All Mankind Fell in Adam's Fall
All mankind fell in Adam's fall
All Mankind Fell in Adam's Fall is a hymn text by Lazarus Spengler (1524) in L.M. (8.8.8.8) meter. Translated by Charles W. Schaeffer. Found in CW21 556, CW93 378, ELH 491, elw 404.
This hymn presents the classic Lutheran understanding of total depravity through Adam's sin and the complete sufficiency of Christ's redemptive work as the Second Adam. It exemplifies the Reformation's emphasis on sola fide by contrasting human fallenness with the free gift of justification through Christ's merit alone.
History & Background
Originally composed in German as 'Es ist uns Allen wohl bekannt' by Lazarus Spengler in 1524, this hymn was published in early Lutheran hymnals and became a standard Reformation-era treatment of the Fall and redemption. Charles W. Schaeffer's English translation appeared in 1888 and has remained the standard version in American Lutheran hymnals.
Hymnal Appearances
- Christian Worship: Hymnal — 556
- Christian Worship — 378
- Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 491
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 404
- Lutheran Service Book — 562
- Lutheran Worship — 363
- Trinity Hymnal — 382
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 369
Translation
Bulletin Note
Composed by Lazarus Spengler in 1524, this hymn distills Luther's doctrine of justification by faith alone. It presents the classic Reformation contrast between Adam's fall and Christ as the Second Adam, who restores what sin destroyed.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Lutheran Law-Gospel dialectic: Adam's transgression condemns all humanity, yet Christ's substitutionary atonement justifies sinners freely through faith—a perfect theological frame for proclamation of judgment and mercy.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of Original Sin Augsburg Confession
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
In the Church Year
Hymn of the Day (Lutheran Service Book) for: Trinity 6
Suggested in the one-year series
- Trinity 6 (7×)
- Trinity 22 (2×)
Suggested in the three-year series
- Lent 1 (1×)
- Proper 7 (1×)
- Reformation (1×)
From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.
Overview
Lazarus Spengler, city secretary of Nuremberg and one of the earliest lay supporters of Luther, wrote this doctrinal hymn in 1524. It became one of the classic teaching hymns of the Reformation; it is often said to be cited in the Formula of Concord (verify the reference). It teaches that all mankind fell in Adam (st. 1); that corruption pervades all human powers from conception (st. 2); that the depraved heart produces only sin and the image of God is lost (st. 3); that Christ, the second Adam, came to bear our sin (st. 4); that as one man's fall brought condemnation, so one Man's obedience brought grace (st. 5); and closes with thanks for new life (st. 6). It is Romans 5:12-21 in verse.
Central theme: Original sin through Adam and redemption through Christ, the second Adam
Structure
Six long-meter quatrains in two halves: Adam and the Fall (1-3) — Christ and grace (4-6). The structure mirrors Rom 5:12-21's comparison of the two Adams.
Law & Gospel Shape
Law in full force (1-3): universal sin, corruption, bondage, guilt from birth, death, hell. Gospel (4-6): the second Adam, substitution, grace, new life.
Confessional Connections
AC II: original sin — all born after Adam are without fear of God, without trust, with concupiscence, and this disease is truly sin, condemning. FC I: original sin is a deep corruption of nature, not the essence of man; 'the image of God lost' (st. 3) in the sense of original righteousness lost (FC I.10). FC II: bondage of the will (st. 2). Christ's obedience reckoned to all believers (FC III; st. 5).
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Catechesis; Lent; Reformation; teaching on sin and grace.
Historical Notes
Spengler (1479-1534), Nuremberg's city clerk, was named in the papal bull against Luther. The hymn's original has nine stanzas. Loy translated a cento in 1880.
About the Tune
WENN WIR IN HÖCHSTEN NÖTEN SEIN (Louis Bourgeois, Genevan Psalter, 1547).
Scripture References
Rom 5:12-21 1 Cor 15:21-22, 45 Gen 3 Ps 51:5 Eph 2:1-3 Rom 3:10-12 Gen 6:5 Matt 15:19 Rom 8:7 Gen 1:27 John 14:6 1 Tim 1:1 2 Cor 5:17 Rom 6:4
Stanza by Stanza
All mankind fell in Adam's fall; one common sin infects them all; the curse passes from father to son, and the curse hangs over everyone.
Rom 5:12: 'sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.' Original sin is both guilt ('one common sin') and corruption ('infects'), passed by natural descent ('from sire to son'). AC II: 'all men who are propagated according to nature are born in sin.' 'The curse impends' — Gal 3:10.
- Scripture
- Rom 5:12, 1 Cor 15:22, Gen 3:17-19, Gal 3:10
- Imagery & language
- Fall; infection; inheritance.
- Law / Gospel
- Law — universal sin and curse.
- Connection to previous
- The Fall.
Corruption spreads through all man's powers and keeps him in dreadful bondage; he draws his first breath in guilt and reaps its fruits of sorrow and death.
'Through all man's powers' — reason, will and affections are corrupted (FC I.11). 'Dreadful bondage' — the will cannot free itself in spiritual matters (FC II; John 8:34). 'In guilt he draws his infant breath' — Ps 51:5. This grounds infant Baptism: infants need forgiveness too (AC IX).
- Scripture
- Ps 51:5, Eph 2:1-3, John 8:34, Rom 7:14-24
- Imagery & language
- Creeping corruption; bondage; infant breath.
- Law / Gospel
- Law — total corruption and bondage.
- Connection to previous
- Corruption.
From depraved hearts inclined to evil come only sinful thoughts and deeds; God's image is lost; the darkened soul neither seeks nor finds its heavenly goal.
Gen 6:5; 8:21; Matt 15:19: evil flows from the heart. 'God's image lost' — the original righteousness of the image (true knowledge of God, righteousness and holiness, Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) was lost in the Fall (FC I). 'Nor seeks nor finds' — Rom 3:11, 'no one seeks for God.' The natural man cannot turn himself to God (1 Cor 2:14).
- Scripture
- Gen 6:5, Matt 15:19, Rom 3:10-12, Rom 8:7, Eph 4:18, 1 Cor 2:14
- Imagery & language
- Depraved heart; lost image; darkened soul.
- Law / Gospel
- Law — inability.
- Connection to previous
- Inability.
But Christ, the second Adam, came to bear our sin, sorrow and shame, to be our life, light and way, our only hope and support.
The great 'But' of the Gospel. Christ is 'the last Adam' (1 Cor 15:45), head of a new humanity. He came 'to bear our sin and woe and shame' (Isa 53:4-6). He is 'Life, Light, Way' (John 14:6; 8:12) and 'our only Hope' (1 Tim 1:1) — solus Christus.
- Scripture
- 1 Cor 15:45-49, Rom 5:14, Isa 53:4-6, John 14:6, John 8:12, 1 Tim 1:1
- Imagery & language
- Second Adam.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — Christ the new Head.
- Connection to previous
- The turn.
As all mankind fell through one man and, born in sin, was condemned to hell, so through one Man, who took our place, we all received the gift of grace.
Rom 5:18-19: 'as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men… by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.' 'Who took our place' — substitution. 'The gift of grace' — Rom 5:15-17. Universal in scope, received by faith.
- Scripture
- Rom 5:15-19, 1 Cor 15:21-22, 2 Cor 5:21
- Imagery & language
- Parallel of one man and one Man.
- Law / Gospel
- Law — doom; Gospel — grace by substitution.
- Connection to previous
- The parallel.
We thank you, Christ; new life is ours — new light, new hope, new strength, new powers; may grace go with us on every path until we reach our journey's end!
Thanksgiving for the new creation (2 Cor 5:17; Rom 6:4). The fourfold 'new' contrasts with the corruption of st. 2-3: the Spirit renews the powers corrupted by sin. 'May grace our every way attend' — the Christian life is grace from beginning to end.
- Scripture
- 2 Cor 5:17, Rom 6:4, Eph 4:22-24, Titus 3:5
- Imagery & language
- Fourfold 'new'.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — new life.
- Connection to previous
- Thanks.
Themes
Original sin and human depravity Christ's redemption and substitution Law and Gospel Justification by faith Atonement