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 justification.
And not as [it was] by one that sinned. [Instead of di' (G1223) henos (G1520) hamarteesantos (G264), Griesbach reads hamarteematos (G265), but on inferior authority; it bears marks, as Fritzsche says, of being a correction of the received reading: it is rejected by Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles]
So [is the] gift, х to (G3588) dooreema (G1434)] - 'the bestowal,' 'the boon.' This is but a varied expression of what was said at the opening of the preceding verse-q.d., 'Now for another point of contrast,' For the judgment was by one to condemnation. Our translators have rendered two different prepositions in this verse by the same word "by" - thus: 'And not as it was by one that sinned х di' (G1223) henos (G1520)] ... for the judgment was by one to condemnation' х ex (G1537) henos (G1520)]. From this we may infer that they understood both statements to refer to 'one person'-namely, Adam (as several of the fathers, Fritzsche, DeWette, Meyer, Alford, Philippi, Lange). But since the contrast in this verse is plainly not between the two persons at all-Adam and Christ-but between the one offence which brought condemnation and the "many offences" which are covered in justification, it seems to us quite clear that the true rendering of the verse-as the two different prepositions employed seem indeed to indicate-is as follows: 'And not as it was by one that sinned х di' (G1223) henos (G1520)], so is the boon; for the judgment was of one [offence or 'trespass'] to condemnation х ek (G1537) henos (G1520)], but,' etc. (So the majority of interpreters.) The "of" in this case denotes the criminal source or procuring cause of the condemnation of the human race to death.
But the free gift, х to (G3588) charisma (G5486)] - 'the the gift of grace,' or 'the gracious gift.'
Is of many offences ('trespasses') unto justification, х ek (G1537) polloon (G4183) hamarteematoon (G265) eis (G1519) dikaiooma (G1345)]. This form of the word "justification" х dikaiooma (G1345)] signifies, 'what is ordained' or 'decreed,' the 'sentence pronounced;' thus differing from the more usual form х dikaioosunee (G1343)], which signifies the state, habit, or quality of him who is 'just' х dikaios (G1342)]. Here it is used in its strict sense, to denote the righteous acquittal pronounced upon those on whom the 'gift of grace' х charisma (G5486)] has been conferred. The expression 'of many trespasses'-evidently suggested by the foregoing one 'of one trespass'-presents the trespasses covered in justification in a special light, as in some sense the procuring cause of the glorious remedy; as if the cry of these countless offences had gone up to heaven, but instead of drawing down vengeance, had wakened the divine compassions, and given birth to the wondrous provision of grace in Christ Jesus. The whole statement, then, amounts to this: 'The condemnation by Adam was for one sin; but the justification by Christ is an absolution not only from the guilt of that flint offence, mysteriously attaching to every individual of the race, but from the countless offences into which, as a germ lodged in the bosom of every child of Adam, it unfolds itself in his life.' This is the meaning of what the next verse tells us of, 'grace abounding toward us in the abundance of the gift of righteousness.' It is a grace not only rich in its character, but rich in detail; 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 offences, "the righteousness of God in Christ!"