Word of the Week
June 8, 2025
Sin: More Than 31 Flavors
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23
When our kids were growing up, they were always ready for a jaunt to Baskin Robbins, where you could choose from 31 flavors of ice cream. There was a scoop of sweetness for every taste bud!
Unfortunately, we have all grown up and have discovered the truism that sin comes in 3100 flavors. There is a seemingly endless menu of wrongdoing around us, and there’s nothing sweet about it!
Everyone sins differently from his or her neighbor, but the Bible makes it clear that we all sin. And dealing with that tragic reality is one of the themes of Scripture. God throws the spotlight on sin in all its forms, and this comprehensive approach is reflected in the multiple Greek words that the New Testament uses to describe sin.
For the next few weeks, we are going to consider a few of the Greek words for sin. Sin is clearly wrong in many ways, and each of the terms for it will reveal its loathsome nature in new ways.
Today’s study is an introduction to the series. Instead of delving deeply into a single word, we will preview some of the Greek terms for moral evil.
One standard reference work offers this sampling of the terminology of wrongdoing:
- Adikia – “unrighteousness” – a general term for behavior that breaks the norms of society (including God’s kingdom). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
- Anomia – “lawlessness” – another general term for disobedience to laws, either human or divinely given. “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).
- Asebeia – “ungodliness” – irreverence toward the person of God. “. . . instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age” (Titus 3:12).
- Parabasis – “transgression” – breaking the law or covenant of God. “You who boast in the Law, do you dishonor God by your transgression of the Law?” (Romans 2:12).
Gunther, W. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Colin Brown, ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1971. Vol III, p. 584.
Study Hint:
The most comprehensive word for sin is hamartia [hah-mar-TEE-ah], and you can begin your study of the Greek words for sin by reading the word that we shared last year. Here is the link to that article: https://ezraproject.com/hamartia-whatever-became-of-sin/
Coming Up
There are so many Greek words for sin that we are going to start next week with one that is not even on the list from this scholar. I hope that this study will remind us of the seriousness of sin and alert us to the many forms it can take.
Ezra Project 2025
One Response
Personally, I am a child of the Most High. Yet I do sin daily. My hearts desire is to be obedient to Him. Confessing my sins daily. I RUN to Christ daily seeking His forgiveness. My life today is spent being as holy as possible for His love given to me at the Cross on Calvary 💪🏾🙏🏾