Words of "Sin" in the New Testament
Romans 5:12-21
Excerpt
The principal NT term is hamartia (and cognates), which is equivalent to ḥṭ’. In classical Gk. it is used for missing a target or taking a wrong road. It is the general NT term for sin as concrete wrongdoing, the violation of God’s law (Jn. 8:46; Jas. 1:15; 1 Jn. 1:8). In Rom. 5–8 Paul personifies the term as a ruling principle in human life (cf. 5:12; 6:12, 14; 7:17, 20; 8:2). paraptōma occurs in classical contexts for an error in measurement or a blunder. The NT gives it a stronger moral connotation as misdeed or trespass (cf. ‘dead through … ’, Eph. 2:1; Mt. 6:14f.). parabasis is a similarly derived term with similar meaning, ‘transgression’, ‘going beyond the norm’ (Rom. 4:15; Heb. 2:2). asebeia is perhaps the profoundest NT term and commonly translates pš‘ in the [LXX]. It implies active ungodliness or impiety (Rom. 1:18; 2 Tim. 2:16). Another term is anomia, lawlessness, a contempt for law (Mt. 7:23; 2 Cor. 6:14). kakia and ponēria are general terms expressing moral and spiritual depravity…
Milne, B. A. with J.M. “Sin.” Ed. D. R. W. Wood et al. New Bible dictionary 1996 : 1105. Print.
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