Lexical Summary hamartia: Sin Original Word: ἁμαρτία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance offense, sin, sinful. From hamartano; a sin (properly abstract) -- offence, sin(-ful). see GREEK hamartano HELPS Word-studies 266 hamartía (a feminine noun derived from 1 /A "not" and 3313 /méros, "a part, share of") – properly, no-share ("no part of"); loss (forfeiture) because not hitting the target; sin (missing the mark). 266 /hamartía ("sin, forfeiture because missing the mark") is the brand of sin that emphasizes its self-originated (self-empowered) nature – i.e. it is not originated or empowered by God (i.e. not of faith, His inworked persuasion, cf. Ro 14:23). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom hamartanó Definition a sin, failure NASB Translation sin (96), sinful (2), sins (75). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 266: ἁμαρτίαἁμαρτία, (ας, ἡ (from 2 aorist ἁμαρτεῖν, as ἀποτυχία from ἀποτύχειν), a failing to hit the mark (see ἁμαρτάνω. In Greek writings (from Aeschylus and Thucydides down). 1st, an error of the understanding (cf. Ackermann, Das Christl. im Plato, p. 59 Anm. 3 (English translation (S. R. Asbury, 1861), p. 57 n. 99)). 2nd, a bad action, evil deed. In the N. T. always in an ethical sense, and 1. equivalent to τό ἁμαρτάνειν a sinning, whether it occurs by omission or commission, in thought and feeling or in speech and action (cf. Cicero, de fin. 3, 9): Romans 5:12f, 20; ὑφ' ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι held down in sin, Romans 3:9; ἐπιμένειν τῇ ἁμαρτία, Romans 6:1; ἀποθνῄσκειν τῇ ἁμαρτία and ζῆν ἐν αὐτῇ, Romans 6:2; τήν ἁμαρτίαν γινώσκειν, Romans 7:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21; νεκρός τῇ ἁμαρτία Romans 6:11; περί ἁμαρτίας to break the power of sin, Romans 8:3 (cf. Meyer); σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας the body as the instrument of sin, Romans 6:6; ἀπάτη τῆς ἁμαρτίας the craft by which sin is accustomed to deceive, Hebrews 3:13; ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἁμαρτίας (ἀνομίας T Tr text WH text) the man so possessed by sin that he seems unable to exist without it, the man utterly given up to sin, 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (Winer's Grammar, § 34, 3 Note 2). In this sense ἁμαρτία (equivalent to τό ἁμαρτάνειν) as a power exercising dominion over men (sin as a principle and power) is rhetorically represented as an imperial personage in the phrases ἁμαρτία βασιλεύει, κυριεύει, κατεργάζεται, Romans 5:21; Romans 6:12, 14; Romans 7:17, 20; δουλεύειν τῇ ἁμ. Romans 6:6; δοῦλος τῆς ἁμ. John 8:34 (WH brackets; G omits τῆς ἁμ.); Romans 6:17; νόμος τῆς ἁμ. the dictate of sin or an impulse proceeding from it, Romans 7:23; Romans 8:2; δύναμις τῆς ἁμ. 1 Corinthians 15:56; (the prosopopaeia occurs in Genesis 4:7 and, according to the reading ἁμαρτία, in Sir. 27:10). Thus, ἁμαρτία in sense, but not in signification, is the source whence the several evil acts proceed; but it never denotes vitiosity. 2. that which is done wrong, committed or resultant sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act (ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστιν ἡ ἀνομία, 1 John 3:4); a. generally: James 1:15; John 8:46 (where ἁμαρτία must be taken to mean neither error, nor craft by which Jesus is corrupting the people, but sin viewed generally, as is well shown by Lücke at the passage and Ullmann in the Studien und Kritiken for 1842, p. 667ff (cf. his Sündlosigkeit Jesu, p. 66ff (English translation of the 7th edition, p. 71f)); the thought is, 'If anyone convicts me of sin, then you may lawfully question the truth and divinity of my doctrine, for sin hinders the perception of truth'); χωρίς ἁμαρτίας so that he did not commit sin, Hebrews 4:15; ποιεῖν ἁμαρτίαν and τήν ἁμαρτίαν John 8:34; 1 John 3:8; 2 Corinthians 11:7; 1 Peter 2:22; ἔχειν ἁμαρτίαν to have sin as though it were one's odious private property, or to have done something needing expiation, equivalent to to have committed sin, John 9:41; John 15:22, 24; John 19:11; 1 John 1:8 (so αἷμα ἔχειν, of one who has committed murder, Euripides, Or. 514); very often in the plural ἁμαρτίαι (in the Synoptative Gospels the singular occurs but once: Matthew 12:31); 1 Thessalonians 2:16; (James 5:16 L T Tr WH); Revelation 18:4f, etc.; πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν, James 5:20; 1 Peter 4:8; ποιεῖν ἁμαρτίας, James 5:15; also in the expressions ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν, ἀφιέναι τάς ἁμαρτίας, etc. (see ἀφίημι, 1 d.), in which the word does not of itself denote the guilt or penalty of sins, but the sins are conceived of as removed so to speak from God's sight, regarded by him as not having been done, and therefore are not punished. Ἐν ἁμαρτίαις σύ ἐγεννήθης ὅλος thou wast covered all over with sins when thou wast born i. e. didst sin abundantly before thou wast born, John 9:34; ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἀποθνῄσκειν to die loaded with evil deeds therefore unreformed, John 8:24; ἔτι ἐν ἁμαρτίαις εἶναι still to have one's sins, namely, unexpiated, 1 Corinthians 15:17. b. some particular evil deed: τήν ἁμαρτίαν ταύτην, Acts 7:60; πᾶσα ἁμαρτία, Matthew 12:31; ἁμαρτία πρός θάνατον, 1 John 5:16 (an offence of such gravity that a Christian lapses from the state of ζωή received from Christ into the state of θάνατος (cf. θάνατος, 2) in which he was before he became united to Christ by faith; cf. Lücke, DeWette (especially Westcott, at the passage)). 3. collectively, the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many: αἴρειν τήν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου, John 1:29 (see αἴρω, 3 c.); ἀποθνῄσκειν ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτία John 8:21 (see 2 a. under the end); περί ἁμαρτίας, namely, θυσίας (Winers Grammar, 583 (542): Buttmann, 393 (336)), expiatory sacrifices, Hebrews 10:6 (according to the usage of the Sept., who sometimes so translate the Hebrew חֲטָאָה and חַטָּאת, e. g. Leviticus 5:11; Leviticus 7:27 (37); Psalm 39:7 4. abstract for the concrete, equivalent to ἁμαρτωλός: Romans 7:7 (ὁ νόμος ἁμαρτία, opposed to ὁ νόμος ἅγιος, Romans 7:12); 2 Corinthians 5:21 (τόν ... ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν he treated him, who knew not sin, as a sinner). Cf. Fritzsche on Romans, vol. i. 289ff; (see ἁμάρτημα; Trench, § lxvi.). Although Strong’s 266 (hamartia) is distinctively Greek, the New Testament writers inherit the Old Testament vision of sin as a violation of God’s holy character and covenant (compare Genesis 4:7; Isaiah 59:2). Hamartia gathers up this entire moral-theological tradition, appearing 173 times from Matthew to Revelation to describe both individual acts and the inward principle that alienates humanity from God. Universality and Depth of Sin Romans 5:12 declares, “Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” Paul unpacks hamartia as a reigning power (Romans 6:14), a slave-master (John 8:34; Romans 6:17), and an indwelling law warring within believers (Romans 7:17-23). James traces the lifecycle of sin from desire to death (James 1:15). Thus Scripture presents hamartia not merely as isolated misdeeds but as a pervasive condition affecting heart, mind, body, and society. Sin in Relation to God’s Law “Sin is not imputed when there is no law” (Romans 5:13), yet hamartia becomes fully exposed by the divine commandments (Romans 7:7-13). 1 John adds a concise definition: “Sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). The Mosaic Law, therefore, functions both as a mirror revealing sin and as the legal framework within which guilt is reckoned until Christ resolves it. Person and Work of Christ Concerning Sin The forerunner announces Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Christ “appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26). On the cross He was “made to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21), bearing “our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24) so that believers might receive both forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7) and liberation from sin’s dominion (Romans 6:6-7). Conversion and Forgiveness Repentance and faith bring removal of guilt: “Repent and be baptized…for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). The risen Christ authorizes His church, “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven” (John 20:23). In pastoral practice, confession remains essential: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Sanctification and Victory over Sin Believers have died to sin’s reign (Romans 6:2) yet must still “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1). The Spirit’s indwelling law of life sets us free (Romans 8:2-4), enabling progressive holiness (Romans 6:22) even as absolute sinlessness awaits glorification (1 John 3:2; Revelation 21:27). Corporate and Societal Dimensions of Sin Hamartia also marks collective structures: “the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28) accumulate to reach heaven (Revelation 18:4-5). Nations and systems may be hardened in sin (1 Thessalonians 2:16), calling the church to prophetic witness and intercession. Eschatological Removal of Sin The new covenant promise, “I will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12), finds ultimate fulfillment when “nothing unclean” enters the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27). Christ’s return will complete the eradication of hamartia from creation. Pastoral and Ministry Implications • Preaching: Proclaim both the universality of sin and the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement (Romans 3:23-25). Key Passages for Study Matthew 1:21; John 8:34-36; Romans 3:9-26; Romans 5:12-21; Romans 6; Romans 7:7-25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:22; Hebrews 9:24-28; Hebrews 10:10-18; James 1:13-15; 1 Peter 2:22-24; 1 John 1:7-2:2; Revelation 18:4-5. Strong’s 266 thus gathers the Bible’s full witness to sin—from its entrance through Adam, through its conquest by Christ, to its final banishment in the age to come—guiding preaching, theology, and pastoral care until faith becomes sight. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 1:21 N-GFPGRK: ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν NAS: His people from their sins. KJV: from their sins. INT: from the sins of them Matthew 3:6 N-AFP Matthew 9:2 N-NFP Matthew 9:5 N-NFP Matthew 9:6 N-AFP Matthew 12:31 N-NFS Matthew 26:28 N-GFP Mark 1:4 N-GFP Mark 1:5 N-AFP Mark 2:5 N-NFP Mark 2:7 N-AFP Mark 2:9 N-NFP Mark 2:10 N-AFP Luke 1:77 N-GFP Luke 3:3 N-GFP Luke 5:20 N-NFP Luke 5:21 N-AFP Luke 5:23 N-NFP Luke 5:24 N-AFP Luke 7:47 N-NFP Luke 7:48 N-NFP Luke 7:49 N-AFP Luke 11:4 N-AFP Luke 24:47 N-GFP John 1:29 N-AFS Strong's Greek 266 |
    |