Romans 4:25 (KJV)

What does Romans 4:25 mean?

Romans 4:25 says that Jesus was handed over to death because of our wrongdoings and was raised to life so that we could be declared right with God. This verse connects Jesus’s death to dealing with human sin and his resurrection to making people right before God.

Paul is writing to believers in Rome, explaining how Jesus’s actions relate to forgiveness and being made right with God. The verse sums up the core message of Christian faith: Jesus’s death addresses human failure, and his resurrection is tied to the possibility of being justified, or counted as righteous, before God.

The Greek behind Romans 4:25

• παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi, "delivered"): This word is often used for handing someone over to authorities or to a specific fate. Here, it emphasizes that Jesus’s death was not an accident but something allowed or arranged for a purpose.
• παραπτώματα (paraptōmata, "offences"): This word means missteps or transgressions—actions that go against God’s ways. It highlights that Jesus’s death was directly connected to dealing with human wrongdoing.
• δικαίωσις (dikaiōsis, "justification"): This term refers to being declared righteous or in right standing. The verse links Jesus’s resurrection to the idea that his rising from the dead is what makes justification possible for believers.

Why Romans 4:25 matters

• Romans 4:25 clarifies that both Jesus’s death and resurrection are essential—his death addresses sin, but his resurrection is necessary for justification.
• The verse helps correct the idea that Jesus’s resurrection was just a miracle or a happy ending; instead, it is central to being made right with God.
• This verse ties together the themes of forgiveness and justification that Paul has been building throughout Romans 4, showing how faith and Jesus’s work are connected.