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
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.
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
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 |