For one will scarcely die for a righteous person

QUESTION:
Romans 5:7 says, “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.” What does this verse mean? Also, what is the difference between a righteous person and a good person?

ANSWER:

Praise the Lord, and thank you for this thoughtful question! Romans 5:7 is part of a broader passage (Romans 5:6–8) where the Apostle Paul illustrates the incredible depth of God’s love. The main idea is that Christ died for us not when we were at our best, but at our worst—while we were still sinners.

Let’s take a closer look at Romans 5:6–8 (ESV):

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

To understand verse 7, we need to explore what Paul means by “a righteous person” versus “a good person.”

1. Who is a Righteous Person?

In this context, a “righteous person” is someone who lives a morally upright life—strictly adhering to the law, ethically sound, and perhaps even religiously devout. However, such righteousness is often external or formal. It may describe someone who does everything “by the book” but lacks relational warmth or compassion.

Paul’s point is: even for someone outwardly righteous, it’s rare for another person to be willing to die for them. Why? Because righteousness by itself does not always evoke love or deep personal attachment—it can be cold or distant.

Also, in the greater biblical context, no human being is truly righteous before God by their own merit:

“None is righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10, ESV)

So in the absolute sense, only Christ was truly righteous. All others fall short.

2. Who is a Good Person?

A “good person,” on the other hand, is someone whose character draws others in—a person marked by kindness, generosity, integrity, and warmth. This is the type of person others admire and even love. Their goodness inspires affection and loyalty, and it’s more conceivable that someone might be willing to die for such a person.

Paul seems to say: It’s very rare that someone would die even for a righteous person—but maybe, just maybe, someone would lay down their life for a truly good and noble person.

3. What’s the Main Point?

Paul contrasts human love with God’s love. Human love is conditional and rare—people might die for someone they believe deserves it. But God’s love is radically different:

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, ESV)

Christ didn’t die for the righteous or the good. He died for the ungodly, the powerless, the sinful (Romans 5:6, 8). This is the gospel’s core: that God initiates salvation not because we earned it, but in spite of our utter inability to do so.

Summary:

A righteous person is someone who is upright and morally just—but not necessarily lovable.
A good person is someone whose character and deeds inspire love and admiration—more likely to be the object of sacrificial love.
But Christ died for neither category. He died for the undeserving, the broken, and the lost—people like you and me.

This shows that salvation is entirely by grace, not by works or moral status. No matter how good or upright we try to be, we all fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), and we all need the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ.