Greek Word Studies
"Sin"

By Ed. F. Sanders

What is 'sin' and what does it mean?

NT Greek: hamartia (hamartia), Pronunciation: 'har-mar-TEE-uh'

Occurances in KJV: sin (172), sinful (1), offense (1)

Definition:

- sin(ful), offence. (Strong's Greek Lexicon)

- a missing of the mark, (Vine Expository Dictionary Of NT Words)

- failure (NAS Greek-Hebrew Dictionary)

- to miss the mark, fail in duty, (Holman's Treasury Of  Key Bible Words)

Key NT Verse: "for all have sinned* and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23 ESV)
Also see: Romans 8:2, 3; 1 John 1:7, 9; 2:2; 3:4, 9; 4:10; 5:16

Related Words in the NT:
- parabasis (parabasis) describes “sin” as “transgression,” meaning overstepping the limit.
- paraptoma (paraptoma) which denotes “false step” or “trespass".
- anomia (anomia) meaning “lawlessness”
- paranomia (paranomia) which means “lawbreaking.”
What is the result of sin?
Simply put - sin is a failure to meet God's standard and results in separation from God.

Notes:
* Aorist tense: "sinned", looking back to a thing definitely past - the historic occurrence of sin (Vincents Word Studies In The NT).