Sin in the Bible: What the Original Hebrew Actually Reveals
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What does the word “sin” actually mean in the Bible? For most people, the word sin immediately sounds like a courtroom: guilt, judgment, condemnation, and a verdict. But the original Hebrew Bible presents a much richer picture. The Hebrew Scriptures use several different words for what English translations often simply call “sin.” Three of the most important are: • Chata — to miss the mark • Pesha — rebellion or deliberate defiance • Avon — twistedness, iniquity, and the weight sin leaves behind Together, these words reveal a pattern running through the entire Bible. From the sling of a Benjaminite soldier in Judges 20, to Cain standing at the doorway in Genesis 4. From Daniel's prayer in Babylon, to David's confession in Psalm 51. From the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16, to Isaiah 53 and the suffering servant.
