{15} And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto {t} justification.

(15) Another inequality consists in this, that by Adam's one offence men are made guilty, but the righteousness of Christ imputed unto us freely, does not only absolve us from that one fault, but from all others.

(t) To the sentence of absolution, by which we are acquitted and pronounced righteous.

People's New Testament

5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift. A second difference between Adam and Christ is pointed out. One offense of Adam caused condemnation to be sent on Adam and all his race. All have been under death.

But the free gift, through Jesus Christ, not only pardons the connection of our race with Adam's sin, but provides a way for the pardon of

many offences unto justification, all our offenses, so as to secure justification. One sin of Adam destroyed all, but the atonement of Jesus Christ provides conditions for forgiveness of all sins.

Wesley's Notes

5:16 The sentence was by one offence to Adam's condemnation - Occasioning the sentence of death to pass upon him, which, by consequence, overwhelmed his posterity. But the free gift is of many offences unto justification - Unto the purchasing it for all men, notwithstanding many offences.

Scofield Reference Notes

Margin offences

Sin. See Scofield Note: "Rom 3:23".

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift-"Another point of contrast may be mentioned."

for the judgment-"sentence."

was by one-rather, "was of one," meaning not "one man," but, as appears from the next clause, "one offense."

to condemnation, but the free gift-"gift of grace."

is of many offences unto justification-a glorious point of contrast. "The condemnation by Adam was for one sin; but the justification by Christ is an absolution not only from the guilt of that first offense, mysteriously attaching to every individual of the race, but from the countless offenses it, to which, as a germ lodged in the bosom of every child of Adam, it unfolds itself in his life." This is the meaning of "grace abounding towards us in the abundance of the gift of righteousness." It is a grace not only rich in its character, but rich in detail; it is a "righteousness" not only rich in a complete justification of the guilty, condemned sinner; but rich in the amplitude of the ground which it covers, leaving no one sin of any of the justified uncancelled, but making him, though loaded with the guilt of myriads of offenses, "the righteousness of God in Christ."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:15-19 Through one man's offence, all mankind are exposed to eternal condemnation. But the grace and mercy of God, and the free gift of righteousness and salvation, are through Jesus Christ, as man: yet the Lord from heaven has brought the multitude of believers into a more safe and exalted state than that from which they fell in Adam. This free gift did not place them anew in a state of trial, but fixed them in a state of justification, as Adam would have been placed, had he stood. Notwithstanding the differences, there is a striking similarity. As by the offence of one, sin and death prevailed to the condemnation of all men, so by the righteousness of one, grace prevailed to the justification of all related to Christ by faith. Through the grace of God, the gift by grace has abounded to many through Christ; yet multitudes choose to remain under the dominion of sin and death, rather than to apply for the blessings of the reign of grace. But Christ will in nowise cast out any who are willing to come to him.