Adam and Christ Compared

¹² Sin came into the world because of what one man did, and with sin came death. This is why everyone must die—because everyone sinned. ¹³ Sin was in the world before the law of Moses, but sin is not counted against us as breaking a command when there is no law. ¹⁴ But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, everyone had to die, even those who had not sinned by breaking a command, as Adam had.

Adam was like the One who was coming in the future. ¹⁵ But God’s free gift is not like Adam’s sin. Many people died because of the sin of that one man. But the grace from God was much greater; many people received God’s gift of life by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. ¹⁶ After Adam sinned once, he was judged guilty. But the gift of God is different. God’s free gift came after many sins, and it makes people right with God. ¹⁷ One man sinned, and so death ruled all people because of that one man. But now those people who accept God’s full grace and the great gift of being made right with him will surely have true life and rule through the one man, Jesus Christ.

²² In Adam all of us die. In the same way, in Christ all of us will be made alive again.