All posts by RS

Romans 5:12-21*

Note: this is a slightly amended version of the set below and which separates out the outer sections in a different way. The centre stays the same.

A.i. (12)  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

ii. (13) For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

iii. (14) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

B. (15) But not as the offence, so also is the free gift.

C. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God  and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

D. (16) And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift:

E. for the judgment was by one to condemnation,

D’. but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

C’. (17) For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

B’. (18) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

A’.i. (19) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

ii. (20) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound.

iii. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.


A. (12)  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

B. (13) For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

C. (14) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

D. (15) But not as the offence, so also is the free gift.

E. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God  and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

F. (16) And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift:

G. for the judgment was by one to condemnation,

F’. but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

E’. (17) For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one;
much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

D’. (18) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

C’. (19) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

B’. (20) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound.

A.’ But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Note:  The pattern is almost identical to a pattern for the same passage published by Ian H. Thomson in “Chiasmus in the Pauline Epistles”, Journal For The Study Of The New Testament Supplement Series 111, Sheffield Academic press, Sheffield, 1995. This post had not been copied but was discovered independently. 

Exodus 6:2-9

A.(2) And God spake unto Moses,

B. and said unto him, I am YAHWEH:

C.(3) And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty,

D. but by my name YAHWEH was I not known to them.

E.(4) And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

F.(5) And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

G. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am YAHWEH,

F’. and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

E’.(7) And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God:

D’. and ye shall know that I am YAHWEH your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

C’.(8)         a. And I will bring you in unto the land,

b. concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob;

  a’. and I will give it you for an heritage:

B’. I am YAHWEH.

A’.(9) And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

Genesis 17:23-27

(From RichardS)

A.(23) And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money,

B. every male among the men of Abraham’s house;

C. and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.

D.(24) And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

D’.(25) And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

C’.(26) In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

B’.(27) And all the men of his house,

A’. born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

Genesis 2:21-24

A. 21. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept:and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

B. 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man,

C. made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

D. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh:

C’. she shall be called Woman,

B’. because she was taken out of Man.

A’. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife:and they shall be one flesh.

Note: see also Ephesians 5:28-33

Joshua 11:4-8

(From RichardS)

A  (4)  And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

B  (5)  And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

C  (6a)  And the LORD said unto Joshua,

D  (6b)  Be not afraid because of them:for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.

C’  (7a)  So Joshua came,

B’  (7b)  and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.

A’  (8)  And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.

Joshua 9:3-14

A  (3-4a)  And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors,

B  (4b-5)  and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

C  (6)  And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.

D  (7-8)  And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you? And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

E  (9-10)  And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come be cause of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.

D’  (11a)  Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants:

C’  (11b)  therefore now make ye a league with us.

B’  (12-13)  This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

A’  (14)  And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

Joshua 8:31-35

A  (31)  As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.

B  (32)  And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

C  (33a)  And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges,

D  (33b)  stood on this side the ark and on that side

E  (33c)  before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them;

D’  (33d)  half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal;

C’  (33e)  as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.

B’  (34a)  And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings,

A’  (34b-35)  according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them

Numbers 19:11-12

(From Ruth)

A  (11)  He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.

B  (12a)  He shall purify himself with it on the third day,

C  (12b)  and on the seventh day he shall be clean:

B’  (12c)  but if he purify not himself the third day,

A’  (12d)  then the seventh day he shall not be clean.