Strong's Lexicon hamartanó: To sin, to miss the mark, to err Original Word: ἁμαρτάνω Word Origin: Derived from the Greek root ἁμαρτία (hamartia), meaning "sin" or "error." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H2398 (חָטָא, chata): To sin, to miss, to go wrong. - H6588 (פֶּשַׁע, pesha): Transgression, rebellion. Usage: The verb ἁμαρτάνω primarily means "to sin" or "to miss the mark." In the New Testament, it is used to describe the act of violating God's law or falling short of His standards. The term conveys the idea of moral failure or transgression against divine law. It is often used in the context of personal sin, highlighting the human tendency to deviate from God's will. Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, the concept of "missing the mark" was often associated with archery, where an archer would fail to hit the target. This imagery was adopted in the New Testament to describe the spiritual and moral failures of humanity. The Jewish understanding of sin, rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, emphasized the breach of covenantal relationship with God. In the Greco-Roman world, moral and ethical behavior was also a significant concern, but the New Testament uniquely frames sin as a relational breach with God, necessitating repentance and redemption through Christ. HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 264 hamartánō (from 1 /A "not" and 3313 /méros, "a part, share") – properly, having no share in; to sin, which always brings forfeiture – i.e. eternal loss due to missing God's mark. Like 266 /hamartía, 264 (hamartánō) is regularly used in ancient times of an archer missing the target (Homer, Aesch., etc). Every decision (action) done apart from faith (4102 /pístis) is sin (Ro 14:23; cf. Heb 11:6). See 266 (hamartia). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an early root hamart- Definition to miss the mark, do wrong, sin NASB Translation commit sin (1), committed...offense (1), committing (1), sin (11), sinned (17), sinning (4), sins (8). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 264: ἁμαρτάνωἁμαρτάνω; future ἁμαρτήσω (Matthew 18:21; Romans 6:15; in the latter passage L T Tr WH give ἁμαρτήσωμεν for R G ἁμαρτήσομεν), in classical Greek ἁμαρτήσομαι; 1 aorist (later) ἡμάρτησα, Matthew 18:15; Romans 5:14, 16 (cf. Winers Grammar, 82 (79); Buttmann, 54 (47)); 2 aorist ἥμαρτον; perfect ἡμάρτηκα; (according to a conjecture of Alexander Buttmann (1873), Lexil. i., p. 137, from the alpha privative and μείρω, μείρομαι, μέρος, properly, to be without a share in, namely, the mark); properly, to miss the mark, (Homer, Iliad 8, 311, etc.; with the genitive of the thing missed, Homer, Iliad 10, 372; 4, 491; τοῦ σκοποῦ, Plato, Hipp. min., p. 375 a.; τῆς ὁδοῦ, Aristophanes Plutarch, 961, others); then to err, be mistaken; lastly to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honor, to do or go wrong. ("Even the Sept., although the Hebrew חָטָא also means primarily to miss, endeavor to reserve ἁμαρτάνω exclusively for the idea of sin: and where the Hebrew signifies to miss one's aim in the literal sense, they avail themselves of expressive compounds, in particular ἐξαμαρτάνειν, Judges 20:16." Zezschwitz, Profangraec, u. Biblical Sprachgeist, p. 63f) In the N. T. to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin; a. absolutely: Matthew 27:4; John 5:14; John 8:11; John 9:2; 1 John 1:10; 1 John 2:1; 1 John 3:6, 8; 1 John 5:18; Romans 2:12; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12, 14, 16; Romans 6:15; 1 Corinthians 7:28, 36; 1 Corinthians 15:34; Ephesians 4:26; 1 Timothy 5:20; Titus 3:11; Hebrews 3:17; Hebrews 10:26 (ἑκουσίως); (2 Peter 2:4); of the violation of civil laws, which Christians regard as also the transgression of divine law, 1 Peter 2:20. b. ἁμαρτάνειν ἁμαρτίαν to commit (literally, sin) a sin, 1 John 5:16 (μεγάλην ἁμαρτίαν, Exodus 32:30f. Hebrew חֲטָאָה חָטָא; αἰσχρὰν ἁμαρτάνω Sophocles Phil. 1249; μεγάλα ἁμαρτήματα ἁμαρτάνειν, Plato, Phaedo, p. 113 e.); cf. ἀγαπάω, under the end ἁμαρτάνειν εἰς τινα (Buttmann, 173 (150); Winer's Grammar, 233 (219)): Matthew 18:15 (L T WH omit; Tr marginal reading brackets εἰς σε), Matthew 18:21; Luke 15:18, 21; Luke 17:3 Rec., 4; 1 Corinthians 8:12; τί εἰς Καίσαρα, Acts 25:8; εἰς τό ἴδιον σῶμα, 1 Corinthians 6:18 (εἰς αὑτούς τέ καί εἰς ἄλλους, Plato, rep. 3, p. 396 a.; εἰς τό θεῖον, Plato, Phaedr., p. 242 c.; εἰς Θεούς, Xenophon, Hell. 1, 7, 19, etc.; (cf. ἁμαρτάνω κυρίῳ Θεῷ, Baruch 1:13 Baruch 2:5)); Hebraistically, ἐνώπιον (לִפְּנֵי) τίνος (Buttmann, § 146, 1) in the presence of, before anyone, the one wronged by the sinful act being, as it were, present and looking on: Luke 15:18, 21 (1 Samuel 7:6; Tobit 3:3, etc.; (cf. ἔναντι κυρίου, Baruch 1:17)). (For references see ἁμαρτία. Compare: προαμαρτάνω). Perhaps from a (as a negative particle) and the base of meros; properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin -- for your faults, offend, sin, trespass. see GREEK a see GREEK meros Englishman's Concordance Matthew 18:15 V-ASA-3SGRK: Ἐὰν δὲ ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς σὲ NAS: your brother sins , go KJV: brother shall trespass against INT: if moreover sins against you Matthew 18:21 V-FIA-3S Matthew 27:4 V-AIA-1S Luke 15:18 V-AIA-1S Luke 15:21 V-AIA-1S Luke 17:3 V-ASA-3S Luke 17:4 V-ASA-3S John 5:14 V-PMA-2S John 8:11 V-PMA-2S John 9:2 V-AIA-3S John 9:3 V-AIA-3S Acts 25:8 V-AIA-1S Romans 2:12 V-AIA-3P Romans 2:12 V-AIA-3P Romans 3:23 V-AIA-3P Romans 5:12 V-AIA-3P Romans 5:14 V-APA-AMP Romans 5:16 V-APA-GMS Romans 6:15 V-ASA-1P 1 Corinthians 6:18 V-PIA-3S 1 Corinthians 7:28 V-AIA-2S 1 Corinthians 7:28 V-AIA-3S 1 Corinthians 7:36 V-PIA-3S 1 Corinthians 8:12 V-PPA-NMP 1 Corinthians 8:12 V-PIA-2P Strong's Greek 264 |