verb
hamartamō
Strong’sG264
I sin
stem hamart-43 times in the New Testamentin 13 of 27 books24 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
To sin, in the sense of violating God's law or doing wrong before God, is the meaning this word carries throughout its biblical use 124. It can be used without any object, simply "to sin," or with an object marking what is sinned against, or as "to sin a sin" 1.
The word's underlying, literal sense is to miss the mark, as of a spear or arrow failing to hit its target 23. From this it came to be used more generally of failing in one's purpose or going wrong in some undertaking, and, by further extension, of erring or doing wrong in a moral sense 123.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἁμαρτάνω
(pres. formed from aor. ἁμαρτεῖν), [in LXX for חטא, also for אשׁם, רשׁע, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G264 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidham-ar-tan'-o
properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin
Fromperhaps from G1 (as a negative particle) and the base of G3313;
King Jamesfor your faults, offend, sin, trespass.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
future ἁμαρτήσομαιRefs 8th c.BC+ later -ήσω NT+2nd c.AD+, (δι-) Refs 5th c.BC+, (ἐξ-) RefsAcut. (Sp.)Refsaorist 2 ἥμαρτονRefs 6th c.BC+, Attic dialect; Epic dialect ἤμβροτον, but only indicative; Aeolic dialect 3rd.pers.singular ἄμβροτεRefs 7th c.BC+, infinitive ἀμβρότηνRefs; optative ἁμάρτοιν (for ἁμάρτοιμι) Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist 1 ἡμάρτησαRefs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἡμάρτηκαRefs 5th c.BC+, Attic dialect:—passive, aorist ἡμαρτήθηνRefs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἡμάρτημαιRefs 5th c.BC+: pluperfect ἡμάρτητοRefs 5th c.BC+:—miss the mark, especially of spear thrown, absolutely, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἁ. τῆς ὁδοῦ miss road, Refs 5th c.BC+
2 generally, fail of one's purpose, go wrong, absolutely, Refs 8th c.BC+; μύθων ἡμάρτανε failed of good speech, Refs; γνώμης, ἐλπίδων, βουλήσεως ἁ., Refs 5th c.BC+; ἁ. τοῦ χρησμοῦ mistake it, Refs 5th c.BC+
3 fail of having, be deprived of, mostly with genitive, χειρῶν ἐξ Ὀδυσῆος ἁμαρτήσεσθαι ὀπωπῆς that I should lose my sight by Ulysses' hands, Refs 8th c.BC+ —once with _neuter_ adjective, οὐ γὰρ εἰκὸς.. ἐμὲ ὑμῶν ἁμαρτεῖν τοῦτό γ᾽ 'tis not seemly that I should ask this of you in vain, Refs 5th c.BC+; δυοῖν κακοῖν οὐκ ἦν ἁμαρτεῖν (i.e. either one or the other) Refs 5th c.BC+ —so μηδὲ δυοῖν φθάσαι ἁμάρτωσιν, ἢ.. ἢ.. fail to be before-hand in one of two things, Refs 5th c.BC+
4 rarely, fail to do, neglect, φίλων ἡμάρτανε δώρωνRefs 8th c.BC+
II absolutely, do wrong, err, sin, Refs 8th c.BC+, etc.:—with participle, ἥμαρτε χρηστὰ μωμένηRefs 5th c.BC+adjective or pronoun, αὐτὸς ἐγὼ τόδε γ᾽ ἤμβροτον I erred in this, Refs 8th c.BC+ or τι do wrong in a matter, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἁ. εἴς τινα sin against.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ τὴν ἔλλειψιν, ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖον, LXX+5th c.BC+
II.2 passive, ἡμαρτήθη ὁ ἐς Σικελίαν πλοῦςRefs 5th c.BC+perfect participle, τἀμὰ δ᾽ ἡμαρτημένα my plans are frustrate, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.3 ἁμαρτανόμενος, as adjective, wrong, mistaken, Refs 5th c.BC+; and of persons, ἡμαρτημένοι mistaken, Refs
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| hamartatōἁμαρτάνει | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | sin | 6× |
| hamartavōἁμαρτάνετε | happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural | sin | 1× |
| hamartatiἁμαρτήσει | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | sin | 1× |
| hamartamaἥμαρτον | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | sinned | 4× |
| hamartasaἥμαρτες | happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular | sinned | 1× |
| hamartataἥμαρτεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | sinned | 3× |
| hamartalaἥμαρτον | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | sinned | 4× |
| hamartanēἡμαρτήκαμεν | has happened · weperfect active indicative 1st person plural | sinned | 1× |
| hamartateiaἁμαρτήσῃ | happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular | sins | 4× |
| hamartaneiaἁμαρτήσωμεν | happened · weaorist active subjunctive 1st person plural | sin | 1× |
| hamartaveiaἁμάρτητε | happened · yeaorist active subjunctive 2nd person plural | sin | 1× |
| hamartasōrἁμάρτανε | happening now · youpresent active imperative 2nd person singular | sin | 2× |
| hamartavōrἁμαρτάνετε | happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural | sin | 2× |
| hamartarōἁμαρτάνειν | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | sin | 1× |
| hamartarōntosἁμαρτάνων | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | sins | 1× |
| hamartarōntonἁμαρτάνοντα | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative singular masculine | sinning | 1× |
| hamartarōntoisἁμαρτάνοντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | sin | 2× |
| hamartarōntoinἁμαρτάνοντας | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine | sin | 1× |
| hamartarōntoiuἁμαρτανόντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | sinning | 1× |
| hamartarōntoiἁμαρτάνουσιν | happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative plural masculine | sin | 1× |
| hamartarantouἁμαρτήσαντος | happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive singular masculine | sin | 1× |
| hamartarantoinἁμαρτήσαντας | happened · objectaorist active participle accusative plural masculine | sin | 1× |
| hamartarantoiuἁμαρτησάντων | happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive plural masculine | sinned | 1× |
| hamartarantoiἁμαρτήσασιν | happened · to, foraorist active participle dative plural masculine | sinned | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 21 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | hamartamō | hamartame | hamartami | hamartama4×ἥμαρτον | hamartamē | hamartamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | hamartasō | hamartase | hamartasi | hamartasa1×ἥμαρτες | hamartasē | hamartaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | hamartatō6×ἁμαρτάνει | hamartate | hamartati1×ἁμαρτήσει | hamartata3×ἥμαρτεν | hamartatē | hamartatelē |
| we 1st person plural | hamartanō | hamartane | hamartani | hamartana | hamartanē1×ἡμαρτήκαμεν | hamartanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | hamartavō1×ἁμαρτάνετε | hamartave | hamartavi | hamartava | hamartavē | hamartavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | hamartalō | hamartale | hamartali | hamartala4×ἥμαρτον | hamartalē | hamartalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 6 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | hamartameiō | hamartameia | hamartameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | hamartaseiō | hamartaseia | hamartaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | hamartateiō | hamartateia4×ἁμαρτήσῃ | hamartateiē |
| we 1st person plural | hamartaneiō | hamartaneia1×ἁμαρτήσωμεν | hamartaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | hamartaveiō | hamartaveia1×ἁμάρτητε | hamartaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | hamartaleiō | hamartaleia | hamartaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 4 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | hamartasōr2×ἁμάρτανε | hamartasar | hamartasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | hamartatōr | hamartatar | hamartatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | hamartavōr2×ἁμαρτάνετε | hamartavar | hamartavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | hamartalōr | hamartalar | hamartalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | hamartamoiō | hamartamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | hamartasoiō | hamartasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | hamartatoiō | hamartatoia |
| we 1st person plural | hamartanoiō | hamartanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | hamartavoiō | hamartavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | hamartaloiō | hamartaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | hamartarō1×ἁμαρτάνειν | hamartari | hamartara | hamartarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 11 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | hamartarōntos7×ἁμαρτάνων | hamartarintos | hamartarantos4× | hamartarēntos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
hamart is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
43 occurrences, every one of them listed
hamartatō“sin”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular6×
1 Corinthians 6:18… de porneuarōntos eis tem idiem sōmem hamartatō.… body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
1 Corinthians 7:36“sin”… ofeilatō genorō, hem thelatō poiatōr; ouk hamartatō; gamalōr.… and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they …
Titus 3:11“sinning”horarēntos hoti ekstrefotē tos toioutos kai hamartatō, arōntos autokatakritos.knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned.
1 John 3:6pantos tos en auto menarōntos ouk hamartatō; pantos tos hamartarōntos ouk horatē auton …… sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.
1 John 3:8… atō, hoti apo archau tos diabolos hamartatō. eis houtem fanerita tos huios tou …… devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is …
1 John 5:18“sin”… tos gennorēntos ek tou theou ouk hamartatō, alla tos gennirantos ek tou theou …… that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him …
hamartavō“sin”happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural1×
1 Corinthians 8:12… autoiu tan suneidēsian asthenarōntan eis Christon hamartavō.… and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
hamartati“sin”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Matthew 18:21“sin”… auto tos Petros legata; Kurior, posakis hamartati eis min tos adelfos mu kai …Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to …
hamartama“sinned”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular4×
Matthew 27:4legarōntos; Hamartama paradōarantos haimem athōem. tois de legala; …“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said …
Luke 15:18… patron mu kai legami auto; Patror, hamartama eis ton ouranon kai enōpion su,… say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
Luke 15:21legata de tos huios auto; Patror, hamartama eis ton ouranon kai enōpion su, …The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I …
Acts 25:8“sinned”… tem hierem oute eis Kaisaron tinem hamartama.… or against the temple or against Caesar.”
hamartasa“sinned”happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular1×
1 Corinthians 7:28ean de kai gamaseia, ouk hamartasa. kai ean gamateia tas parthenas, ouk …… you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she …
hamartata“sinned”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular3×
John 9:2… tois mathētois autou legarōntois; Rabbi, tinos hamartata, houtos ē tois gonevois autou, hina …… His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that …
John 9:3apokrinita Iēsus; Oute houtos hamartata oute tois gonevois autou, alla hina …… Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the …
1 Corinthians 7:28… kai ean gamateia tas parthenas, ouk hamartata. thlipsian de ta sarka echali tois …… a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face …
hamartala“sinned”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural4×
Romans 2:12“sinned”Hosois gar anomōs hamartala, anomōs kai apoleli; kai hosois en …All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law …
Romans 2:12“sinned”… kai apoleli; kai hosois en nomo hamartala, dia nomou krinili;… law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
Romans 3:23pantois gar hamartala kai husterolō tau doxau tou theou,for all have sinned and fall short of the glory …
Romans 5:12… tos thanatos dierchata epi he pantois hamartala… on to all men, because all sinned.
hamartanē“sinned”has happened · weperfect active indicative 1st person plural1×
1 John 1:10ean leganeia hoti ouk hamartanē, pseuston poianō auton kai tos logos …If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be …
hamartateia“sins”happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular4×
Matthew 18:15Ean de hamartateia eis sin tos adelfos su, hupagasōr …If your brother sins against you, go and confront him …
Luke 17:3prosechavōr heautoi. ean hamartateia tos adelfos su epitimasar auto, kai …Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents …
Luke 17:4kai ean heptakis tau hēmerau hamartateia eis sin kai heptakis epistrefateia pros …Even if he sins against you seven times in a …
1 John 2:1… hina mē hamartaveia. kai ean tinos hamartateia, paraklēton echanō pros ton patron Iēsun …… not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the …
hamartaneia“sin”happened · weaorist active subjunctive 1st person plural1×
Romans 6:15Tinem oun? hamartaneia hoti ouk anō hupo nomon alla …What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law …
hamartaveia“sin”happened · yeaorist active subjunctive 2nd person plural1×
1 John 2:1… mu, houteim grafamō vi hina mē hamartaveia. kai ean tinos hamartateia, paraklēton echanō …… you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we …
hamartasōr“sin”happening now · youpresent active imperative 2nd person singular2×
John 5:14“sin”… legata auto; Ide hugios genasē; mēketi hamartasōr, hina mē cheirōnem si tinem geneteia.… temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.”
John 8:11… mis sin krinamō poreuosōr, kai mēketi hamartasōr.… you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”
hamartavōr“sin”happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural2×
1 Corinthians 15:34eknēfavar dikaiōs kai mē hamartavōr, agnōsian gar theou tinois echalō; pros …… up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant …
Ephesians 4:26orgizovōr kai mē hamartavōr; tos hēlios mē epiduatōr epi parorgismoso …“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set …
hamartarō“sin”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive1×
1 John 3:9“sin”… en auto menatō, kai ouk dunotō hamartarō, hoti ek tou theou gennotē.… God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
hamartarōntos“sins”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine1×
1 John 3:6“sins”… auto menarōntos ouk hamartatō; pantos tos hamartarōntos ouk horatē auton oude gnōskatē auton.… remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.
hamartarōnton“sinning”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative singular masculine1×
1 John 5:16“sinning”ean tinos horateia ton adelfon autou hamartarōnton hamartan mē pros thanaton, aitati, kai …If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who …
hamartarōntois“sin”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine2×
1 Corinthians 8:12“sin”houtōs de hamartarōntois eis toin adelfoin kai tuptarōntois autoiu …By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience …
1 Peter 2:20“sin”poiem gar kleem ei hamartarōntois kai kolafizorōntois hupomenavi? alla ei agathopoiarōntois …… to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer …
hamartarōntoin“sin”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine1×
1 Timothy 5:20toin hamartarōntoin enōpion pantoiu elenchasōr, hina kai tois …But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of …
hamartarōntoiu“sinning”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×
Hebrews 10:26Hekousiōs gar hamartarōntoiu nu meta tem labara tan epignōsian …If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge …
hamartarōntoi“sin”happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative plural masculine1×
1 John 5:16… aitati, kai dōati auto zōan, toi hamartarōntoi mē pros thanaton. atō hamartas pros …… kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am …
hamartarantou“sin”happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive singular masculine1×
Romans 5:16kai ouk hōs dia henou hamartarantou tem dōrēmem; tem men gar krimem …… the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment that followed one sin …
hamartarantoin“sin”happened · objectaorist active participle accusative plural masculine1×
Romans 5:14… mechris Mōusou kai epi toin mē hamartarantoin epi te homoiōme tau parabasiau Adam, …… even over those who did not sin in the way that Adam transgressed …
hamartarantoiu“sinned”happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive plural masculine1×
2 Peter 2:4Ei gar tos theos angeloiu hamartarantoiu ouk feideta, alla seirai zofou tartararantos …… not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell …
hamartarantoi“sinned”happened · to, foraorist active participle dative plural masculine1×
Hebrews 3:17… de prosochthizata tesserakonta eteim? ouchi toi hamartarantoi, hoiu teim kōleim piptata en ta …… Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?