Romans 5:12-21

Worldwide English (New Testament)

¹² One man [Adam] did a wrong thing. And the wrong thing he did made him die. So all men die because all have done wrong things.

¹³ People in the world were not right with God before he gave the law. But wrong things are not punished when there is no law.

¹⁴ Yet death ruled over people from Adam's time to Moses' time. It even ruled over the people who were not as wrong as Adam. Adam was like a person who would come later.

¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the wrong thing. Many people died because one man did a wrong thing. This is sure. God was very kind and he gave a free gift. This gift was given to many people because one man, Jesus Christ, did a very kind thing.

¹⁶ The free gift is not like the wrong thing one man did. Because of that one man people were judged. And they were punished. Because many people did wrong things, God gave his free gift and many people were made right with him.

¹⁷ One man did a wrong thing. And so death ruled over people because of that one man. God has been kind to people and given them his free gift. That gift is to make people right with God. People who take that gift will live and rule because of one man, Jesus Christ.

¹⁸ One man did a wrong thing. And so all people were punished through him. But Christ did the right thing. And so all people can have the free gift of life through being put right with God.

¹⁹ One man did not obey. And so many people were bad people. One man obeyed. And so many people will be made right with God.

²⁰ When the law came, it showed how wrong people really were. But when people were really bad, God was even more kind.

²¹ The wrong things people did ruled over them, and they died. Now God has been very kind. He has made people right with him. So now God's blessing will rule over them, and they will live for ever. Jesus Christ our Lord has done this for them.