

And hope^(j) does not put us to shame, because God's love^(k) has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,^(l) who has been given to us.

You see, at just the right time,^(m) when we were still powerless,⁽ⁿ⁾ Christ died for the ungodly.^(o)

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.^(p)

Since we have now been justified^(q) by his blood,^(r) how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath^(s) through him!

For if, while we were God's enemies,^(t) we were reconciled^(u) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!^(v)

Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.^(w)

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,^(x) and death through sin,^(y) and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned^(z)—

To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law.^(aa)

Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam,^(ab) who is a pattern of the one to come.^(ac)

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man,^(ad) how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,^(ae) overflow to the many!

Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death^(af) reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life^(ag) through the one man, Jesus Christ!

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,^(ah) so also one righteous act resulted in justification^(ai) and life^(aj) for all people.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man^(ak) the many were made sinners,^(al) so also through the obedience^(am) of the one man the many will be made righteous.

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.^(an) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,^(ao)

so that, just as sin reigned in death,^(ap) so also grace^(aq) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life^(ar) through Jesus Christ our Lord.