This crucial Pauline term denotes the act or state of justification—being declared or made righteous before God. Paul uses it twice in Romans: Christ was raised for our 'justification' (4:25), and the free gift brings 'justification' leading to life (5:18). The term represents the climax of Paul's doctrine of salvation—the divine act that reverses condemnation. It contrasts with 'condemnation' in 5:18, highlighting the forensic dimension. The noun comes from the same root as 'righteous' and 'to justify,' binding together the concept of right standing before God. Spanish 'justificación' and French 'justification' preserve the theological term that became central to Reformation discussions of salvation.