Word Study for G265 (ἁμάρτημα)

hamártēma /ham-ar'-tay-mah/ Ask about this word

Meaninga sin (properly concrete)

KJV usagesin.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of hamártēma — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word hamártēma, represented by G265, is derived from ἁμαρτάνω (hamartánō) and means a sin, with an emphasis on a proper, concrete act. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. This term focuses on a specific, individual transgression or fault rather than a general state of sinfulness.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical text, G265 is used to identify specific offenses that are subject to a divine response. It is presented as something that can be forgiven, as stated in Mark 3:28: "All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men." This is echoed in Mark 4:12, which connects the possibility of conversion with having their sins forgiven. In Romans 3:25, the term is used in the context of atonement, describing the "remission of sins that are past" through the forbearance of God. Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 6:18 uses it to make a distinction, stating "Every sin that a man doeth is without the body," thereby contrasting it with the particular sin of fornication.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning and context of G265:

G264 hamartánō (to err, especially (morally) to sin): As the root verb, this word signifies the act of missing the mark or sinning. It is used to describe the universal condition that "all have sinned" Romans 3:23.
G863 aphíēmi (to send forth, in various applications... forgive, forsake, leave): This verb describes the action taken upon the sins G265 in Mark 3:28 and Mark 4:12, where transgressions are "forgiven."
G3929 páresis (praetermission, i.e. toleration): This term is directly linked to G265 in Romans 3:25, where it is translated as "remission" of sins that are past, highlighting God's tolerance.
G988 blasphēmía (vilification (especially against God):--blasphemy, evil speaking, railing): This appears alongside sins G265 in Mark 3:28, illustrating how different types of offenses are categorized while still being noted as forgivable.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G265 is significant, highlighting key doctrines concerning sin and salvation.

Forgiveness and Pardon: The term is consistently used to frame sin as something that can be pardoned. The declaration in Mark 3:28 that "All sins shall be forgiven" establishes a foundation for divine grace.
Atonement through Christ: Romans 3:25 places sins G265 at the center of God's redemptive plan, where the "remission of sins" demonstrates His righteousness and is accomplished through Christ as a "propitiation."
The Nature of Sin: The word is used to explore the characteristics of transgression. In 1 Corinthians 6:18, it helps differentiate the impact of general sin from the specific sin of fornication, which is described as uniquely against one's "own body."

Summary

In summary, G265 is more than a general term for wrongdoing; it specifies a concrete act of sin. Its use in scripture emphasizes that these individual faults require a divine remedy, whether through forgiveness or remission. The term is crucial for understanding the relationship between human transgression and God's provision of pardon through Christ's propitiation Romans 3:25. It serves to define the problem of sin in a way that points directly to its solution in the grace of God.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists one rendering for this word. It is counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the number is how many of them use it. Select it to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a noun across 6 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

ἁμαρτήματα
ἁμαρτιῶν
ἁμαρτημάτων
ἁμαρτήματος·
ἁμάρτημα

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 4 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Mark (2 verses); never once in the other 24.

Mark

Romans

1 Corinthians

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.