Romans 5:1

The context

Romans 5 turns from the argument of chapter 4, where Abraham's faith was the model, to the results of justification. The chapter then moves through suffering, hope and the comparison of Adam and Christ. Verse 1 is the hinge: it draws the conclusion from everything argued so far and states the first of its benefits.

What it establishes

Peace with God is presented as a present possession rather than a future hope. The enmity has been dealt with, and the standing is now one of peace. The logic is inferential: peace follows justification as its consequence, not as an achievement.

What it does not establish

A textual variant affects the mood. The manuscripts differ between "we have peace" and "let us have peace," so the line may be an assertion or an exhortation, and translations divide. The verse also does not describe what peace consists of beyond the reconciled standing.

Short note, first pass, October 2026. Corrections welcome.

Cited in these answers

• The Romans Road to Salvation

Part of Scripture, Opened — the exegetical layer behind every citation on this site. Scripture quotations are from the ESV.