ἁμαρτία

hamartía

G266 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Fundamental lexical meaning: the act or state of missing a mark, failing, or erring; in most contexts, denotes a deviation from a standard, norm, or expected conduct. In personal or juridical settings, refers to a wrongful action, error, or transgression against a customary or divinely established law. In religious and philosophical contexts, encompasses both concrete acts (offenses, violations) and the abstract condition or principle of wrongdoing (state of moral failure or estrangement).

Semantic Range

missing a mark; error; mistake; moral failure; offense; transgression; lawbreaking; wrongdoing; violation of custom or expectation; condition or principle of estrangement or fault; the abstract 'sin' or 'guilt'; wrongdoing specifically in relation to divine or customary law

Root / Etymology

From the root ἁμαρτ- (hamart-), from the verb ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō), meaning 'to miss the mark, to err, to fail.' The nominal form ἁμαρτία captures both the concrete result of erring (crime, mistake) and the abstract quality or condition (sinfulness, guilt).

Historical & Contextual Notes

The fundamental sense of ἁμαρτία in classical Greek is 'missing the mark,' often applied outside religious contexts to denote error, failure, or mistake. Over time, especially in Hellenistic Jewish writings (e.g., the Septuagint), the term comes to render a variety of Hebrew words related to moral fault, transgression, or ritual impurity, blending juridical, ethical, and cultic overtones. In the New Testament, its meaning ranges from a singular misdeed to a collective or even personified principle opposed to divine will, including both act (singular errors, violations) and state (the underlying condition of alienation or unrighteousness). Unlike the English word 'sin,' which is strongly freighted with later doctrinal nuance, ἁμαρτία includes concrete, judicial, ethical, and religious dimensions of error or wrong. English translations often default to 'sin,' but may obscure the broader sense of 'failing,' 'offense,' or 'state of transgression.' Notably, ἁμαρτία can function both in reference to specific acts and more general abstract conditions or powers. The term typically contrasts with δικαιοσύνη (righteousness) and may be personified or collective in Koine usage (Romans 5–8).

Translation Consistency

primary "sin" 148 occurrences

ἁμαρτία most commonly denotes both concrete wrongful acts and the abstract condition of moral failure. "Sin" is the natural, familiar biblical English word that covers the full semantic range (error, offense, transgression, condition of guilt) and will read naturally in all forms (singular, plural, adjectival contexts) for consistent rendering across this Strong's entry.

Alternatives (25 occurrences):
"sinning" (24x) "wrongdoings" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἁμαρτάνω; a sin (properly abstract):--offence, sin(-ful).

Root Family

ἁμαρτία (hamartia) — missing the mark, error, failure, wrongdoing, transgression

Root ἁμαρτ- to miss the mark, to err, to fail

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G266-05 ἁμαρτίας amartias N ACC F PL sin wrongdoings sins 58
G266-01 ἁμαρτία amartia N NOM F SG sin moral failure sin 35
G266-06 ἁμαρτιῶν amartion N GEN F PL sins of wrongdoings of sinning 32
G266-04 ἁμαρτίαν amartian N ACC F SG sin wrongdoing sin 27
G266-02 ἁμαρτίαι amartiai N NOM F PL sins moral failures sins 12
G266-03 ἁμαρτίαις amartiais N DAT F PL sins to wrongdoings to sins 9

Occurrences in Scripture

173 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G266-06 Matthew 1:21 ἁμαρτιῶν amartion N GEN F PL sins of wrongdoings sins
G266-05 Matthew 3:6 ἁμαρτίας amartias N ACC F PL sins wrongdoings sins
G266-02 Matthew 9:2 ἁμαρτίαι amartiai N NOM F PL sins moral failures sins
G266-02 Matthew 9:5 ἁμαρτίαι amartiai N NOM F PL sins moral failures sins
G266-05 Matthew 9:6 ἁμαρτίας amartias N ACC F PL sins wrongdoings sins
G266-01 Matthew 12:31 ἁμαρτία amartia N NOM F SG sin moral failure sin
G266-06 Matthew 26:28 ἁμαρτιῶν amartion N GEN F PL of sins of wrongdoings of sinning
G266-06 Mark 1:4 ἁμαρτιῶν amartion N GEN F PL of sins of wrongdoings of sinning
G266-05 Mark 1:5 ἁμαρτίας amartias N ACC F PL sins wrongdoings sins
G266-02 Mark 2:5 ἁμαρτίαι amartiai N NOM F PL sins moral failures sins