²⁶ Then God said, ^(A)“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; ^(B)let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over ^[a]all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷ So God created man ^(C)in His own image; in the image of God He created him; ^(D)male and female He created them.

²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all ^[a]and on all who believe. For ^(A)there is no difference; ²³ for ^(B)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Death in Adam, Life in Christ^(A)

¹² Therefore, just as ^(B)through one man sin entered the world, and ^(C)death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but ^(D)sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, ^(E)who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the ^[a]offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded ^(F)to many. ¹⁶ And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many ^[b]offenses resulted in justification. ¹⁷ For if by the one man’s ^[c]offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

¹⁸ Therefore, as through ^[d]one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through ^(G)one^[e] Man’s righteous act the free gift came ^(H)to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by ^(I)one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

^8 (A)For by grace you have been saved ^(B)through faith, and that not of yourselves; ^(C)it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of ^(D)works, lest anyone should ^(E)boast. ¹⁰ For we are ^(F)His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Brought Near by His Blood

¹¹ Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called ^(G)the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— ¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.