Week 40 Romans 5
I was lurching through Romans 5 when I noticed a long dash at the end of verse-12.
I checked online and saw that a long dash is called an “em dash” and it’s used to ‘set off extra or amplifying information. It can also show an abrupt change in thought’.
I checked to see if other versions used a long dash after 5:12. Nineteen did (~30%) (the others just ploughed straight on through). Paul didn’t likely use a long dash in his original letter so it’s a translator’s add-on. Despite that it’s a very helpful visual clue that Paul is (maybe) off on an extra-information tangent.
One thing that isn’t very helpful is that there’s only one long dash. A second one would be a helpful tip-off to show where the supplemental info ends. So that means I’m on my own and my best-guess is that Paul’s second “em dash” should come after 5:17. When I delete those in-between verses – 5:13 14 15 16 17 – the passage says:
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned – …Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people’. Just as…so also.
My version is edited & abbreviated but it makes pretty clear complete & comprehensible sense.
Note: “em dash” definition is from Search Assist September 28, 2026. Quote is from Romans 5:12 & 18 (NIV)