Bible Encyclopedias
Sinner

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sin´ẽr ( חטּא , ḥaṭṭā ; ἁμαρτωλός , hamartōlós , "devoted to sin," "erring one"): In the New Testament, in addition to its ordinary significance of one that sins ( Luke 5:8; Luke 13:2; Romans 5:8 , Romans 5:19; 1 Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 7:26 ), the term is applied to those who lived in disregard of ceremonial prescription (Matthew 9:10 , Matthew 9:11; Mark 2:15 ff; Luke 5:30; Galatians 2:15 ); to those stained with certain definite vices or crimes, as the publicans (Luke 15:2; Luke 18:13; Luke 19:7 ); to the heathen (Matthew 26:45; Galatians 2:15; compare Tobit 13:6; 1 Macc 1:34; 2 Macc 2:48, 62); to the preeminently sinful (Mark 8:38; John 9:24 , John 9:31; Galatians 2:17; 1 Timothy 1:9; Judges 1:15 ). It was the Jewish term for a woman of ill-fame (Luke 7:37; compare Matthew 21:32 , where it is stated that such had come even to John's baptism also). For the general Biblical conception of the term, see SIN .