Christ died for the ungodly: God's love proved, and enemies reconciled (Romans 5:6–11)

Says Paul writes that "at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly" (5:6, BSB): ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν, the ungodly whom God justifies (4:5). SBLGNT prints Ἔτι γάρ at the opening (var.Rom.5.6.eti-gar) and a second ἔτι later in the clause (var.Rom.5.6.eti). "But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (5:8, BSB).

Uncertain The two persons of 5:7: "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die" (5:7, BSB). This commentary follows the lean of the Greek and historical notes: two figures, an upright man and "the good man," a benefactor, on the grounds of the article in τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ and the γάρ that qualifies the first clause. The alternative takes the clauses as synonymous, the second restating the first (note.language.Rom.5.6-Rom.5.11.hyper-katallasso; note.historical.Rom.5.1-Rom.5.21.dying-for-the-good).

Implies Christ's death "for us" is substitutionary and propitiatory: he died in the place of the ungodly, and by his blood God's wrath is turned away (5:9). The case is set out in note.exegetical.Rom.3.21-Rom.3.26.righteousness-revealed and note.exegetical.Rom.3.25.hilasterion-propitiation and is not repeated here.

Says "For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life" (5:10, BSB). We rejoice in God through Christ, "through whom we have now received reconciliation" (5:11, BSB). On ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ, see note.language.Rom.5.6-Rom.5.11.hyper-katallasso.

Implies Reconciliation is God's act through Christ's death, received by believers (κατηλλάγημεν, ἐλάβομεν), not achieved by them (lex.G2644; lex.G2643). Whether "enemies" also means that we stood under God's hostility, and how the word group was used outside Paul, are treated in note.historical.Rom.5.1-Rom.5.21.reconciliation-diplomatic.