Romans 5:20

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Cross-reference

Romans 5:17 Parallel

Romans 5:17 speaks of 'abundance of grace' — directly parallel to the superabounding grace in Rom 5:20.

Romans 5:15 Parallel

Romans 5:15 explicitly says grace 'abounded' through Christ — the same concept as Rom 5:20's grace abounding all the more.

Romans 5:8 Parallel

Romans 5:8 shows Christ died for sinners — the basis for grace abounding over sin in Rom 5:20.

Romans 3:19 Related theme

In Romans 3:19, the law silences every mouth and declares all guilty, reinforcing that the law's purpose is to expose offense, not justify.

Romans 3:20 Related theme

Romans 3:20 states that law brings knowledge of sin, directly supporting the claim that law entered to make offense abound.

Romans 4:15 Related theme

Romans 4:15 explains that law works wrath and defines transgression, showing the negative role law plays in increasing offense.

Romans 7:5–13 Related theme

Romans 7:5-13 details how law actually stirs up sinful passions and gives sin its power, illustrating the 'offense might abound' mechanism.

Romans 6:14 Related theme

Romans 6:14 applies the law-grace contrast: believers are not under law but under grace, so sin's dominion ends — the flip side of grace abounding.

Romans 6:1 Parallel

Romans 6:1 poses the logical question from Romans 5:20 — 'Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?' — challenging the implication of grace's abundance.

Romans 3:8 Contrast

Romans 3:8 rejects the idea of doing evil that good may come — a direct corrective to misusing Rom 5:20's grace-abounding principle.

Romans 11:6 Parallel

In Romans 11:6, grace excludes works — directly reinforcing that the abounding grace here is unearned, not from law.

Romans 7:13 Parallel

Romans 7:13 states the commandment made sin 'sinful beyond measure' — paralleling how the law increased trespass in Rom 5:20.

Romans 7:8 Parallel

Romans 7:8 explains how sin uses the commandment to produce covetousness — the mechanism by which the law increased trespass in Rom 5:20.

In Matthew 9:13, Jesus calls sinners, not the righteous — showing that grace targets the very ones whose sin abounds.

In Luke 23:39-43, the repentant criminal receives paradise despite a life of sin — a vivid case of grace abounding more.

Luke 7:47 Parallel

In Luke 7:47, the woman's many sins are forgiven abundantly, illustrating grace superabounding where sin abounds.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, sinners are washed, sanctified, justified — direct proof that grace overrides every sin's abundance.

2 Corinthians 3:7-9 contrasts the ministry of condemnation (law) with the greater glory of righteousness (grace), echoing the 'much more' of Romans 5:20.

Galatians 3:19-25 states the law was added because of transgressions and acted as a tutor to Christ, directly parallel to law entering to increase offense.

In Ephesians 1:6-8, God lavishes grace through Christ's redemption — echoing the 'much more abound' of superabundant grace.

In Ephesians 2:1-5, we were dead in sins but made alive — a direct instance of grace superabounding where sin abounded.

In 1 Timothy 1:13-16, Paul, the chief of sinners, receives mercy — a personal demonstration of grace outmatching sin.

Micah 7:18 Related theme

Micah 7:18 exalts God who pardons iniquity and delights in mercy — the very grace that abounds where sin increases.

Isaiah 43:25 Related theme

Isaiah 43:25 declares God wipes out transgressions — directly showing grace covering the increased sin.

Micah 7:19 Parallel

Micah 7:19 promises God will cast sins into the sea — an image of grace overwhelming sin's increase.

In Titus 3:3-7, we were foolish and disobedient but saved by mercy and grace — another example of grace overcoming sin's abundance.

Isaiah 1:18 Related theme

Isaiah 1:18 promises scarlet sins become white as snow — illustrating grace overwhelming sin's increase.

Ezekiel 16:60–63 Related theme

Ezekiel 16:60-63 promises forgiveness and covenant after great sin — illustrating grace abounding where sin increased.

Ezekiel 36:25–32 Related theme

Ezekiel 36:25-32 promises cleansing, new heart, and Spirit — God's gracious response to deep sin, mirroring grace exceeding sin.

In 1 Corinthians 15:56, the law gives sin its power — explaining why the law's entrance causes sin to abound here.

Psalm 103:8 Allusion

Psalm 103:8 affirms God's abounding steadfast love, grounding Paul's claim that grace superabounds where sin abounds.

Psalm 106:1 Related theme

Psalm 106:1 celebrates God's enduring steadfast love — the basis for grace that abounds even more than sin.

Psalm 111:4 Related theme

Psalm 111:4 describes the Lord as gracious and merciful, attributes behind the superabounding grace in Romans.

Psalm 116:5 Related theme

Psalm 116:5 calls God gracious and merciful — the very character that causes grace to overflow beyond sin.

Psalm 130:7 Related theme

Psalm 130:7 speaks of plentiful redemption with the Lord, echoing the abundant grace that conquers sin.

Psalm 145:8 Related theme

Psalm 145:8 says the Lord is abounding in steadfast love — the OT counterpart to grace abounding much more.

Psalm 86:15 Allusion

Psalm 86:15 declares God abounding in steadfast love — the same abundant grace Paul sees triumphing over sin.

In Galatians 3:22, Scripture imprisons all under sin so the promise by faith is given — identical logic to law increasing sin for grace.

Psalm 51:1 Allusion

Psalm 51:1 pleads for mercy according to God's great compassion to blot out transgressions—directly matching grace abounding over sin.

1 Timothy 1:16 exemplifies this: Paul, the worst sinner, received abundant mercy, displaying Christ's immense patience as grace over sin.

1 Timothy 1:9 explains law is for lawbreakers, showing its purpose to define sin — directly paralleling the law's role to increase trespass here.

Isaiah 63:7 Related theme

Isaiah 63:7 recounts the abundance of God's steadfast love — the OT promise fulfilled in grace that abounds much more.

Acts 15:11 Parallel

Acts 15:11 affirms salvation through grace, not law-keeping — the same grace that abounds over sin in Rom 5:20.

Acts 13:39 Parallel

Acts 13:39 declares freedom from sin through Christ that the law could not give — directly echoing Rom 5:20's contrast between law and grace.

John 8:11 Parallel

In John 8:11, Jesus does not condemn the adulteress—a direct demonstration of grace overcoming sin.

John 1:16 Parallel

In John 1:16, 'grace upon grace' from Christ's fullness directly echoes the superabundance of grace over sin.

Isaiah 30:18 Related theme

Isaiah 30:18 shows God waiting to be gracious and show mercy — the same divine inclination that makes grace abound over sin.

Joel 2:13 Related theme

Joel 2:13 describes God as 'abounding in love' – the same superabundant grace that overwhelms sin in Romans 5:20.

Luke 7:41 Parallel

Luke 7:47 shows the woman's many sins are forgiven, leading to great love – directly illustrating 'where sin increased, grace increased all the more.'

Matthew 21:31 shows tax collectors and prostitutes entering the kingdom ahead of the religious – illustrating grace for the sinful.

Mark 2:17 Parallel

Mark 2:17 states Jesus came for sinners, not the righteous – mirroring the superabounding grace for the sinful in Romans 5:20.

John 1:17 Parallel

In John 1:17, the contrast between law through Moses and grace through Jesus underlies why grace superabounds after the law.

Luke 23:43 Parallel

In Luke 23:43, Jesus grants paradise to a crucified criminal—a vivid instance of grace overwhelming sin.

Exodus 34:6 Allusion

Exodus 34:6 reveals God's character as abounding in love—the source of the grace that superabounds over sin.

Luke 18:13 Parallel

In Luke 18:13, the tax collector's plea for mercy exemplifies a sinner receiving justification—grace superabounding where sin was acknowledged.

Psalm 86:5 Allusion

Psalm 86:5 declares God forgiving and abounding in love to all who call—the abundant grace that superabounds where sin increased.

Deuteronomy 9:6 shows God giving the land to stiff-necked Israel not by their righteousness—grace despite sin, echoing grace abounding.

Titus 3:4 Related theme

Titus 3:4 describes God's kindness and love appearing — this kindness is the same grace that abounds over sin in Romans 5:20.

Titus 2:11 Related theme

Titus 2:11 declares that grace of God has appeared bringing salvation — a broader expression of the grace that abounds when sin increases.

In Ephesians 2:4, this same abundant grace is described as God's rich mercy and great love — echoing the superabundance of grace over sin.

Jeremiah 3:12 Related theme

Jeremiah 3:12 shows God's mercy calling Israel to return despite unfaithfulness – echoing the grace that overflows where sin increased.

Jeremiah 3:8–14 Related theme

Jeremiah 3:8-14 calls unfaithful Israel to return with promise of mercy — the pattern of grace abounding after great sin.

Psalm 25:11 Related theme

Psalm 25:11 pleads for pardon because iniquity is great — echoing the pattern where great sin meets great grace.

1 Peter 5:10 Related theme

1 Peter 5:10 calls God the 'God of all grace' — reinforcing the theme of abundant grace, though in a context of suffering.