But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
But ('Howbeit') not as the offence, [ paraptooma (G3900 ), 'trespass,'] so also is the free gift, х to (G3588) charisma (G5486)] - 'the gift of grace,' or 'gracious gift:' in other words, 'The two cases present points of contrast as well as resemblance.'
First point of contrast: If God permitted the sin of the one Head of humanity to blight the many, much more may we rest assured, that through the merit of the other Head the many will be blessed
For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Pity it is that our translators omitted the articles in this verse, as they throw so much light on the precise parties and things contrasted. Literally the verse runs thus, 'For if through the trespass of the one the many died (in that one man's first sin), much more did the grace of God, and the free gift by grace х hee (G3588) charis (G5485) tou (G3588) Theou (G2316) kai (G2532) hee (G3588) doorea (G1431) en (G1722) chariti (G5485)], even that of the one man Jesus Christ х tee (G3588) tou (G3588) henos (G1520) anthroopou (G444) Ieesou (G2424) Christou (G5547)], abound unto the many.' By 'the many,' in both members of this comparison, is meant the mass of mankind, represented respectively by Adam and Christ; and the opposition of these "many" is neither to few men, nor to all men, but to 'the one man' who represented them respectively. It is of great importance to the right understanding of the whole argument to observe this. By 'the gift of grace,' or "the free gift," is meant-as in. Romans 5:17 - the glorious gift of justifying righteousness. This is expressly distinguished from "the grace of God," from which that gift is here said to flow, as the effect from the cause; and both are said to "abound" toward us in Christ, in what sense will appear in the next two verses.
Finally, The "much more," of the one case than the other, does not mean that we get much more of good by Christ than of evil by Adam (for it is not a case of quantity at all), but that we have much more reason to expect-or it is much more agreeable to our ideas of God-that the many should be benefited by the merit of one, than that they should suffer for the sin of one; and if the latter happened, much more may we assure ourselves of the former. [Fritzsche and Meyer connect en (G1722) chariti (G5485), not with what goes before, but with what follows-thus, 'much more did the grace of God and the free gift abound through grace,' or 'richly abound;' but this is unnatural. It has been observed that by the use of the dative ( too (G3588) tou (G3588) henos (G1520) paraptoomati (G3900) - instead of dia (G1223) with the genitive, the causal sin of Adam is conceived of as identified with the agent himself, and invested with a sort of living energy, taking deadly effect on all his race. Perhaps this is to press the grammatical form a little too far; but there can be no doubt that it expresses the very idea intended the apostle.]
Second Point of Contrast: The Condemnation Was for One Sin, but the Justification Covers many Offences