"Even though what I have just said is true, death" or "There was no written law from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, but death." (See: [Romans 5:13](./13.md))
Paul is speaking of death as if it were a king who ruled. Alternate translation: "people continued to die from the time of Adam until the time of Moses as a consequence of their sin" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])